were criminal. We are authorized to hope, that a proper organization of the whole, with the auxiliary agency of governments for the respective subdivisions, will afford a happy issue to the experiment. 'Tis well worth a fair and full experiment. With such powerful and obvious motives to Union, affecting all parts of our country, while experience shall not have demonstrated its impracticability, there will always be reason to distrust the patriotism of those, who in any quarter may endeavour to weaken its bands.

This government, the offspring of our own choice, uninfluenced and unawed, adopted upon full investigation and mature deliberation, completely free in its principles, in the distribution of its powers, uniting security with energy, and containing within itself a provision for its own amendment, has a just claim to your confidence and your support.-Respect for its authority, compliance with its Laws, acquiescence in its measures, are duties enjoined by the fundamental maxims of true Liberty.-The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their Constitutions of Government. -But the Constitution which at any time exists, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole People, is sacredly obligatory upon all. -The very idea of the power and the right of the People to establish Government, presupposes the

duty of every individual to obey the established Government. . .

Jared Sparks, Writings of George Washington (Boston, 1837), XII. 214-228 passim.

13. Our Citizens Should Be Americans First (1797)

By PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON

An early statement of the Americanism of immigrant citizens.

I HOPE, as you do, that, notwithstanding our political horizon is much overcast, the wisdom, temper, and firmness of the government, supported by the great mass of the people, will dispel the threatening clouds, and that all will end without any shedding of blood. To me this is so demonstrable, that not a particle of doubt would dwell on my mind relative thereto, if our citizens would advocate their own cause, instead of that of any other nation under the sun; that is, if, instead of being Frenchmen or Englishmen in politics, they would be Americans, indignant at every attempt of either, or any other power, to establish an influence in our councils, or presume to sow the seeds of discord or disunion among us. No policy, in my opinion, can be more clearly demonstrated, than that we should do justice to

all, and have no political connexion with any of the European powers beyond those, which result from and serve to regulate our commerce with them. Our own experience, if it has not already had this effect, will soon convince us, that the idea of disinterested favors or friendship from any nation whatever is too novel to be calculated on, and there will always be found a wide difference between the words and actions of any of them. . . .

Jared Sparks, Writings of George Washington (Boston, 1836), XI. 199-200.

14. Adams and Liberty (1798)

By ROBERT TREAT PAINE, JR.

Song written in the crisis when John Adams_represented the country against the aggressions of France. YE Sons of Columbia, who bravely have fought For those rights, which unstained from your sires had descended,

May you long taste the blessings your valor has bought,

And your sons reap the soil which their fathers

defended:

'Mid the reign of mild peace,

May your nation increase,

With the glory of Rome, and the wisdom of

Greece;

And ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves, While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

In a clime whose rich vales feed the marts of the world,

Whose shores are unshaken by Europe's commotion,

The trident of commerce should never be hurled,
To incense the legitimate powers of the ocean,
But should pirates invade,
Though in thunder arrayed,

Let your cannon declare the free charter of trade.
For ne'er shall the sons, etc.

The fame of our arms, of our laws the mild sway,

Had justly ennobled our nation in story,

Till the dark clouds of faction obscured our young day,

And enveloped the sun of American glory.
But let traitors be told,

Who their country have sold,

And bartered their God for his image in gold, That ne'er will the sons, etc.

While France her huge limbs bathes recumbent in blood,

And society's base threats with wide dissolution;

May peace, like the dove who returned from the flood,

Find an ark of abode in our mild constitution. But, though peace is our aim,

Yet the boon we disclaim,

If bought by our sovereignty, justice, or fame. For ne'er shall the sons, etc.

'Tis the fire of the flint each American warms: Let Rome's haughty victors beware of collision;

Let them bring all the vassals of Europe in

arms,

We're a world by ourselves, and disdain a division;

While, with patriot pride,

To our laws we're allied,

No foe can subdue us, no faction divide.
For ne'er shall the sons, etc.

Our mountains are crowned with imperial oak, Whose roots, like our liberties, ages have nourished.

But long ere our nation submits to the yoke, Not a tree shall be left on the field where it flourished.

Should invasion impend,

Every grove would descend

From the hill-tops they shaded, our shores to defend.

For ne'er shall the sons, etc.