Arbitrary and senseless in their nature, they are arbitrarily
decided by every nation for itself. These decisions are meant to prevent
disputes, but they produce ten, where they prevent one. It would have
been better, therefore, in a new country, to have excluded etiquette
altogether; or if it must be admitted in some form or other, to have
made it depend on some circumstance founded in nature, such as the age
or station of the parties. However, you have got over all this, and I
am in hopes have been able to make up a society suited to your own
dispositions. Your situation will doubtless be improved by the adoption
of the new constitution, which I hope will have taken place before
you receive this. I see in this instrument a great deal of good.
The consolidation of our government, a just representation, an
administration of some permanence, and other features of great value,
will be gained by it. There are, indeed, some faults, which revolted me
a good deal in the first moment; but we must be contented to travel on
towards perfection, step by step. We must be contented with the ground
which this constitution will gain for us, and hope that a favorable
moment will come for correcting what is amiss in it.
Pages:
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678