CHAP. XXIX. 1783. of the members who firft compofed that honorable body. Some men had been introduced in their stead, whofe ideas of public liberty were very different; who had neither the capacity, the comprehenfion, nor even the wishes, to eftablish the freedom of their country on the basis of equal liberty, and the renunciation of monarchic principles. Some of them had always been men of doubtful character, others had decidedly favored the claims of the British king and parliament. The feveral governments involved in a weight of public debt; the people embarraffed in their private resources, from the expensive exigencies of an eight years' war; and every difficulty enhanced by being long without a medium of stability, without confidence in the faith of public bodies, or fecurities that could be relied on in private contracts,—the public mind was now agitated like a foreft fhaken in a tempeft, and ftood trembling at the magnitude of opening profpects, and the retrospect of past events. We have seen the feeds of animofity and dis fenfion were fown among themselves before the American army was difbanded; dangerous fymptoms indeed in a young republic, juft fetting out for itself, with the command and entire jurifdiction of an immenfe territory, while yet no digefted fyftem was formed, or seriously contemplated but by few, for governing a newborn nation, ftill in its pupilage with regard to the ends, the origin, and the most perfect mode of civil government. America was a country remarkable for its rapid population, not yet fo much from the ingrefs of foreigners, as in confequence of the operations of nature, where a people are not corrupted by habits of effeminacy, where fubfiftence for a family was eafily acquired, and where few factitious wants had yet cankered the minds of the great mafs of the people, and diflodged that complacency which refults from competence and content. Many indeed, at the prefent period, seemed to have loft fight of their primeval ideas and obligations; yet they were not eradicated from the intelligent, the virtuous, and well-informed mind: the genial flame of freedom and independence blazed in its orig inal luftre, in the breafts of many, long after the termination of the revolutionary war. After this period, the American continent was viewed by all nations as a theatre juft erected, where the drama was but begun while the actors of the old world having run through every species of pride, luxury, venality, and vice, their characters are become less interefting than those of the new. America may stand as a CHAP. XXI L 1783. CHAP. XXIX. 1783. monument of obfervation,and an afylum of freedom. The eyes of all Europe were upon her : fhe was placed in a rank that fubjected her to the inspection of mankind abroad, to the jealoufy of monarchs, and the envy of nations, all watching for her halting, to avail themselves of her mistakes, and to reap advantages from her difficulties, her embarrassments, her inexperience, or her follies. Perhaps at no period of her existence, was America viewed with an eye of higher veneration, than at the prefent, both by statesmen and princes at the fame time, the philofopher in his retirement contemplates, and the lovers of mankind of every defcription behold, the shackles of ancestral pride annihilated, in a respectable portion of the globe. Yet, it may be observed, that it will require all the wisdom and firmness of the most fagacious heads, united with the most upright hearts, to establish a form of government for an extenfive nation, whose independence has been recently acknowledged by Great Britain. This must be done on a just medium, that may control the licentiousness of liberty, and the daring encroachments of arbitrary power; a medium that may check the two extremes of democracy, and the overbearing influence of a young ariftocracy, that may ftart up from a fudden acquifition of wealth, where it had never before been tafted. 1783. But after all the fpeculative opinions with CHAP. XXIX. regard to government, that have occupied the minds and the pens of men, before many years roll over, fome afpiring genius, without eftablishing the criterion or waiting the reward of real merit, may avail himself of the weakness, the divifions, and perhaps the diftreffes, of America, to make himself the designator and the fountain of honor and expectation. Such a fovereign without a crown, or the title of king, with his favorites and his instigators about him, may not be a lefs dangerous animal, than the monarch whofe brow is decorated by the fplendor of a diadem. These are, however, ideas that may evanish with time; or if realized, it must be to the grief of the genuine patriot and the mifery of thousands, who now dream only of freedom, wealth, and happiness, beneath the protection of juft, equal, and lenient governments of their own, without any commixture of foreign influence or domination. CHAP. XXX. 1783. CHAPTER XXX. A Survey of the Situation of America on the Conclufion of the War with Britain.-Obfervations on the Declaration of Independence.--Withdraw of the British Troops from New York-A few Obfervations on the Detention of the Western Posts.-The American Army disbanded, after the Commander in Chief had addressed the Public, and taken Leave of his Fellow-SoldiersGeneral Wallington refigns his Commiffion to Congress. WE have feen the banners of Albion displayed, and the pendants of her proud navy waving over the waters of the western world, and threatening terror, fervitude, or defolation, to refifting millions. We have seen through the tragic tale of war, all political connexion with Great Britain broken off, the authority of the parent state renounced, and the independence of the American states fealed by the definitive treaty. The mind now willingly draws a veil over the unpleafing part of the drama, and indulges the imagination in future profpects of peace and felicity; when the foldier fhall retreat from the field, lay by the sword, and refume the implements of husbandry-the mechanic return to his former occupation, and the merchant rejoice in the profperous view of commerce; when trade fhall not be restricted |