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Introduction.
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tion of elementary principles of government to practical administration, it was the greatest work known to him."

"'R. R.'

"This memorandum and the initials 'R. R.' are also in my father's hand, while Minister to France, and are from the fly-leaf at the end of the first volume. When it is remembered that M. Guizot, then also Prime-Minister of France, was considered to be not only among the most profound, but best read, statesmen in Europe, besides being one of the ablest members of the French Chamber of Deputies, where intellect and learning and talents of the highest order abound, this tribute to the authors of The Federalist will not, I imagine, detract from our high appreciation of the work.

"I am,

"Dear Sir,

"Your very faithful servt.

"BENJAMIN RUSH.

"Henry B. Dawson, Esq.,

"Morrisania, New York."

On the eighth of December, 1817, an article appeared in the Washington City Gazette, in which the subject was again introduced to the public, and a list which had been "furnished by a gentleman who received it from "Mr. Madison" was given to the world and pronounced to be "indisputably correct."[1]

On the first day of January, 1818, Jacob Gideon, Junior, a printer doing business in the city of Washington, issued "Proposals" for the publication of

  1. The only file of the Washington City Gazette which I have heard of—that in the library of the New York Historical Society—does not contain a single number of an earlier date than January 3d, 1818; and as the only copy of the article referred to in the text which I have found—that which appeared in The New York Commercial Advertiser of December 17th, 1817—is evidently imperfect, I have been obliged to omit this portion of the discussion.