Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-09-18 00:00:00, page 3

. ...JJ1 ..JJ1U_■
0itsmta Wr0U3.
RICHMOND,
• • TUESDAY, September is, jsio.
“ C orporal Trim” is receiv
ed, but cannot appear in this paper till
the real name of the author is commu
nicated to the editor. Writers must
he responsible for their own producti
ons.
The account of a duel published in
last Friday’s Argus under the Phila„
delphia head, said to huve taken place
»t Bladensburg, the George Town In
dependent American says is a.“mere
fabrication.”
TOR THE VIRGINIA ARGUS.
To the Honorable John Randolph.
' Sir,
I a <n one of those who, until a very
late period, have been your ardent atl
mitiers; one of your most strenuous
eulogists ;—one, in a breath, who has
been devoted to you from a belief, tha:
although you were eccentric in your
course you were incapable of uttering
an untruth. .Recent developements,
however, have convinced me, that you
... have deviated from the line of vera.
city ; that you have misrepresented
facts to the public ; and that, to injure
the first man of the commonwealth of
V«rginia, the first man of the nation,
you have perverted the plain meaning
pi things, ar.d asserted what is not true
• in the lace of the American Legisla
ture, ol your fedow-citixens, and of the
world. I could forgive small equivo
cations—little aberrations from pro
priety—I could overlook your philip
pics, your sneers, your sarcasn%;, pro
-'-•"t, V ISilllCSS J ior I
the^e, on a national scale, are trifling : '
f could even pardon you lor your lee- i
ble attempts to wound the reputation j
o< the living lather of his country: •
But I cannot forgive your palpable d’e
f.jrtuie Irani the pure and simple truth ;
cannot over lookyour false state
' wenis, which tend to delude jour fel
low-citizens, and prostitute the sanc
tity of the Representative character to
purposes of which I had supposed you
incapable. When a Congressman deals
in fiction, with a ficility and elfronterV
similar to a party journalist, he is no
1>;tiger entitled to respect or credibili
ty*
I do not abandon you on slight
grounds. You stand convicted of mis
representation by the official documents
. of the government. Without further
preface I will recite the chief points.
1 ou have stated in a speech in Con
gress that in the year 1800 there were
. 40 ships of xvar in commission ; where- ,
as there were not half that number. i
You have stated that in the year [
1809 there were but fifteen vrssels of
ail sorts in commission ; whereas for
ope-third of the year there were in
commission upwards of one hundred
vessels, and for the residue of the vear
tiierc were thirty.seven.
7 You have stated that each man in
the navy in the year 1809, cost the go
vernment nine hundrtd dollars i where
as the cost of each man in that year did
not exceed three hundred and thirty
flirts* #l/i1!ni*o ...._ _
— .vf ... wt wi t v- A|;v-uac*
You' have stared that under Mr,
Adams’ administration every vessel of
respectable force at present belonging
»<> the navy was built; whereas the tri
gltes United States, Constitution; Con
stellation, and Congress, were chiefly
built and paid for under Genrul W ash
in of© n*r ad ministration ; and under the
administration of Mr. Jefferson, the
ship Wrap, the brings Hornet; Siren,
Aigu«, Vixen, Nautilus, Oneida, and
the bombs Spitfire, Vengeance, Yc
savius and Altrw, the schooner Re
venge and 170 gun-boats, were built
©r, purchased and now belong to the
n«*vy.
Ifi fact, sir, your mista’ements are
ir.rtumorable ; you have diminished
8,000 & 5,000 mtn into 2,700; con
certed 1^,000' dollars minus into 50,,
0C4* dollars f>lus \ and transferred 500
cannon, carrnnades, mortars, and mu.
ny hundred tons of shot, purchased uu
tlerJMiV Jefferson’s administration, to
the credit.of Mr. Adams.
These points are sufti lent to fix my I
©pinion of you i they are conclusive as !
tn your veracity ; for 7oho now can place J
the leant confidence in your assertions ? j
And then, to the moral wickedness
of propagating falsehood in the nation,
you add a singular malignity, by at- 1
tempting to magnify John Adams’ex
tiacpgance into economy in order to
diminish the merit ol Mr. Jefferson’s I
real frugality.
Do you ask for mv proof of this ma
lignity l You furnish the evidence of 1
it yourself; for of nil the mistatements I
which yon have made, there is not one
in Jailor of the late <ind present admin* j
istrations! Tney are all against Mr.1
JcOcisvii and Mr, Madison ; which
must he die result ot design and not the*,
effect of accident.
In this couotiy, sir, the people will
Overlook a greAt many errors in a poli
tician whilst they think him sincere; bflt
[depend upon it when they have once
detected him in premeditated & gross
deceptions, their good opinion ot him •
is gone forever.
Suffice it to say, in conclusion, that
I have taken pains to ascertain the ac
curacy of tvhat I have recited against
[ you ; that it is out of your power to
| explain away the criminality of your
j conduct; and that whenever vou re*
turn to Congress you will meet 'with
a reception from that body which your
attempt at imposture merits.
A VIRGINIAN.
FOR THE ARGUS.
THE LATE NEWS FROM ENG
LAND.
THE picture which Great Britain
exhibits at this moment is indeed la
mentable : And the real cause of it
undoubtedly is the continuance as well
as the nature of the war in which, with
a single year of peace, she has been
engaged ever since 1793. Bankruptcy
and Famine are the chief evils that now
afflict her; and these are aggravated
by tircumstacces which, though of
little comparative weight would, in a
season of greater abundance and pros
perity, be themselves sufficiently im
portant to alarm the ministry and pro
duce anxiety in the breast of.ihe reign
ing sovereign. The expected famine
may, indeed, be principally traced to
natural causes j but it is impossible to
conceal that the evil is increased by the
wicked regulations & political corrup
tions of the British cabinet. The bank
ruptcy speaks for itself. It is the ef
f. i_ r?_■
... icuui Lonunemai System, |
which the English government provok
ed by its maritime piracies, and by the
capricious and unlawful blockades of
the ports of the coutinrnt of Europe
in violation of the rights of neutral
powers. Great Britain will now find,
that even she had an interest in the pre
servation ot that very law of nations
with which she has so wantonly spor „
ed. She has played her commercial
game so indifferently, that Bonaparte
has got ail the master c-rds in his oa n
hatu.s. Whilst the American flag was
pure ; whilst it was unpolluted by Bri*
tish forgeries, the English, reaped ad
Vautages from it which they can now
no longer enjoy. The English were
not contended that the Americans
should reap any profit from a cireuiti
ous carrying trade, and then proceed
ed to license our ships, and even to
Americanize by false papers British
bottoms, 'f he interdiction of our cir
cuitous caftying trad'c by the British
was followed by the threat contained
in the Bei lin -decree : i he. license
stem was met by the French with the
Milan decree ; and the forged docu
ment system produced the seizure and
c mfiscution of every vessel bearing 1
the Am. rican flag. The consequence i
is» America ts cannot trade to the j
continent of Europe ; and the English
merchandize accumulates in the Lon
don shops; Desperate English ati^
venturers push their fortunes in South
America, where the market is over
stocked, sales dull i and in the end the
UIIIIMU uholt oecomes a bankrupt.
But it seems the British government is
to help the bankrupts out of their dif
ficulties.^ By what means will they do
this T 1 hey can effect it in no other
way thin by taxing the industry of
the subject still more heavily; and
how will that industry bear such taxa
tion, when it has become so unproduc
tive as at present by the want of mar
kets for Uicir merchandize? Irdan I,
it seems, also f et Is the calamities which
afflict her tyrant. Where will all
this end ? Is modern Carthage doom
ed to fall ? If site is, let us not forg.et
that her destruction will have been oc
casioned by her injustice.
eiai
FOR T E A ROUS.
ORATION
ON GO V E K N ME X T.
Delivert d o,» ihe 4ih July, iiilO.
By Wm.’rTrOANE.
[continued.]
As to aristocrat!cal governments,
they have nearly the same train of e. !
rils—a prominent evil in them, is the j
creation of a separate interest; the be- t
aefit of the Governors lie upon one
»ide, and the go -erned on the other— !
tell-love is a predominant principle in
nature, and it is to no purpose to say
that individual inrerest always coin
cides with the general interest—Kela„
lively to individuals taken as men, it'
is true—but relatively to individuals '
taken as lords and kings, it is false.— 1
I will admit great wisdom to preside
in an aiistocracy. but I also contend
that it is pregnant with great evds ;
in older to prosecute their perfidious
machinations they make every effort
to resist the progress of knowledge
and illumination among the people,
ter they know, as soon as the deceit is
detected, their occupation is gone.
I deem it unnecessary to enter into
a minute disquisition of the different
species of aristocracy, since the same
objections are equally cogent rgainst
them all—Aristocracy may vest its
prerogatives principally in the indivi
dual as formerly in Poland, or entirely
restrict them to the nobles In their
corporate capacity, as also in Venice.
The former will he ihore tumultuous
and disorderly, the latter more jea
lous, intolerant and severe.
I will only observe, that as aristo
cracy, founded upoi a supposed ine
quality of mankind, is inconsistent
with every principle of natural law ;
the offspring of art, foreign to the na
ture of things, and therefore, like mo
narchy, must be supported by artifice
upon the one side, and ignorance.on
the other, ,
But the American mind turns from
the contemplation of such systems of
depravity and misetry, or can view
them only as the perpetual monuments
of the vices and folly of mankind ; but
to sympathize in their calamity is a
part of our nature—-to profit by their
experience, and to derive useful les
sons from past events, is the preroga
tive of wisdom. i
Let us then direct our attention to
that government which considers man
universally equal to man : That gov
ernment upon which the peace of soci
ety and the happiness of man can only
be founded. This I denominate a re
publican, under which I have had the
honor to have been £i ared, and finding
If flit* finis; ohm enn f I, ^ untwlk
ot freemen, uuder it I will die.
I he advantages of a republic are li
berty and equal laws, regulations adap
ted to the wants and circu.ns'aaces of
the people,public spirit, frugality, aver
sion to war, merit rewarded and geni
us promoted, by the opportunities
which the assemblies of a republican
state afford to men of every descripti
on of producing their abilities and coun
cils to public observation, and thereby
exciting and calling forth to the service
of the commonwealth, the faculties of
the best citizens.
The evils of a republic I consider
comparatively few ; delay of public bu
siness is considered an evil, but delay
is essentially necessary, as the voice of
the people could not lie obtained with
out it ; disclosure of public designs
and councils is also an attendant; but
this I consider inseparable from a good
government, for virtuous proceedings
are in all cases like truth, which fear no
investigation.
The calumniators of a republicau go
vernment attribute to it, incessant com
motions and civil wars, but this posi
tion is contradicted by the history ol
many nations, and particularly by that
o( the Homans, for it was only during
that period, in which the republic pre
vailed in its greatest purity, that the\
enjoyed the greatest sum of tranquili
ty. J'his calumny has been so ably
confuted by the immortal Sydney in his
imperishable . work on Government,
that no farthtr observations upon it are
necessary.
In a republic merit only advances a
VIIIIIIVUWV, Uiuc MIC VOILC Ul
the people is appealed to, and the mind
meets mind upon equal grounds with
the weapons of truth and reason ; What
cm he better calculated to promote the
happiness of the poor than this pros
pect of rising to the highest elevation
in the state ? What more grateful to
their feelings than the right of sijliragt*,
or those popular elections, by which
that contemptuous and overbearing in
solence, which is commonly offered by
the high, to the lower order of men,
receives the reproof which it justly me
rits.
This right produces mutual habits of
respect, and destroys that inequality
which would otherwise exist : It pla
ces every member of the community
in hjs proper rank, as entitled to his
portion of the sovereignty. We ought
then to consider this right one of the
most indispcnsihlc requisites of the So
cial System ; besides, arti, sciences,
literature and refinement, form the
splendid retinue of a republican gov
ernment ; for wherever talents are most
sure of meeting with their just reward,
thr.re they will most flourish.
Is there then a best in government ?
This question has long arrestetf the at
tention of the philosopher and politici
an : It involves the most profound prin
ciples of natuial and political law, and
I touch it with a trembling hand—-Hut
must conclude, that government is the
oretically the best, which I have just
mentioned : that which abounds in sa
lutary regulations j that which secures
to every man equal rights and privile
ges : that which protects and fo»t«rs
the blossoms of virtue and genius
wherever they may spring s that in
short, which has for its basis, sound
principles of liberty and moral cqn-li
ty*
But it will be asked, is this govern
ment the best for every people ? Cli
mate aod luxury are considered invin
cible harriers to the introduction of po*
litical liberty into a country; but if
truth when properly displayed, be om,
nipotent, and man be universally the
same, neither climate nor luxury are
insurmoua'able obstacles, for altho* he
may be groaning under the scourge of
tvrannv, he still possesses the same im
prescriptible rights with his fellow-man,
and is susceptible of all the blessings
of civil liber'v.
Can the influence of climate prevent
man from embracing the obvious means
to his happiness ? Does it derange the
optical nerve, so that he can no longer
see in what that happiness is placed ?
Or does it darken everv avenue to the
understanding ? Can it prevent him
from knowing the adv .mages and bles
sings ofliberty over despotism? The
voice of truth will forever answer it.
the negative.
If climate were this powerful agent
in forming the characters of nations,
we might expect to find cold and heat
producing as extraordinary effects up
on man a3 upon the inferior animals,
and even, the vegetable creation.
It is supposed, that the neighborhood
of the sun rendtrs men gay, fantastic,
and ingenious; but while the Grtek
and the Persians have been remarked
for their acuteness and gaiety, the Spa
niards, Chinese, and the Turks, are not
less distinguished by the seriousness
of their deportinen'—hough rh y liv
ed nearly under the same climate.
It was the opinion ol the Greek* and
J Romans, that the more norihen nations
iw«;re incapable of civilization and im
i pi uv tiiimi j u;iu uic moderns nave
| found that the English are not inferior
in literary eminence, to any nation in
the world ; science is also cultivated
stili nearer the poles. Sweden has had
her E n eus, Denmark her Tycobrake,
aid even Russia has afforded sceutiliu
Iticns of spreading science.
Climate I grant in its greatest ex
tretnes may have undoubted influence
upon the character of a nation. Wit
ness the inhabitants of Africa upon
the one side, and those of Lapland up
on the other ; but we are not obliged
to argue from extremes.
It has been supposed bv some specu
lative politicians, that nations who sub
sist principally upon animal food are
more courageous than those who use
vegetable diet. In confirmation of this
opinion they tell U3 that China was
conquered by the Tartars ; that the fer
tile plains of Lombardy and the shores
“f the Egcan sea, were frequently de
solated by hordes of wandering Scy
theans, and other northern Barbarians,
who viewed with contempt the cultiva
tion of the soil; that the nations of the
German forest exterminated the legi
ons of Augustus ; and that at a more
late period Atlila and his Huns could
by a menace, awe the haughty mistress
of the world. '
To this it may be answered, that so
long as Rome maintained that spirit,
and energy, to which she owed her
greatness and glory, all the nations of
the Rhine and Danube trembled at her
power and bowed before her imperial
sway.
JNotmng can be more absurd than to
deduce national character from the ad
ventitious circumstances oi food and
climate. Spain and Portugal were, not
two centuries since, celebrated for their
valor and spirit of adventure. The
discovery of Columbus, the conquest
of Cortez, ahd Pizarro in the west, and
those of Vasco Digama, and Albuquer
que in the east, are sufficient proofs of
•*y opinion. What are they now
Fiance too, whose mode of diet has so
absurdly excited the sarcasm of a nor
thern neighbor, has in our time sub
jected all the-surrounding nations with
a rapiduy that would justify the con
cise and sublime language of a Caesar,
Veni, Vidi, Vici.
The Dutch proved themselves wor
thy of descent from the bravest of the
Gauls, by a war of seventy ‘years a
gainst all the power's of Spam.
Yet a short period of prosperity, lux
ury, tmd a too eager pursuit of gain,
ha* e sunk Holland into a province, m d
given the sources of h.r wealth and
•V.r foreign possessions an easy prey,
fo the fleets of a nation, with whom,
under Van Tromp and Deruyter, she
once disputed the empire of the sea.
If we give to those chimerical hypo
thesis, their full force, they only prove
tha; climate may ph>sicslly affect the
grosser panicles of our frame—b it I
cannot believe it influences those finer
organs upon which the operations of
the intellect depend.
If, however, climate has the effect
contended for, I am not sufficiently ac
quainted with the science of govern
ment to trace in it, those natural causes
which render a monarchical form of
government best calculated to produce
happiness. (lobe Continued, j
'Am *e*M*«s; rsvs *he Mon t ur t>f thr
16tb ot July, have entered the p .«u <.f .ie
North tint! li.e Baltic, w tn oretendrd cer«
lifica cs tJ origin, d- I• v? r*d by ti e French
cemu’a.. V\> have uwhofi y t, d C l,V
officially, that *uch cert fioa cs ar^ o.e. ,•
and that the bearers thereof ^e ^ b’
consiriert'd as forgets. The*,- tlocumtnts
a^e evidently fabric,-ted in.. England—•
consuls ot his majesty in America huvir...
delivered none lor a lung time. "*
Balt. Whig.
The french government was about to
grant licenses to a certain number of vrS
sets to import cottc-h. ind go,.«nd yor,, ntP T
Into France Irom America. Fh~ p„r.tl ¥
of confiscation was to follow nil cotamu-b
cation wih a British port. i "
WAR IN EUROPEAN TURKEY
The Russian army is said to have gained
n brilliant victory over the Turks n. vr
Silistna, in Haryana. The Grand Viz-r
wss retreating towards AdrianopU, i?i}
miles distant. 1 ins action was iout'it
June. ®' .
i >0.
sss-si
IjIP A written exposition, or rom
me nt upon the 24th or last chapter of
tne Apostle JLukr, interspersed wiA
reflections, will he read at the Capitol
at 4 o clock this afternoon. A br.cf
introductory on the nature of the hi hie
and of religion will precede ir. 7’,
tend which the citiami of Rtchmt n/L
&c. are respectfully invited, by thr r
1'iend and fellow ciffcen 7
SAMUEL II. s f\ U NDERS, Jr.
?KCE YED> a larSe *«<* el-, gaut
assortment of to
fall goods,
Which will be dll-pose I of by wholesale ot
retail very low for Cash, as follows
Supcrhne Clohs and Qassim-e es, Se_
cond^ do do. Coatings and Planned,
da.zes ami 1 w,l|ed Flannels. Cotton and
Lnnen Cam bricks, Satin and Lustring
R.b' ands lit® ties, all lands, Seeded and
Leno Musi n, Ut qud.ty,jlndia Leno d>
Kt PI till & RiDlirnrl T.. AC_■ rn4. .
Velvets all colours, Corduroys, Cords anil
Velvets, Point and Rose Blanket!,, C tt. u
and Worsted Stock,ugs. all co’ours. Toir
toise S *i 11 and Horn Combs, Bo,b zt«.
and Bombazene, Car >.ge Lace, and Ink
i owner, Cotton and 'Ftiread Laces assort
ted, Calicoes and Cliin'z, Pcuni ir Pack*
a<e Fins, Ladies and Gentlemen's shore
kid Gloves, Extra long Kid Gi .ves for
Ladies, Knives and Forks ass ried Poi k»*t
and Pen Knives, Table and Tea Bro. r,s.
L.nnen and Cotton Thread, Ivory Combs,
Imported Bed Ticks, C lion, do'd Blue
and Green Sarsanets, White and Brown
Ltnncns, 1st quality^ Cotton Shirtings,
French Imitation Cambricks, Camhrick.
Muslins, Band anno and i ullicat Hk s.
I eiece Cloth?, all ccloarSj Sewing Silk,
all colours., Writing and Letter Paper,
VVestcottings, and Patunnet Shirt and
Jet Lut’ens Cotton Umbrellas. ,\n assort.,
ment of Military Plumes, Epauletts aod
S Iver Cords, Silver and Gold Thread,
b.lver and Gold Spangles.
I he above Goods being par'lcularly se,
footed for Cash, and wilt be exposed ot in
tue lowest terms lor Cash or Town acccp*
tanccs. , ■
L. JOSEPH -3t
Notice. ?
THE CO partnership of Daniel Hjooinbot.
mam & Co. having this day ex, ire ) all
thosr indebted to the said concern ate requested
'<> m-tke immediate payment, xnd those
have op;n accounts on (he books of ,he sax) con
cern, arc requested to come to a settlement, v;i*h*
out which no longer indulgence will be extend,
ed.
DANIEL HIGGINS >THAMG Co.
New Glawgjw, Senumrcr 1st 1W0.
NU 1 HJ'T
TtlOM^S jtLbKiiJO ■ o* C«*. renocAfu ty
* inf rm their frier d an 5 ihe public ingeoff
n'y that they have opened 6tnre in (heflutn*
formsrly occupied by Da.iiel liigg.rtb'.AWftm <>
C». in »he town of Mev Gb.gow, wn re they
will keep a general suppl, of GOOJV. ruit.
nb'e to the season, which they are determined to
sell on the lowest tc.-rus for cash* country pro,
ducc, or to those iliat they can rely on for punc*
tuality.
New Glasgow^ Scpie. rber ijtjIBlO. 4w
WANTED !
A Lad of respectable Parents ; qua
lify d as to education, attire, in
dustrious and Sober, may meet with
a place for 3 or 4 years in a Grocery, by
applying soon. Enquire of the P.in
Sept. 17. 1810. (4‘.)
NO MCE !
1 shall petition the next Virginia Le
gislature to relinquish to me the
I Commonwealth’s right io the lands lv*
| ing >n the county of Ntw Kent,of which
: Peter Pcnnet died seized- .
STEPHEN H. LACY.
Snpt. 17th, 1810. (w4t)
I^OH SAI.K,—That TRACT of
? LAND which was lately the pro- .
petty of Walter KU-rble, containing five
hundred acres, lyirg on the iva rrn of
Great Guinea in the county of Cumber
land, and adj doing the lands of C-.o.
'Sfeipwith, Jerman dasher and other*;.
Tncrc is on this tfact a small planUtL
on of about fifty acre", lately cleared—
the baliancc is io Woods; she soil is
supposed t > be peculiarly adapted to
the culture of tobacco. Tire land will
he sold for cash, or upon a credit of
one, two or three years, as may >u.s
the purchaser.
Wm. D ANIEL Jr,
Cumberland, C. H.y
I Sept. 1 llh, lbU)> ) w4tv