uraging to the industry and best prospects of the
people.

[_Lives of Signers_: John Adams of Massachusetts:

The period was full of anxiety and danger.]

[_Lives of Signers_: Gerry of Massachusetts:

A civil war was deprecated by all the leading patriots of that day.
But the measures which the British government had long pursued
towards the colonies, had fully persuaded them that it must take
place.... and they unitedly determined to prepare for the storm in
the best manner they were able.]

[_Alida_ page 143 (chapter XVIII):

All business of importance, at this time, was in a manner suspended
in New-York; the face of things wore a dismal aspect, and the
greater part of the community were in dismay; occasioned by the
continuance of hostilities with Great Britain. All appeared in a
declining state, discouraging to the industry and best prospects of
the inhabitants.]

Alida's father was no friend to political controversy, yet he passed
much of his time in conversing with his friends on the present affairs
of America. He knew that party spirit and animosity existed more or less
at this time, and that he must consequently often meet with those of
opposite opinions; yet his honest and patriotic zeal for the good of his
country still remained the same. He was attached to liberty from
principle; he had talents to discriminate and see into the justice of
the measures of government; his retirement gave him full opportunity to
reflect on them seriously, and solve them in his own mind, and see their
absolute necessity, in order to maintain the honour, freedom, and
independence of the American nation. Would the same wisdom in the
government continue that had so nobly preserved us since our
independence? But he had no reason at present to suppose otherwise, and
that he who now guided the helm of affairs, was one of steady and
uncorrupt principles, of stable character, altogether uninfluenced by
any sinister views, and was willing to sacrifice his individual repose
for the noble purpose, and with the hope of settling it again on the
nation, with a firmer basis, at some future period, when the expected
contest should be decided.

[_NY Weekly_: "Champagneaux" in "Anecdotes and Remains of
Persons Connected with the French Revolution":

He ... was attached to liberty from principle, at a time, and in a
country, when it was not unusual to be so, from mere speculation!]

What fe