and not for the emolument or aggrandizement of particular defcriptions of men or families. Monarchical fovereignty, the enemy of mankind, and the fource of mifery, is abolished; and fovereignty itself is restored to its natural and original place, the Nation. Were this the cafe throughout Europe, the caufe of wars would be taken away. It is attributed to Henry the Fourth of France, a man of an enlarged and benevolent heart, that he proposed, about the year 1610, a plan for abolishing war in Europe. The plan confifted in conftituting a European Congrefs, or as the French Authors ftile it, a Pacific Republic; by appointing delegates from the feveral Nations, who were to act as a Court of arbitration in any disputes that might arife between nation and nation. Had fuch a plan been adopted at the time it was proposed, the taxes of England and France, as two of the parties, would have been at least ten millions sterling annually to each Nation lefs than they were at the commencement of the French Revolution. To conceive a caufe why fuch a plan has not been adopted, (and that instead of a Congress for the purpose of preventing war, it has been called only to terminate a war, after a fruitless expence of feveral years), it will be neceffary to confider the intereft of Governments as a distinct interest to that of Nations. Whatever is the caufe of taxes to a Nation, becomes alfo the means of revenue to a Government. Every war terminates with an addition of taxes, and confequently with an addition of revenue; and in any event of war, in the manner they are now commenced and concluded, the power and interest of Governments are increased. War, therefore, from its productiveness, as it eafily furnishes the pretence of neceflity for taxes and appointments to places and offices, becomes a principal part of the fyftem of old Governments; and to establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from fuch Government the most lucrative of its branches. The frivolous matters upon which war is made, fhew the difpofition and avidity of Governments to uphold the fyftem of war, and betray the motives upon which they act. Why are not Republics plunged into war, but because the nature of their Government does not admit of an intereft diftinct to that of the Nation? Even Holland, though an ill-constructed Republic, and with a commerce extending over the world, existed nearly a century without war: and the inftant the form of Government was changed in France, the republican principles of peace and domeftic profperity and economy arose with the new Government; and the fame confequences would follow the fame caufes in other Nations. As war is the fyftem of Government on the old construction, the animofity which Nations reciprocally entertain, is nothing more than what the policy of their Governments excite, to keep up the fpirit of the fyftem. Each Government accufes the the other of perfidy, intrigue, and ambition, as a means of heating the imagination of their respective Nations, and incenfing them to hoftilities. Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a falfe system of Government. Inftead, there fore, of exclaiming against the ambition of Kings, the exclamation fhould be directed against the principle of fuch Governments; and inftead of feeking to reform the individual, the wisdom of a Nation fhould apply itself to reform the fyftem. Whether the forms and maxims of Govern ments which are ftill in practice, were adapted to the condition of the world at the period they were established, is not in this cafe the queftion. The older they are, the lefs correfpondence can they have with the present state of things. Time, and change of circumftances and opinions, have the fame progreffive effect in rendering modes of Government obfolete, as they have upon customs and manners.-Agriculture, commerce, manufactures, and the tranquil arts, by which the profperity of Nations is best promoted, require a different fystem of Government, and a different fpecies of knowledge to direct its operations, to what might have been the former condition of the world. As it is not difficult to perceive, from the enlightened state of mankind, that hereditary Governments are verging to their decline, and that Revolutions on the broad bafis of national fovereignty, and Government by representation, are making their way in Europe, it would be an act of wisdom to anticipate their approach, and produce produce Revolutions by reason and accommodation, rather than commit them to the iffue of convulfions. From what we now fee, nothing of reform in the political world ought to be held improbable. It is an age of Revolutions, in which every thing may be looked for. The intrigue of Courts, by which the system of war is kept up, may provoke a confederation of Nations to abolish it and a European Congress, to patronize the progrefs of free Government, and promote the civilization of Nations with each other, is an event nearer in probability, than once were the revolutions and alliance of France and America. FINIS. |