Page:Federalist, Dawson edition, 1863.djvu/312

 from the Athenians, demanded, who had before served with success in that capacity, to command the combined fleets. The Lacedæmonians, to gratify their allies, and yet preserve the semblance of an adherence to their ancient institutions, had recourse to the flimsy subterfuge of investing with the real power of Admiral, under the nominal title of Vice-Admiral. This instance is selected from among a multitude that might be cited, to confirm the truth already advanced and illustrated by domestic examples; which is, that nations pay little regard to rules and maxims, calculated in their very nature to run counter to the necessities of society. Wise politicians will be cautious about fettering the Government with restrictions that cannot be observed; because they know, 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 towards the Constitution of a country, and forms a precedent for other breaches, where the same plea of necessity does not exist at all, or is less urgent and palpable.PUBLIUS.

For the Independent Journal.

THE FŒDERALIST. No. XXVI.

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T was a thing hardly to be expected that in a popular revolution the minds of men should stop at that happy mean which marks the salutary boundary between and, and combines the 