The objections which have been urged against the fæderal conftitution, from wanting a bill of rights, have been reasoned and siculed out of credit in every ftate that has adopted it. There can be only two fecurities for liberty in any government, viz. Eprefentation and checks. By the first, the rights of the people, and by the fecond, the rights of reprefentation, are effectually fecured. Every part of a free conftitution hings upon these two points, and these form the two capital features of the propofed confitution of the United States. Without them, a volume of rights would avail nothing; and with them, a declaration of rights is abfurd and unneceffary; for the PEOPLE, when their liberties are committed to an equal reprefentation, and to a compound legillature (uch as we obferve in the new goverutnent), will always be the fovereigns of their rulers, and hold all their rights in their own hands. To hold them at the mercy of their fervants, is difgraceful to the dignity of freemen. Men, who call for a bill of rights, have not recovered from the habits they acquired under the monarchical government of Great-Britain. An I have the fame opinion with the antifederalifts of the danger of trufting arbitrary power to any fingle body of men; but no fuch power will be committed to our new rulers. Neither the house of reprefentatives, the fenate, nor the prefident, can perform a Single legiative act by themselves.. hundred principles in man will lead them to watch, to check, and to oppofe each other, should an attempt be made by either of them upon the liberties of the people. If we may judge of their conduct, by what we have fo often obferved in all the state governments, the members of the fœderal legislature will much oftener injure their conflituents by ting agreeably to their inclinations, than against them. The peo But are we to confider men entrefied with power as the receptacles of all the depravity of human nature? By no means. ple do not part with their full proportions of it. Reafon and revelation both deceive us, if they are all wife and virtuous. Is not hifiory as full of the vices of the people, as it is of the crimes of the kings? what is the prefent moral character of the citizens of the United States? I need not defcribe it. It proves too plainly, that the people are as much difpofed to vice as their rulers, and that nothing but a vigorous and efficient government can prevent their degenerating into favages, or devouring each other like beafs of prey. A fimple democracy has been very aptly compared, by Mr. Ames of Maffachulette, to a volcano that contained within its bowelt the firey materials of its own destruction. A citizen of one of the Cantons of Swit2-rland, in the year 1776, refused to drink in my prefence "the commonwealth of Ameri as a toast, and give, as a reafon for it, that a fimple democracy was the Devil's own government,'-The experience of the American ftates under the prefent confederation has in too many inftances justified thefe two accounts of a fimple popular government. Ca It would have been a truth, if Mr. Locke had not faid it, that where there is no law, there can be no liberty; and nothing deferves the name of law but that which is certain and univerfal in its operation upon all the members of the community. To look up to a government that effabe lithes juftice, infures order, cher.hes virtue, fecures property, and proteas from every fpecies of violence, affords a pleature that can only be exceeded by looking up in all circumstances to an over-ruling Providence.Such a pleature, I hope, is before us and our polity, under the influence of the new go vernment. The dimensions of the human mind are apt to be regulated by the extent and objects of the government under which it is formed, Think then, my friend, of the expansion and dignity the American mind will acquire, by having its powers transferred from the con traced objects of a state, to the more unbounded objects of a national government!A citizen and a legiflator of the free and UNITED STATES of America will be one of the first characters in the world. I would not have you fuppofe, after what I have written, that I believe the new goveroment to be without faults. I can lee them, but not in any of the writings of fpeeches of the perfons who are oppoted to it. But who ever faw any thing perfect come from the hands of man? It realifes notwithstanding in a great degree every with I ever entertained in every ftage of the revolution for the happinets of my country, for my friends know that I have acquired no new opinions or principles upon the fubject of republics, by the forrowful events we have lately witnelfed in America. In the year 1776, 1 loft the confidence of the people of Pennfylvania, by openly expofing the dangers of a fimple democracy, and declaring myfelf an advocate for a government compofed of three legislative branches. [ 547 1 The EPISTLE from the YEARLY-MEETING held in LONDON, by adjournments, from the 12th of the fifth month, 1788, to the 19th day of the fame inclufive. To the Quartely and Monthly meetings of friends in GREAT-BRITAIN, IRELAND, and elsewhere. I Dear Friends and Brethren, N that love which is not fubject to change, we affectionately falete you. We have abundant caufe to acknowledge the renewal of divine help and counfel to us in this our large annual affembly, through the virtue and influence whereof we have been enabled to attend to the weighty concerns which have come before us, in much brotherly love and concord. The amount of friends fufferings brought in this year, for tithes, thole called church rights, and other demands with which we. confcientioufly fcruple to comply, amount, in Great-Britain, to upwards of five thousand one hundred pounds; and in Ireland, to one thousand five hundred pounds. By the accounts received from our feveral quarterly-meetings, and by epifles from Ireland, New-England, New-York, Pennfylvania and New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and North and South Carolina, and Georgia, we have the comfortable intelligence of fresh additions to our religious fociety, by convinced perfons, and in thefe kingdoms more than at fome former periods. For the religibus progrefs of thefe we are warmly folicitous, that, by abiding clofely under the forming hand, they may effectually experience an advancement in the weighty work of converfion; which gradually leads the believing and obedient foul into that childlike ftate, which is meet for the kingdom. May thofe who have had the privilege of birth-right amongit us be watchful, left, by fwerving from the fimplicity in which truth leads its faithful followers, they become caufe of offence to fuck as are thus brought into our religious community! O friends reft not content with having been educated in a profeffion even of the truth itself, but wait to know the power, which regenerates and quickens the foul, and qualities to fee the things which pertain to the kingdom of God; that power which awakened the fpiritual fenfes of our forefathers, which difturbed their reft in outward forms, and which caufed them to be diffatisfied with every thing short of the fubftance of christianity. Let not us, their fucceffors in the profeflion of the fame living faith, degenerate into formality, taking up our retidence as in the outward court; but let us feek after an entrance into that fpiritual temple, where true prayer is wont to be made; and humbly and deeply wait for ability to worship the Father of fpirits, in fpirit and in truth. Cherifh, we beseech you, the inward manifeftations, and the tender impreflions of divine grace, and walk therein: fo thall you experience prefervation from the defilements and corruptions of the world. Deplorable hath been the confequence of living above the fimple difcoveries of the pure world of life in the heart, even darkneft, error, and unbelief. And, dear friends, as we are convinced. that pure and ritual worship only is acceptable to God; fo we are alfo firmly perfuaded, that the whole fome difcipline ettablished amongst us can only be rightly and effectually exercifed in the wildom and power of the fpirit. Wait therefore in all your meetings of difcipline for the renewing of divine 1fe, and to be clothed with the fpirit of Chrift; the fruits of which are, meekness, long-fuffering, and love unfeigned. The religious concern of this meeting hath been abundantly man feited in our epiftolary communications from year to year in order to excite our brethren in profeffion to frek after durable riches in righteoufnels. We therefore earnestly entreat that this confi deration, may take place in every mind: Wbut Spiritual advantage bave I experienced from thefe labours of the church for the promotion of true piery and felf-denial! If fuch a confideration be attended to, it will not be neceffary to communicate much; nor do we feel our minds under an engagement at this time to enlarge; but we refer to the many profitable and weighty advices in former epifiles. Nevertheless, dear friends, the continuance of covetouínefs and of earthlymindeduefs in many, calls upon us to endeavour to awaken fuch as are infected with it to a fenfe of what they are purfaing, and at what price. The great Mafter hath fhewn the unprofitablenefs of the whole world, compared with one immortal foul; and yet many are purfuing a delufive portion of it, at the expence of their fouls interefts. But, were all thus awakened, what place would be found for extensive schemes in trade, and fictitious credit to fupport them? To mix with the fpirit of the world in the parfait of gain, would then be a fubjet of dread; and contentment, under the allotment of Providence, the fure means of prefervation. The increafing folicitude for the fuppreffion of the flave trade, which appears among all ranks of people, is caufe of thankfulness to the common Father of mankind; and encourages us to hope, that the time is approaching, when this nation will be cleanted from that defilement. Let us, in the mean time, continue, with unabating ardour, to be interceffors for the greatly injured Africans. We conclude with expreffing our comfort, that, notwithstanding the many weakneffes which prevail, numbers of our beloved youth are preferved in faithfulness, to whor the gracious Lord hath extended, and is continuing to extend, the visitations of his THE Committee, appointed by the Retail Shopkeepers of the cities of London and Westminster, the Borough of Southwork, and Parts adjacent, having, in the courfe of their applications to Parliament, received material affittance from the cities, boroughs, and towns, with whom they have correfponded, think it incumbent on them, at this period, to forward you a copy of their refolutions of the 21st of April laft, when they took into confideration the decifion of the Hon. Houfe of Commons on the motion made for the repeal of the ShopTax. However laborious the duty of the Committee may be, they with not to fhrink from it till they are difcharged from their office by the body who constituted them, or till the juftice of the Legiflature is awakened to the claims of the Shop-keepers. They again folicit your attention to the fubject of the Shop Tax as a public cauke; for, though the Retail Shop-keeper alone has been selected for the experiment of this new mode of taxation, under the pretext of his being able to make a circuitous reimbursement, it is impoffible to fay who may be the next objects of this Species of oppreffion, or to what lengths it may be extended. The que ftion refts folely on the unqua lified affertion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, without producing any evidence (which, did it exift, his high ftation and authority would give him full poffeffion of), ftates it merely as his opinion, that the Retail Trader is not i jured by this mode of affeffment on his property, notwithstanding the united teftimony of all the Traders, of to respectable a part of the Legislature, and of the majority of the nation at large. The Committee are fenfible how much the cause of the Shop-keepers fuffers in a conteft of this kind, from the propenfity of the publick to take the fide of power, and from the odium ahat any oppofition to a meature which is to increase the revenue of the country la bours under; but, while they are confcicus of rectitude of intention and a jutt cause, it becomes them not to despair. A period may arrive, when the Minifter of Finance thalt think it more for the true intereft and honour of Great-Britain to derive its refources from the great articles of confumption, and from taxes upon property, than from opprefive imports on the precarious profis aribing from trade, or fill more faered fruits of laborious industry. The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council, of the city of London, having, in their corporate capacity, come to fome decided refolutions on the nature and tendency of the shop-tax, the Committee have the honour to tranimit you a copy of them, and will efteem themselves much indebted for your communications during the prefeat ceffation of their parliamentary business. We have the honour to be, With great refpe&t, SI P., THE Committee having, at feveral adjourned meetings, taken into confideration the event of the motion, made in the Houte of Commons on the 13th of March lat, for the REPEAL of the SHOP-TAX; RESOLVED, That the thanks of this Committee are eminently due to thofe Hon. Members of the House of Commons who have flood forward in fupport of the cause of the fhop-keepers, and who have endeavoured, by arguments the most folid and the moit convincing, to induce the Chancellor of the Exchequer to abandon a fyftem of taxation, unwife, oppreffive, and unconfite. tional. RESOLVED, That it appears to this Committee, the opinion of the House of Commons is not more unfriendly to the repeal of the Shop-Tax than in the laft Applica tion of the Snop-keepers, the number on both eivations bearing nearly in the lame proportion to each other. RESOLVED, That the frequent difcuffion of this question has more firmly established the arguments used in eppofition to the ShopTax. The evidence and cales which were exhibited in the Houfe of Commons, uncppofed and uncontradicted by any couster evidence Proceedings of the London Committee on the Shop-Tax. evidence whatever, fully demonstrated it to be a tax on the profits and returns of the Shop-keepers. RESOLVED, That the plea of State-neceffity, which is the avowed motive for the continuance of this exaction, appears to this Committee a Principle that will justify any inftance of partial and oppreffive taxation, and does but i accord with the boated state of the finances of this country, which has been held up to the publick by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. RESOLVED, That, as the forms of the Houfe of Commons do not admit of any farther fteps being taken in the prefent SelSon, this Committee defer calling a General Meeting of the Shop-keepers, by whom they were originally conflituted, till the enfuing Seffion; when, with the advice and tance of their reprefentatives in Partia ment, the Shop keepers may refoive on fuch measures as the circumstances of that Time thall render mok expedient. RESOLVED, That, during the interval of Parliamentary bufinefs, a conftant correfpondence be maintained with the cities, boroughs, and towns, throughout the kingdom, who have hitherto generously fupported the applications of the Shop-keepers, not on the ground of party-conteft or local imeret, but as a caufe in which the right of individuals, the dignity of the L-gilature, and the national honour, are involved. RESOLVED, That conferences be held with the Committee appointed by the City of London on fuch business as may have a tendency to promote the object of which the committers are jointly in purfuit. RESOLVED, That this Committee wil meet, on the first Thursday evening in every month, at the Guildhall Coffee-houfe, to receive fuch information as fhall be offered to them, and peculiarly to direct their attention to the late extraordinary furcharges which have been made in the metropolis, apparently with a defign to increafe the grofs amount of the tax, and permanently to fix it on the ground of a large fource of revenue. THOMAS SKINNER, Chairman. BURNELL, MAYOR. A COMMON COUNCIL, bolden in the Chan ber of the Guildhall of the City of LONDON, on THURSDAY, the 28th of April, 1788. RESOLVED unanimoully, That the thanks of this court be given to the Right Hon. CHARLES JAMES Fox, for his meritorious endeavours to ferve the Publick, by his judicious and animated exertions to brain a repeal of the law impofing a tax wpon Retail Shop-keepers ;-a tax, reprobated, for its partiality and injuftice, equally by those who do not contribute to it, as by the immediate objects of its oppreffion. RESOLVED unanimously, That this Court doth return thanks to the Right Honourable 549 Lord Hood, the other reprefentative of the RESOLVED unanimoufly, That, the evil tendency and effects of the faid law having been pointed out, in the most forcible man ner, by fo many honourable members in Parliament, it becomes the duty of every good citizen to perfevere in all legal means to obtain the repeal of a tax fo partial and fo oppreffive, left a filent fubmiffion flouis be construed an acquiefcence with a principle injurious to the rights of freemen, and which, if onse quietly eftablished, may be extended to the most deftructive purpofes. RESOLVED unanimoufly, That it is earneatly recommended to the Committee of this Court, and to the Committee appointed by the Retail Shop-keepers in the Metropolis, to continue in concert, exerting the urmoft vigour, affiduity, and firmness, which which may finally prevent fuch a law from difgracing the Statute-Book of a free and commercial nation. RESOLVED Unanimously, That the faid refolutions be fairly tranfcribed, figned by the Town-Clerk, and by him tranfmitted to the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, the Right Honourable Lord Hood, William Mainwaring, Elg. Henry Thornton, Efq. and Mr. Alderman Skinner, Chairman of the Commit ee of Shopkeepers; and alfo that a copy thereof be published in all the daily and evening papers. RIX. avigation of the Black Sea and a Page to India by Suez and the Read Sta."-From this last article, it fhould feem, that the French bave with their ufual fineffe found means to impole on the Ruffian (py; and fupplied the Ottomans with warlike flores in irs under English colours, as it is the French that have procured the Firman for navigating the Red Sea. (See pp. 9. 166.) An Account of the K. of Pruffia's journey from Berlin to Loo; oftenfibly to vint his fifter, the Princets of Orange, who was to meet his Majefty at that city, with the Stadtholder and his family; bur, as it has Since appeared, upon that and more important bufinefs. The King, who left Berlin to make a tour to his eftates in Weftphalia, and from thence to the caftle of Leo, arrived the 9th inft. at Welel, about half after ten o'clock in the morning, with the Prince Royal; and, after viewing the ramparts, ifting the citade!, arfenal, and the new works adding to the fortifications, his Maefty admitted to a formal audience their Noble Might ineffes the Deputies of the States General of the United Provinces, who came to that city to compliment him in the name of their High Mightineffes. He likewife gave a formal audience to his Excellency M. Pacca, the Pope's Nuncio, whom he received in the most flattering and diftinguifhed manner. He alfo admitted to his audience the Deputies of the Duchies of Cleves, Guelderland, and the Principality of Meurs, and all qualified perfons who prefented themfelves. On the 10th, after reviewing the garrison of Wefel at four o'clock in the morning, his Majefty fet out for this eity, where he arrived about eleven o'clock. Not far from the end of the garden belonging to the Dowager Van Spaen, he met his auguft fifter the Princefs of Orange, the Hereditary Prince Stadtholder, and their illuf trious children, who came from Loo to meet him on the preceding evening. The interview was very affecting both to the parties and the fpectators, and excited the livelieft acclamations of applaufe. Her Royal Highnefs the Princefs of Orange, taking hold of the arm of her august brother, went with him and his fuite to a pavillion, raifed by the Baronefs Van Spaen, fome paces from the garden, where a breakfast was prepared. The King dined at the Prince's cafle with the Stadtholderian family and a chofen company; and, after affifting in the evening at the Dowager of Spaen's circle, whilft the Prince Royal took a turn in the Park, his Majefty retired to his apartments, and fet off early the next morning for the castle of Loo, for which place the Stadtholderian family fet off the evening before. "A company of young men, in usiforms and on horfeback, went in the morning to eet him, and had the honour to conduct his Majefty to that city, which he entered through a lane formed by citizens under arms. In the evening the city was magnificently illuminated. "His Excellency Baron Heinitz, Minifter of State, War, and Finances, who accompanied the King on his route, arrived here the roth inftant.” ner. pro "Muff Baron Tork de Roofendzal, P. Van de Spiegel, Pefters, and d'Aylva, appainted by their High Mightieffes to go to Wefel, and compliment h ́s Profñao Majeây in their name, set off from the Hague on the 6th init, and arrived on the 8th at Wefel; on the 9th they had an audience of his Majefty, who answered their High Mighti neffes compliment in the most affable mane His Majefty's anfwer contained teftations of acknowledgments for their High Mightineffes attention and affurances; that he would always frongly protect the auguft Houfe of Orange, and the prefent confitetion of the Republic; and finished by de claring, that he was greatly pleafed, that their High Migh ineffes had chofen four members to fulfit that commifon, who were fo well diftinguished for their attachment to a good caufe, and that he was very happy in being made known to them. The four Deputies were afterwards admitted to the King's table, and his Majesty difcourfed with them during the repaft. "On the 10th they let off for Roofendan where they paffed the night at the Caftle; on the 11th they went to Loo, where they dined and fepped with his Serene Highnes the Prince Stadtholder and his Pruffian Majefty; on the 12th, 13th, and 14th, they were ftill at the Caftie of Loo, with his Excellency Sir James Harris, his Britannic Majelty's Ambaffedor and Plenipotentiary, and Daron Alvenfleben, Envoy Extraordinary from his P.uffian Majefty. There were each day grand conferences at the faid Castle, between his Profian Maj fly, their Serene and Royal Hignnefits the Prince and Princess of Orange, Sir James Harris, M. Van Alvenfleben, and Van de Spiegel: nothing concerning their conference has yet tranf pired, but we have reafon to think that they will produce a froth alliance of friendship between the three powers (Pruffia, Holland, and Great Britain), fix the established conftitution firmer than ever, and accomplish the welfare of this country at home and abroad. "The four faid Deputies and Sir James Harris returned to the Hague the 15th in the evening." The French Monarch in the further profe cution of his plans (fée p. 552) for rettor ing, as it is pretended, the antient conftitution of France, has caufed an Edict to be iffued for eftablishing a COUR PLENIERE, or fupreme tribunal, of which the follow ing are the Heads. ORDINANCE |