Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

By this day's Mail.

NEW-YORK, July 11.

Montesquieu says "The most certain mark of the approaching fall of a state, is the contempt of the people towards their government and magistracy." In monarchies this is undoubtedly true; for we have seen it verified in France, and heard of it in other nations.—It may be true also, when applied to a republican government; but it shews at the same time, an universal corruption of the people who elect, and are elected into office: and whenever such a state of things occurs, as was the case on the decline and fall of the Roman republic, the country is ripe for some terrible revolution and must expect it. The grand object therefore is, to promote public and individual virtue ; for, from that primary source, proceeds all the good to be expected in a country. If the majority of a republican state are virtuous, it is not natural to presume that a majority of the government, which depends on the public suffrage, will be otherwise—and as the political conduct of the officers of our government, with extremely few exceptions, is unimpeachable, every attempt on the part of our citizens, to detach the confidence of the people from their public agents, is a step towards verifying the remark of Montesquieu. This observation receives additional energy, if we reflect that certain printers in the United States (to the credit of our country, they are as few as their characters are contemptible,) have uniformly selected the most unblemished and irreproachable men as objects against which to emit their venom. If to abuse such men, when the virtuous and the moderate concur in approbating their measures, is not an obvious attempt to withdraw the public confidence from their administration, nothing is: But it is sincerely trusted these nefarious steps to realize "the most certain mark of the fall of a state." will be as unsuccessful as they are base. A review of the federal administration, from the first establishment of the government, will evince to every impartial mind, that our public officers have acted on the grand principle of advancing the INTERESTS of the United States, in the first instance—and secondly, with a rigid regard to the rights of other nations, always respecting them and endeavoring to treat them with a scrupulous impartiality, This has been the case with respect to France and Great-Britain, and this is now the case as to Spain. The decisive steps taken in the affair of Mr. Blount, are sufficient evidence of a determination to act with candor and good faith towards the Spaniards, to satisfy their claims and to avert the calamity of a misunderstanding, either with that or another nation, famous for dark intrigue, and which it is suspected is at the bottom of their present unwarrantable manoeuvres on the Mississippi, The Spaniards have ever been thought an honorable people—we hope will continue so—and we should have little cause to apprehend a rupture with them, if left to the uninfluenced operation of their own sincerity and good faith—Whether they are at present so influenced, every observer will, of course, decide for himself.