to be accomplished? I have heard of only three gentlemen, as yet, who appear undecided upon this subject. Among these is . He is sufficiently alarmed, but afraid that the country is not prepared. I believe that some proper step must be taken before there will be that preparedness that he wishes. Mr. , I believe, retains a great degree of apathy. The other gentleman's opinion is, I believe, governed in some measure by Mr. . But a settled determination that this must be done has taken fast hold of some minds where you would expect more timidity. It seems to be the opinion of those with whom I have conversed that two things must be done with a view to accomplish the desired object,—one by you gentlemen of Congress, and the other by the legislatures of the States. We believe, in the present state of alarm and anxiety among Federalists, that if you gentlemen at Congress will come out with a bold address to your constituents, taking a view of what has been done under the present administration, with glowing comments on the ruinous tendencies of the measures, and if this should be done before the sitting of our legislature, or rather the election of the members thereof, that this will produce all that preparedness that is wanted. I know that it will animate the body of the people beyond any other possible method, and give a death-wound to the progress of Democracy in this part of the country; that this ought to be followed up by the legislatures by such declarations as may have the strongest tendency to secure the object aimed at. In what manner this separation is to be accomplished is to me wholly in the dark, unless the amendment is adopted by three-fourths of the legislatures, and rejected by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, upon the last ground taken by Delaware.[1] In such case, I can see a foundation laid."
Pickering to Theodore Lyman.[2]
Dear Sir,—The conduct of our rulers reminds me of your early predictions, coeval I believe with Mr. Jefferson's inaugural
