Gazette Of The United States

The zeal of some writers has occasioned them to charge Congress with enacting a funding law, imposing on the people a burden four-fold greater than was necessary. Is it not fair to ask persons who hold such language, why they did not begin their complaints against those who have granted additions to the terms of the funding System? The truth is (and it contains a full answer to these complaints) that those state legislatures and the legislature of the United States, have granted rates of interest which appeared to them just and consistent with the public interests in an enlarged view of them.

In a late publication, which discovers great apprehensions about the designs of the general government, and fears about the state governments, Congress are severely censured for leaving open a door for Bank Directors to be members of the federal legislature. This reminds a correspondent of the old saying, that it is safer for some people to steal a horse, than for others to look over the hedge. Though not one state legislature has prohibited state Bank Directors from sitting in those bodies, it is an abominable thing for Congress to leave the same thing upon the same footing.

How jaundiced must be the eye which views the systems of Congress as pernicious to the honor, interests and happiness of our country! Although the impartial foreign world resounds with applauses for the revival of our public credit; for the maintenance of honesty between man and man; for the restoration of commerce and the advancement of manufactures; though the resulting prosperity of our increasing agriculture is attracting the attention of the most intelligent nations of Europe; though our government is the frequent topic of the eulogies of the struggling patriots of the old world, the tongue of prejudice and error is incessantly recounting a different tale to the happy people of the United States. Americans, be sober-minded. Think for yourselves, and that seriously. Let not the effusions of heated minds have any influence on those reflections concerning public affairs, which it is the duty of every free citizen to make.

Liberty, like any other good thing, is to be used with discretion. Cry huzza, and down with Government; is there any liberty in this? The few who govern the many, often raise this cry, and possess themselves of the power of a multitude who join in it. But again; is this liberty, or the power of a few? In sober times, when the laws have no passions, the multitude really governs. The people, therefore, by supporting the laws, support liberty and equal right, which they already possess; by opposing the laws with force they put all at risk. Are the opposers of the excise sons of liberty?

The people cannot always watch their privileges; they cannot always create a spirit of union to oppose any encroachment upon them. Therefore it is their duty, and should be their first care to provide such securities, that liberty will be in a degree safe, while the people are about their business. Government is naturally divided into three branches. When thus divided, one branch will watch and check the others. Liberty cannot be lost by a plot; for the losing branch will surely call upon the people. We are always sure of one safeguard in every scheme against liberty. In every other plan of government, we may be deceived by relying on the virtues of the best men. But on the idea of these branches the vices and passions of men may be depended on, at least so far as to resist any encroachment upon their lawful authority. Accordingly the constitutions of America have adopted this plan, and we may justly hope that our great grandsons will enjoy the blessings of it.