514 NAfUftAL ANI> CIVIL 



1802. In the fall of the year 1802 the legis-" 

 lature met at Burlington. As no political dis- 

 putes were now running high, it was hoped that 

 nothing would occur to disturb the minds of the 

 jnembers, or to prevent an uninterrupted harmo- 

 ny in the proceedings of the assembly ; the ma- 

 jority of which, it was known, was of the party 

 that were called republicans. The custom of 

 making a speech to the assembly had been prac- 

 tised so many years, that it was expected that 

 the business of the session would be opened m 

 this manner. Mr. Tichenor still carried the e- 

 Icction by a respectable majority. In his speech 

 to the assembly he mentioned the danger and 

 effects of party zeal : " One of the greatest mis- 



* fortunes that attends republican government, 



* is the progress and violence of party spirit* 



* We need not recur to ancient history for 



* proof. Our beloved Washington, with all 



* his moderation, wisdom and virtues, was not 



* able to repress this destructive spirit ; we 



* know that an ardent love for his country, and 



* a life devoted to its service with the most up- 



* right intentions, did not shield him and his 



* measures, from its malignant effects. It ex- 

 ' isted in his day, and has progressed with time, 



* and increased with violence until now."* 



The house chose a committee to report an 

 answer to the speech, the first member of which 

 was the same person who draughted the answer 

 the year before. The answer meant to compli- 

 ment the governor on his " just and generous 

 feelings," and '* beautiful language of elegant 

 simplicity." It was intended as a public decla- 



* journal of the asstmbly for 1802, p, 16. 



