524 
ment of the bufinefs, I need not ftop to 
conlider, as the main queftion feems to 
lic between the liberty they might have 
had without tumult, and what they are 
now likely to obtain. The former is, at 
beil, very problematical, both as to iis 
quality and extent; but the latter, I ftill 
hope, will be worthy of a great and en- 
lightened nation; for as to any voluntary 
conceffions, which the King would have 
made, they would have been as flender as 
poffible. He would probably have parted 
with fomething, becaufe the radically bad 
principles of his Government, joined to 
their very bad adminiftration, had brought 
the kingdom into a ftate, which muft of 
neceffity be mended. But there is no 
probability, that his Government would 
have affumed any form in this way, that 
ought to have fatisfied the nation. The 
nation therefore did not attempt to repair 
what was conftitutionaliy and radically 
bad, where all were flaves to thofe above, 
and tyrants to thofe below, them; but 
they attempted an entirely new form of 
government; and I moit fincerely wifh 
they will be able to perfe€t a model con- 
ftitution for all nations, By doing this, 
they cannot bold out an example of a bad 
tendency to others; for there is not (as I 
am told; my own reading not being ex- 
tenfive) an inftance,in the hiftory of man- 
kind of any people rifing up as one body, 
and demanding their juft rights, until 
‘preffled by the moft extreme neceffity. 
When fuch neceffity urges, the fooner 
they do it, the better—thé lefs of tumult 
the better—but as freedom is the beft 
boon of Heaven (I am writing of world- 
ly concerns only), it cannot be valued at 
too high a rate. 
It is not my defire to trouble you with 
more on this fubje€t, which I have endea- 
voured to difcufs with temper, and at the 
fame time with the freedom which it re- 
euires, and which is natural to me. 
Obje&tions may be made to the confe- 
quences which may be faid to flow from 
fome of my principles, puffed to the ex- 
tent to which I have carried them; but I 
truft they will vanith, when due attention 
is paid to the diftin¢ction which ought to 
be made between the nature of religion, 
and the nature of civil government. 
Tnhofe objetions I will not now ftate in 
order to refute them, for they might carry 
_me inte a wider field than i with to ex- 
plore, and in which I might not be able 
to. acquit myfelf even to my own fatis- 
faction. But were I to be preffed by the 
objections which I forelee, I have much 
lefs doubt of the goodnefs of my ma- 
~ Letters from Mr. Toulmin, of Kentucky. 
[May 1, © 
terials for defence, than of my’ abili- 
ties to manage them to the belt advantage- 
There I’ might fail in-a very great de- 
gree; but truth would fill prevail, nor 
would it be injured by my weaknefs; 
I believe myfelf to be one of her fincereft 
votaries, though I am not able to exhibit 
her ftrength and her perfeétions with the- 
fplendor fhe deferves. 
The genuine love of truth is always 
accompanied by moderation ; and modera- 
tion is perfectly compatible with firmnefs 
and that fpirit of veracity, which fteadily 
holds faft the dear obje&t in oppofition to 
the authority of books, the authority of 
charagters, or the fanclions of time and 
prefcription. Moderation is alfo of near 
kindred to charity and benevolence, and 
delights in imputing the beit motives to 
the various opinions of men. Aétuated 
by thefe fentiments, I can think in thé 
moft cordial manner of thofe who differ 
from me; I can admit their fincerity to 
be as pure as my own, and therefore f 
can fay, from the bottom of my heart, 
that difference of opinion on the prefent 
occafion has not diminifhed in the {malleft 
degree the very great refpeét which I 
have long cherithed for you. 
I am always, dear Sir, 
Your very affeStionate and faithful 
Humble fervant, 
Arno sVale, near Newry, THOS. MERCER: 
Augufi, 1799. 
——— Se 
- For the Monthly Magazine. 
LETTERS from MR. TOULMIN, Of KEN- 
TUCKY, containing a DESCRIPTION of 
7 AM now happy to embrace an oppor- 
I tunity of forwarding a line by a party 
fetting off this week for Philadelphia... 
The firft and moft painful topic on 
which ——- dwells, is that of my being 
fixed inKentucky. But fhould recol-. 
le&, that I had been feven months in, 
America before I determined that no other 
fituation fo eligible cffered—that I knew 
nothing of Mr. —s plan at the 
time——and that Kentucky.appeared to me 
to be the moft advantageous fituation for 
thofe whom I expected to follow me, 
(which is, by the bye, ftill my opinion). 
The circumttance of its diftance from 
England appeared to me to be of more 
weicht in idea merely, than in any prac- 
tical confequences which would attend it. 
> 
TI muft likewife affure you, that your .° 
ideas of Kentucky are by no means accu- 
rate. It differs, to be farce, very much 
from 
