Gazette Of The United States

The late public commencement in this city, affords a conspicuous specimen of the progress of science, and the fine arts, as well as of moral and political researches. It is an happy presage to the future character and prosperity of this country, that its youth, when in pursuit of literary attainments, do not confine their attention to the dull paths of mere scholastick study, but acquire some general and useful ideas respecting commerce, policy and ethics. Under such regulations, may we not hope to be, successively furnished with patriots and legislators, who will come forth into public life, endowed with such knowledge, and guarded with such principles, as will render them both the ornament and safeguard of our rising republic?

Men participating of such qualities will be equally remote from wishing a government of bigotry and despotism, as of licentiousness and anarchy. The spectators who hear the debates of our national representatives, are unanimous in their applauses of the candor and impartiality which appear in the deliberations.

If the measures adopted should fail of giving complete satisfaction to the virtuous citizens of this nation, it will be no argument that the legislature are not influenced by the strictest integrity, and the purest patriotism. It will only be an evidence, that the task to be accomplished, was surrounded with such various and complicated difficulties, in the adoption of plans, and had to combat such diversity of views and feelings throughout the country where they were to operate, that it would be no less remarkable in the first instance to strike upon expedients absolutely the best, than to gain the entire approbation of all classes of men, over this wide extended country. We persuade ourselves however, that wise measures will be pursued, and a very general acquiescence in them will prevail among our enlightened countrymen. They will no doubt recollect, that future legislatures may amend what is found ineligible, and correct any unequal operation, that the laws may be supposed to produce in different parts of the Union: For it is no less requisite, that a spirit of accommodation and justice should characterize the bulk of the citizens, than that it should govern those who have the management of public affairs.