in view, the navigation of a boat without the aid of wind or oars, so it may be said, that the same end, the attainment of office, was meant to be accomplished both by your predecessor and yourself. As steam was the power which Mr. Livingston, as well as Mr. Fitch, proposed to employ, it may be admitted that a common principle directed the conduct of both the official aspirants-a prudent compliance with the opinions and wishes of those who had the office to bestow.

But can any be so stupid as to think that this general resemblance ought to detract from the Chancellor's originality-or your's. Can any be so blind as not to see, that a difference, allowing the widest scope for the exercise of invention, might exist between the modes of applying the common power of acting upon the common principle? In what the difference actually consists, on which Mr. Livingston founded his superior claims, it may be difficult to determine: but, fortunately, Sir, in your case, (and it this which renders my illustration so perfect) no such embarrassment is found. That you have not barely excelled the accomplished politician who preceded you, but that you have attained your object with a skill and dexterity infinitely superior, will be admitted by all whom either an attention to the course of our State politics, or a philosophic curiosity, may have led to watch and compare the operations of two such distinguished artists.

Just observe, for the subject interests and warms me-observe the points of difference. One makes an open and public breach with his party, in the first instance; he abandons his friends, when they are still numerous, powerful, and sanguine in

their hopes of success. His desertion, therefore, excites a lively resentment, and draws upon him a peculiar odium. His appointment too is so conferred, as to seem the stipulated reward of services rendered. In all these respects, what a superior judgment have you not displayed? What tact in the choice of time-What skill in the arrangement and management of circumstances! You leave your party, Sir, when despair had brought it to the point of apparent dissolution: even then you make no public declaration of hostility; you do not suddenly and openly desert, but win your way into the opposite ranks by a silent, and almost insensible progress. Through the whole process of your change, you contrived to maintain, with consummate ability, such a happy statesman-like ambiguity of conduct, that of the three parties, into which the State is divided, you were actually claimed by two, and not wholly rejected by the third, until the very moment you thought it prudent to declare in favour of Mr. Clinton, and—the Mayoralty.

But finis coronat opus. That office, the great object of your desires; the mark at which your ambition aimed; on which, through all your windings, and doublings, your eyes had remained constantly fixed, seems, to the world, at last to be conferred as an unsolicited, voluntary tribute, to your extraordinary merits when as you, and some others, well know, it was obtained, as most offices are, by negotiation-negotiation, commenced by earnest solicitation, and consummated by actual-I mean to say, terminated, like all successful negotiations-by the agreement of the parties on the terms of a treaty.

Well, then, have you observed that the "conclu "sions of the Committee would appear very illogical, " even if their premises were admitted."* I must confess, I think so too. But I must again disclaim all title, property, and benefit, or merit of discovery in these "conclusions," as well as in the premises." They are both inventions of your own, to which I never shall dispute your "exclusive right," though founded on "suggestions" to which your conscience, Sir, will prefix the appropriate epithet.

You deny, however, in the true spirit of polemical chivalry," that it was ever represented to the Legislature, that the Chancellor was in the actual possession of a mode of applying a Steam engine "to propel a boat, which he knew would have the desired "effect;† or which he had ascertained would be ad"vantageous." And, to confirm this new position, you take the pains to transcribe the title, preamble, "and first clause of the act of 1798," and then observe, that the Committee treat this as if it were an evidence of a representation having been made that Chancellor Livingston was in possession of a mode of applying the Steam engine on new principles, which he had ascertained would propel a boat advantageously; and appeal to any unbiassed and un"prejudiced mind, whether, instead of any such "meaning being conveyed, it is not manifest from "the preamble itself, and more particularly from "the first clause of the act, that the Legislature "well understood that, though the Chancellor con"fidently expected success, yet he had not ascer "tained that he could command it."+

Colden's Vindication, p. 50.

+ Ibid.

Ibid. p. 52.

Now, without stopping to inquire whether you adopted the antithesis, which concludes this sentence, immediately from Mr. Addison, or found it in your "Common Place Book," permit me to offer a different construction of the Law in question, founded not upon any particular expressions which a portion of it may contain, but upon a view and comparison of the whole, and every part of it. If I read that Statute rightly, Sir, Mr. Livingston suggested that he was possessor of a mode of applying the Steam engine to propel a boat on new," as well as advan"tageous principles ;" but that he was "deterred," (not as you would have it)" from prosecuting his experiments," but " from carrying the same," i. e. this mode, &c. which was the ascertained result of those experiments," into effect;"-first," by the exist“ence of a law" in favour of Fitch, and, secondly, "by the uncertainty and hazard of a very expensive "experiment, unless he could be assured of the ex“clusive advantage of the same, if, on trial, it should "be found to succeed."*

Here, Sir, let me, by the way remark, that however powerfully the expense attending experiments in natural or mechanical philosophy, may operate to prevent men of science, as well as mere projectors, from engaging in them, yet it may well be doubted whether those persons are usually deterred from indulging in their favourite schemes or studies by the uncertainty or hazard which attend them. At all events, it is clear, that Mr. Livingston was not discouraged either by "uncertainty, hazard, or expense," from

* Vide Act 27th March, 1798. "Letter to Colden," p. 88. Appendix A.

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making those previous experiments with " chaplets, "endless chains, duck's feet paddles," and a variety of other ingenious contrivances, too numerous to specify; upon which, it is by no means difficult to conceive, that he had "previously to 1798, expend"ed large sums of money."

But it was equally plain that he was "deter"red, by the uncertainty and hazard of a very ex"pensive experiment," from carrying his "mode of "applying the Steam engine to propel a boat on "new and advantageous principles, into effect." Now, what was the experiment which he had in view? If you had not thought proper, Sir, to cut short your extract from the Law, if you had transcribed the second section, as well as the "preamble and first clause of the act," your readers might have been able to answer this question, without the labour of referring to the Statute book. They would have found it to read thus ;

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"And to the end that Robert R. Livingston may be "induced to proceed in an experiment which, if suc"cessful, promises important advantages to this State, "Be it further enacted, That privileges similar to those

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granted to the said John Fitch, in and by the be"fore mentioned act, be and they are hereby ex"tended to the said Robert for the term of twenty 66 years from the passing of this act: Provided never"theless, That the said Robert shall, within twelve "months from the passing of this act, give such

proof as shall satisfy the Governor, Lieutenant"Governor, and Surveyor-General of this State, or "a majority of them, of his having built a boat of

* Colden's Vindication, p. 52. 60.