Page:Republican Court by Rufus Griswold.djvu/86

money for his country's good, but first required that he should be specifically informed for what precise purpose it was needed, and calculated exactly how much would suffice; the southron, more prodigal, gave to his country the sum that was named, and unless his suspicions were aroused, asked no questions either as to its appropriation or its amount. If the fate of war had reduced the colonies to submission, it would have been but temporarily, either in the North or South: but the latter would have been probably involved in frequent rebellions, while the former would have discreetly kept quiet, until it had made all things ready and saw the favorable time arrive, and then would have rebelled in the hope and expectation that it would be once for all.

The New England man thought but little of the gauds and vanities of the world: he was a sober Puritan; the southron valued the refinements of polished life, had no particular objection to a certain amount of personal display, prided himself somewhat on the graceful courtesy of his outward bearing, and, in his worship, preferred the more imposing ceremonial of the English ritual. His countrymen, in Maryland, Virginia, and both the Carolinas, had known the Church of England as the established and prevailing religion; for the most part, they had been trained in it; and divesting it of its established character, they preferred to worship according to its formularies.

But these hints must suffice to indicate the differences in character among the inhabitants of the different colonies. It was wisely ordered that they should exist; and in the general fusion of interests, feelings, and manners, they all perhaps proved beneficial.

Let us go back to the Convention.

We have from Maryland, Luther Martin, a lawyer of great and commanding powers. And here too is John Mercer, a soldier of the revolution, deservedly respected by his countrymen; and McHenry