The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

PORTSMOUTH, Jan. 30.

Extract of a letter, of a late date, from the illustrious President of the late federal Convention, to his friend in Fredericksburg, Virginia, extracted from Mr. Green’s Virginia Herald.

"I thank you for your congratulations on my safe return from the Convention, and am pleased that the proceedings of it have met your approbation. My decided opinion of the matter is, that there is no alternative between the adoption of it and anarchy. If one state, however important it may conceive itself to be, or a minority of them, should suppose that they can dictate a constitution to the union, unless they have the power of applying the ultimo ratio to good effect, they will find themselves deceived. All the opposition to it, that I have yet seen, is, I must confess, addressed more to the passions than to the reason: and clear I am, if another federal Convention is attempted, that the sentiments of its members will be more discordant or less accommodating than the last. In fine, that they will agree upon no general plan. General government is now suspended by a thread, I might go further, and say it is really at an end, and what will be the consequence of a fruitless attempt to amend the one which is offered, before it is tried, or of the delay from the attempt, does not in my judgement need the gift of prophecy to predict.

"I am not a blind admirer, (for I saw the imperfections) of the constitution I aided in the birth of, before it was handed to the public; but I am fully persuaded it is the best that can be obtained at this time; that it is free from many of the imperfections with which it is charged, and that it or disunion is before us to choose from. If the first is our election, when the defects of it are experienced, a constitutional door is opened for amendments, and may be adopted in a peaceable manner, without tumult or disorder."