confederates, having suffered a severe defeat at sea from the Athenians, demanded Lysander, who had before served with success in that capacity, to command the c.orat|ined fleets, ^he Lacedemonians, to gratify their alli^is;, and yet preserve the semblance of an adherence to their ancient institutions, had recourse to the flimsy suhterfuge of investing Lysander with the real power of admiral, under the nominal |;ltle of vice admiral. This instance is selected from among a multitude that might be cited, to confirm the truth already advanced an4 . illustrated by domestic examples ; which is, that nation^ pay little regard to rules and maxims, calculated inthei| yery pature to run counter to the necessities of society Wise' politicians will be cautious about fetterins/ihe government with restrictions, that cannot be ohseryed ; because they knovv'^, that every breach of the fundamental laws, though dictated by necessity, impairs that sacred reverence, which ought to be maintained in the breast of rulers tovyards the constitution of a conntry, aud forms a precedent for other breaches, where the same plea of necessity does not exist at all;, or is less urgent and palpable.
Ko. XXYI.
BY ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
^Plie suhject continued with the same vieWo
IT was a thing hardly to have been expected, thai m a popular revolution, the minds of meiji should stop a^ that happy mean which marks the salutary boundary between power and pRiyiLEoi:, and combines the energy of government with the security of private riglits. A tai|iire iii this delicate and important point, is the great source of the inconveniences we experience; and if we are not cautious to avoid a repetition of the error, in our future attempts to rectify and ameliorate our system, we may travel from que chimeyical project to another : w«r
