Mr. Quincy is I understand a famous prophet,
the Richard Brothers of the Eastern States of
America, and their oracle in the Congress of the
United States. The speech to which Sir Bolus
alludes is full of prophetic denunciations, uttered,
as I am told, with all the fury of a sybil, but
without her inspiration it would seem. Like the
unhappy Cassandra, he appears to be for ever
prophesying, without ever having the good fortune
to be believed. Cassandra, however, was
always revenged on the incredulity of mankind
by the fulfillment of her predictions; whereas, it
is I understand observed of this honourable
gentleman, that he has neither the pleasure of
being believed when he tells of futurity, nor the
melancholy consolation of being justified by the
event.
I remember he predicted the ruin of that
country, if the bank of the United States was
refused a renewal of its charter, and many of my
friends on that event taking place, in great consternation
wrote to America, to dispose of their
public stock, supposing that an immediate dissolution
of the confederacy would ensue. Indeed
from a observation of his speeches for sometime
past, it will appear that there was hardly any
measure of a national nature, that did not loom
before his prophetic vision, as the sad precursor
of the ruin of the country. Yet it would seem
that country, like an obstinante patient, whom
some prophetic quack had foredoomed to death,
still wickedly and indecorously survives, in spite
of the Doctor's own potent endeavours to the
contrary; a monument of his incapacity either to
foretell, or to bring about his own predictions.
For most assuredly it appears, from the view
which we on this side the water are enabled
to take of American affairs, that if the Union
of the States is not speedily dissolved, it will not
be owing to any want of exertion on the part
of Mr. Quincy or his friends.
