918
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
came down-No doubt by mistake- At any rate, as it will be very gratif-ying to Many of the people to See the Translation, I hope you will do J\1e the favour to Have it forwarded as Soon as possible. . I think with you in some degree in regard to the idea of a State Govt., but the truth is I have as well as your Self been driven by the current-and think there is no policy worse for the Country at present than a wavering one. To faulter and fall back, will occasion distrust both at home and abroad. When the Measure was put on foot, I was absent or a notice of the ]\ieeting in this place would have been omitted, as that was a bare agitation of the Sub- ject which in propriety ought not to have been published. How- ever, it was done, and Seems to have popularity. To the brief notice first taken of it, I thought it best to add a full account of the Course taken by the Central Committee,1 and to accompany it with Some general remarks of commendation, as the step Seemed so far taken as to occasion the danger of a serious division of the people on the Subject, if opposed by any party. It is unnecessary to Mention to you how important it is to Keep the people United upon leading Subjects-for tho the objects at which they aim J\1ay Not lay So directly in the road to prosperity and advan.cement, Yet will they reach it Sooner than they would by other Means of good counsel, but upon which they are divided. It will not do to consider Subjects like this abstractly-but we must take all the attending circumstances, no Matter how Minute, and determine between alternatives. I have not intended by these obser- vations to convey the idea that I look upon the subject of State Govt. to the Extent you Express it, as wild and premature, or as a men, Beare Crow. Not at all-I only regret the precipitate course of the Committee, in not Suffering the Remonstrance to go, as it seems you had intended, unattended by any public act of ours calcu- lated ,to create a doubt as to our Sincerity. And in case the requisi- .tions of the remonstrance, or the principal objects of it, should be complied with on the part of the present Government (for which Event there Seemed to be now no provision in the •public arrange- ments) I should undoubtedly have decided for a postponement of such a Measure as that now adopted. But with a continuance of the present 'State of things I think you, nor any reflecting man cannot for a Moment, but be dissatisfied. I got a letter from our friend Grayson in which he desired t? be mentioned to you in terms of particular respect. If you should. Iiot come down as you Spoke of doing, I think I shall go up to St Felipe 1 The central committee had been created by o. convention in October, 1832', to corre• spond with local committees concerning the interests of the Province, and with power to call o. subsequent convention. The journal ls 1n Gammel, La.we of '.rexna, I, 477-1503.
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