Retrofpect of American Literature.— Politics. 
The efforts of the Federalifts to involve 
the United States in the calamities of war, 
were, onthis occafion, prompt, bold, and 
perfevering. Their difappointment indi- 
cates a degree of good fenfe, moderation 
and refletion, in the great body of the 
people which does them much honour, 
not always difplayed by nations when their 
paffions are rouzed by a fenfe of injury. 
It will not appear (urprifing that this 
difpute with Spain was the grand topic of 
difcuffion in the newfpapers, and of de- 
bate in the national legiflature, for feveral 
months. During this agitation a pam- 
phiet appeared under very fingular circum. 
ftances, intitled ‘‘ An Adcrefs to the 
Government of the United States on the 
ceflion of Louifiana to the French; and 
on the late breach of treaty by the Spa- 
niares : including the tranflation of a Me- 
morial on the war of St. Domingo, and 
the cefficn of the Miffiflippi to France, 
drawn up by a French Counfellor of 
State.”? 
was doubtlefs to increafe the exiting fer- 
ment, and to impel the nation to violent 
meafures. By many it was confidered to 
be a {purious performance ; as the ori- 
ginal, of which it purports to bea tranf- 
lation, though preffingly called for by the 
public, waa never produced or referred to 
in any fatisfaétory manner. The fame 
author foon afterwards, and probabiy with 
fimilar intentions, publifhed ‘* Monroe's 
Embafly ; or, the Conduét of the Geos 
vervment in relation to our Claims to the 
Navigation of the Miffiflippi, confidered ; 
by the Author of an Addreis to the Go- 
vernment wf the United States, &c.”’ 
From the political difcuffions of party- 
newlpapers and party-pamphlets, which 
are fo apt to be blended witn heat and ani- 
mofity, we turn with great pleafure to 
the ‘* Political Writings of Joun Dic- 
KINSON, efq. late Prefident of the State 
of Delaware and of the Commonweaith 
of Pennfylvania ;” in two vols. o€tavo. 
This venerable ftatefman and patriot has 
been long known both in Europe and 
America as an able writer and mot elo- 
quent orator. He is generally confidered 
as the individual, who, more properly 
than any other, may be pronounced to 
have laid the foundation of the American 
Revolution ; the confeyuences of which 
in refpect to Great Britain and the United 
States undoubtedly have been of great 
importance,and, if allowed to have had any 
material effet towards producing the Re- 
volution in France, muft be comfidered as 
having been infinitely momentous. Mr, 
The obje&t of this’ Pamphlet. 
689 
Dickinfon, under the fignature of a ** Pez. 
Syivania Farmer,” difcuffed the contetted 
claims of the mother-country and the colo. 
nies with fo much force of argument, 
and fo much fafcination of eloquence, as 
to make a deep impreffion on his country- 
men, and to prepare their minds to refilt 
and which, unfortunately for mankind, is | encroachments to the la{t extremity. We 
find his name intimately connected with 
fome of the mott important circumftances 
of the Revolution, and his opinions 
treated with the utmoft deference and re- 
{pe&. 
lhe firft article in thefe volumes is a 
fpeech before the Houfe of Afflembly of 
Penniylvania, on a queftion refpecting the 
change of the provincial government — 
from proprietary to royal, which was de- 
livered in the year 1764. This {tpeech ac. 
quired great popularity on the occafion 
which produced it, when the minds of 
men, agitated by the queitions, were ea- 
gerly turned to the fubject. But even 
now, at the diftance of nearly forty years, 
when our minds are totally unconcerned 
with the local and temporary feelings 
which then prevailed, we cannot but ac- 
knowledge that the admiration of the pub- 
lic. which the author moft fignally en- 
jeyed at that time, feems to have been 
well merited by the mildnefs, elegance, 
dignity, and ferene wifdom, which _per- 
vade any part of this oration. 
The fecond article is a Letter, in which 
the impolicy of the Stamp-a&, which 
formed a memorable point in the hiftory 
of the differences between the mothet-coun- 
try and the colonies, is ftated and difcuf- 
fed with great {pirit, force, and elegance. 
The %refolutions adopted by the firft 
Congrefs of the American Colonies, which 
was aflembled in the city of New York, 
in the year 1765, were drawn up by Mr. 
Dickin{on, and are prefented as one of the 
articles of this collection ; they afford proof 
of the fame energy and elegance of mind 
which dilinguith the preceding perfor 
mances. 
In the year 1766, the Colony of Bar- 
badoes prefented a petition to the Britith 
Legiflature againft the Stamp-aét. In this 
paper the petitioners profe(s the unlimited 
and con{cientious fubmiffion to the autho- 
rity, and the moft perfect reliance on the 
juftice, wifdom and clemency of their fo- 
vereign. They take occafion to condemn 
what they denominate the rebellious fpirit 
of the Continental Colonies, difplayed on 
the fame account, and difclaim every mode 
of redrefs but petition, fubmiffion and en- 
treaty. This petition, couched in terms of 
fo much f{currillity and poverty of {pirit, 
aflorded 
