ore they could adopt it as a constitution of government for
themselves and their posterity? These amendments, we believe, have
already afforded some relief and satisfaction to the minds of the people
of this State, and we earnestly look for the time when they may with
clearness and safety be again united with their sister States under a
constitution and form of government so well poised as neither to need
alteration or be liable thereto by a majority only of nine States out of
thirteen--a circumstance which may possibly take place against the sense
of a majority of the people of the United States. We are sensible of the
extremes to which democratical government is sometimes liable, something
of which we have lately experienced; but we esteem them temporary and
partial evils compared with the loss of liberty and the rights of a free
people. Neither do we apprehend they will be marked with severity by our
sister States when it is considered that during the late trouble the
whole United States, notwithstanding their joint wisdom and efforts,
fell into the like misfortune; that from our extraordinary exertions
this State was left in a situation nearly as embarrassing as that
during the war; that in the measures which were adopted government
unfortunately had not that aid and support from the moneyed interest
which our sister States of New York and the Carolinas experienced under
similar circumstances; and especially when it is considered that upon
some abatement of that fermentation in the minds of the people which is
so common in the collision of sentiments and of parties a disposition
appears to provide a remedy for the difficulties we have labored under
on that account. We are induced to hope that we shall not be altogether
considered as foreigners having no particular affinity or connection
with the United States, but that trade and commerce, upon which the
prosperity of this State much depends, will be preserved as free and
open between this and the United States as our different situations at
present can possibly admit; earnestly desiring and proposing to adopt
such commercial regulations on our part as shall not tend to defeat the
collection of the revenue of the United States, but rather to act in
conformity to or cooperate therewith, and desiring also to give the
strongest assurances that we shall during our present situation use our
utmost endeavors to be in preparation from time to time to answer our
proportion of