LETTER I.
My dear Sir,
THREE writers in Europe, of great abilities, reputation, and learning, Mr. Turgot, the Abbé De Mably, and Dr. Price, have turned their attention to the conſtitutions of government in the United States of America, and have written and pubiiſhed their criticiſms and advice. They had all the moſt amiable characters, and unqueſtionably the pureſt intentions. They had all experience in public affairs, and ample information in the nature of man, the neceſſities of ſociety, and the ſcience of government.
There are in the productions of all of them, among many excellent things, ſome ſentiments, however, that it will be difficult to reconcile to reaſon, experience, the conſtitution of human nature, or to the uniform teſtimony of the greateſt ſtateſmen, legiſlators, and philoſophers of all enlightened nations, ancient and modern.
Mr. Turgot, in his letter to Dr. Price, confeſſes, "that he is not ſatisiied with the conſtitutions which have hitherto been formed for the different ſates of America." He obſervrs, "that by moſt of them the cuſtoms of England are imitated, without any particular motive. Inſtead of collecting all authority into one center, that of the nation, they have eſtabliſhed
