I said I'd check so I did. It's the early years. Thomas wrote.
In 1769, I became a member of the legislature by the choice of the country in which I live, & continued in that until it was closed by the revolution. I made one effort in that body for the permission of the emancipation of slaves, which was rejected: and indeed, during the regal government, nothing liberal could expect success.

With all due respect to anyone, I'd say that he must have been just as popular at the time with this effort than someone today standing up at a White House dinner with a proposed toast to restore slavery in front of President Obama...

Explaining what follows,

Our minds were circumscribed within narrow limits by an habituel belief that it was our duty to be subordinate to the mother country in all matters of governments, to direct all our labors in subserviance to her interests,.....

I supposed it's very difficult to imagine that the fight was a long one, winning minds at the idea when at the same time the idea of Independance and later build a country was also a challenge.

Has nothing to do with the above, but I thought of you when you mentioned Switzerland and shouldn't America be like that but it wasn't a US initiative to end the Monroe's doctrine, was it, if it was, what were you refering to?

I was quite happy to learn about the constitutional coalition, it will, I guess be criticised and looked at as a politician enterprise but if given sometime it's decent to hope the liberal school thinkers heirs will make a comeback and join the crowd even if to be critics what may be strange to start with but?