Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-06-29 00:00:00, page 3

john Randolph.
From the Aurora.
No man in the United States, in public
life, has indulged himself so frequently and
with so little reserve, in personal remarks .
epon others, as Mr. Randolph. And yet i
his own character seems to be but little
understood. The desire of distinction is su *
strong a passion, that when it lakes pos. J
session of a mind of any force, it will, in ;
some way, accomplish its ends. To be
conspicuous among mankind, by that supe. 1
r-ority which springs from an intellect of1
the high .'st order, concuring with the well j
governed and well directed passions, is the
lot «f a few mortals in each age whose !
examples are cited as the established mca** j
sures of ability, and fame. These obtain j
the title of great men, because they excel
others in the. solid or in the splendid en
dowments of capacity and worth. But
there is a conspicunusness of less difficult
attainment, which minds of another stamp
know how to reach, and which although
short Jived, is apt, for the moment, to oe
not less striking than that which rests on
(he basis of undisputed superiority.
Few of the politicians of our country, of
the clkss bred since the revolution, have
been so conspicuous as Mr. Randolph.
This is a mark of some decided qualities
in his character. His mind is active and
• acute, quick in its perceptions, prompt to
. acquire, as well as easy to communicate.
It is formed to yield to its first thoughts,
without the anxiety of much deliberation
or the toil of research. His warmest fol
lowers have never ascribed to him any
large stock of knowledge. To do so, i^aulti
thwart the kind of praise tiiey are chiefly
desirous to obtain for hiny which founds it.
self upon his intuitive ability rather than
* upon what has been done for him by labor
or education. Tne acquirements of study
would not sit well upon a mind eager, so
impatient, so tenacious, and so cUaugeial.
tie has never, either in his early or his
latter years, gone through that preparati
on which is u»ual among men who have
been distinguished as scholars, orators, or
statesmen, and which all the eminent an.
cients and moderns h..ve regarded as the
surest title to a lasting reuown. The m.
formation which he has is partial and de„
sultory, acquired in starts, witnout care or
system. In this way it is always used=
being aaapten, wneincr in wriung ur uc. j
bate, to his own humour, rather tu tu tend' j
. iug to the natural or logical illustration of
the subject before him. He i»j Without ,
doubt, a very handsome Speaker. In this ]
Iks the best of what he h>»s from »ia are
and from art. Tospeikwell has been n is
ruling wish. Here he has been assiduous.
The pause, the tone, the emphasis, the
whole manner of the declaimer he has
successfully practised. But the decisions \
of judgment must limit the praise of oratu.
ry to its external parts ; to wha:makej up
delivery ; to attitude, to gesture, to distinct,
ctiuste utterance; to a happy association of
personal qualities, which confer upon him as
an haranguer in a popular assembly, some
thing impressive k commanding. Words tall
from him with force and beauty. No unpre
judiced man, who liasa relish for good e ocu
* tiou, but iistene with pleasure while Mr Ran
dolph is speaking. But at this point, his
claims to oratorical distinction cud. You
hear him with pleasure, bu you rememuer
little of what has amused you. In the
h gher attributes of eloquence it belongs to
just criticism to assign him his true place
•-•In that stretch of comprehension which
Can ably discuss the questions of policy and
interest that affect a nation’s welfare ; in
the profound investigations which can
p.erce through subjects developing upon
ali sides light and truth ; in the powers
that can reason, and persuade ana convince,
counselling with Wisdom, insti ucting with
knowledge, and embellishing with taste—
in these walks of elc-quencs Mr. Randolph
is not to be tcund. He c.n censure and he
can as^ rt. But in the depth, in the dig
nity, in the charms of tiue eloquence ; in
, the exulted characteristics of this art,
who, that is acquainted witn its standards
of exet Hence, wi 1 rank Mr Randolph ?
His speeches never propose the aims which
the subject before the house or the objects
be!i.re the nation renuira .• and wli»t it
remai kahte they never, by any just ton*
Motions, end with establishing what they
ev^u s.'t out to prove. Their matter and
language ure gu tied alike by the speaker’s
wlfin. 1 object not to him tne neglect of
lor n d scholastic divisions. But, in place
ot tne lui idus ordo, there are found, in his
speeches, ideas the mast unconnected,
facts ttu most irrelative, and reasonings
the mo.it in ippl.caole, wildly thiowu to*
gvtner into one heap. He has read the
oi ai’ons of Chatham and Burke, and it
is probable he has taken them, in some
* respects, as his models. But how shall a
parallel be drawn between th m /—VVhat
forms but an occasional break m the slpcn
dtd.flow of Iheir oratory—personality and
Invective !—are all the reliance of his. In
tlie intellectual force, in ttie universal
knowledge i in the enlarged, and all
gr iftping views ; in those stupendous fac
ulties « h ch can lange through all orders
oi society and mankind, deducing maxima
of policy and leg:si<iti>'n from the eternal
pi i.ic pies there to oe found, and expound''
mg the.n to d rcct a nation’s course—in
such qualities—supe ridding me touches of
fancy and last© winch deceive the length
nod IsPnr of the orator’s and the st desman’s
Cod, w;■ j vdl mention Mr. MnndOlph with
thrtt naniis, but to illustrate dissimilarity,
hud mark the force of contrast ? It wi nitf
Li<? to compute the pm leatoers of thu
vptrrow to tne wings of the eagle. In the
peculiarities in watch it is proitahle his
Intention <o Copy these great speakers, the
Careless listener may be ltd away, but
the classic ear is alive to the difference.
Xevcr will it adm t h resemblance in th«
p' nsncd sarcssin#, the onUiant wit, the
flashing panbuc indignation of the Br*t sh
•eneforu'wwtii the bbmt phrase, the homely
metaphors, tf.e scolding ptvC'ance, and
snarling anger cf site imitator.
If an examination of the talents of Mr
Randolph, instructs us to place him in a
rack wholly rsMe from that of the great
L men of our own, or of other countries, an
estimate of h.s disposition and temper
f^^talis tor a more pom ted reproof. If a
m..
that can enchant and subjugate his hear
ers ; If he has not the fire of Grattan, the
vehemence of Fox, nor can sparkle with
Sheridart’s lusturc, it is not always to be
laid to his charge.. --Tuere are certain
limits to the abilities of every man, for
nat being able to pass which and equal
those wuo have higher powers, it is not
right he should be blamed. —Parts could
aot cope w;th Hercules, nor couid Phaeton
guide the horses of the sun. But his mor
al nature is more subject to control. The
toward feelings of every man are, or ought
to be, in a great degree uuder the restraints
of his will. It is more especially incum
bent upon a public man and a legislator to
act from his calmest reason, and not to
give way to the operation of any private
or personal impulse. He belongs to his
country, *and to that alone should look.
——-The subject ofthe.se remarks exem-'
plifies a striking reverse to this path of '
duty. He is turbulent, impetuous and am
bitious. He has a spirit so dogmatic and
overbearing that the itcetds of all par
liamentary history, affords no parallel to
his career. Some men are content to ad
vise. Mr, Randolph always dictates. Up
on all Occasions he usurps and exercises the
authority of nu arbiter. Full of antipathies,
fuil of resentments ; irrascible at all tunes
to the verge of overflow, his rising on the
Hoor is the signal of attack upon all who
arc around him. Too frequently he falls
upon those who cannot, or will not^ or who |
want the ability or resolution to repel, with i
'he weapons of an effectual eloquence'
the pricktes of his hostility ; and thus he
has long continued to make a legislature
the theatre of his fret ulness, and to ob
trude upon the nation the workings of hi#
passion and his spleen. He abut, sail par.
• ies, all measuses and all men —Since he
niahe his stand agamst the administration
to speak and to find fault, have been with
nim die same thing. Nor has he any tho’t
in what quarter or upon whose head he |
strikes. His denunciations fly at vandom.
scan rm§- venom upon his tormrr frieuds
and former foes, upon men in place and
men out of place, upon the high and the
low; i he darts ol his unger he lets slip
against all who refuse to come under his
little banner. He is aloof frmn every mea
sure whith the emergencies oi the country
call for ; and yet it is remarkable that it
we except his crimination of »h*
Ot Other men, in winch he discovers both
uniformity and clearness of purpose, there
is no distinctness or compatioili^y fu what :
he wouid himself adopt. Since he swerv
ed from the principles of republican truth
with wuich he started on hi* political
course, it ever he understood any more than
their terms > since he 'urned (rent some
equivocal motive, upon the illustrious pa
trons ot his early life,1 he has blustered a -
long irom session to session, without chart
or cairpusSj counselled by seif-sutficiency^
and exhibiting nothing but unsteadiness,
contradiction and rage. Where then is
his pr.nciple or where his patriot.sm ( Mr.
Kamiolph has neither ethat he may have
the tacut ou3 hon: r of a man or would not
open tor gold the gates of h«b country does
not ward off (his imputation. As a states
man he can have no claim, either to true
principle or true patriotiorn, who gives
such incontestable marks of being guided
by h s peevishness ; whose opinions and
conduct are under the dominion of his
wrath.
Mr Randolph has been an ambitious, rest- 1
less politician, of a spirit not i caddy daub- i
ltd, upon whom some gaze with wander !
«nd some with tenor. But these us a
great writer observes^ are transitory pas
sions. If the annalis' of>be times should
come at a future day co take a passing
notice of his namcj the wonder will be
that a young man of such testy hum uis,
of some imagination and spnght.iness,
but winv was deficient in all the essentials
ot judgment, conduct and good sense,
should so long have been allowed (o play
the tyrant and the boy, in the presence of
tli© representatives of the American pea
pie.
NEPOS,
v _
amunoiun, June zz.
The dispatches received by the John
Adams corroborate the remarks we
lately ofl’e red to the public on publish
ing the note of the slue of Cadore, with
the accompanying letters of G n ral
Armstrong. In presenting a fuller
view of the state of our foreign rela
tions, they shew how little we ought
to expect from the justice of either
France or England, anJ loudly call
upou us to abandon all partiality for ei
ther of them. We have long consi
dered this as the imperious duty of
cur countrymen. In the desperate
g.'tire for wealth and power which is
playing on the continent of Europe,
we have seen a total destitution of
principle and disregard of the rights
or interests of others. The plea of
necessity, ever the watch-word of ty
ranny, which has been so vehemently
urged, ought to have convinced us,
that while the present storm continues,
however a treaty might have been
patched up with both or either of the
belligerents, it would he either of short
; duration, or faithlessly, if not treache
| rously, executed. Hut as credulity is
th • last acquisition of an honest mind,
which struggles against it until com
pelled by irresistible facts to receive
it, so to the honor of the American
people, they have been slow to appre
J ciate the motives of the leading go- |
vernments of Europe. Honest tnem- )
selves, with no ambition but that of 1
fairly pursuing their own interests
without invading those of others, they
have cherished the hope that the ag
gressions committed from time to
time upon thei^ rights would be soon
succeeded by a respect for them and
by a renewal of politic*! confulvtice
and commercial intercourse'. But
they must now be convinced that the
career ot anioition and the inordinate j
thirst for riches are noc to be arrested
by maxims of justice or lavs consecra
ted bv the wisdom of ages. They must
be satisfied that the greatest insult that
can bt offered to the ou stretched arm
of power is to attempt to arrest it by
argument or remonstrance. They
must see that England and France
stand in the same attitude towards us,
and that the assertion of our indepen
dence canouly be correctly displayed by
ceasing to palliate or apologize for the
unjust conduct of either.
I here was for a time a Faint hop£
that the proposition submitted by our
government that the respective orders •
and decrees of the belligerents should j
be chronologically revoked, would be ,
agreed to by them, and something like 1
an accommodation be the result. But1
even this hope, shadowy as it was, is!
now dispelled. Englaud has refused ■
to annul the orders of blockade issued 1
by her antecedent to the date of the'
Berlin decree, and thereby neutralised !
the offer of the French government to ;
revoke ih>«t decree on coudicion of the
previous revocation by the British gov
ernment of her previous blockades
01 France.
As this is a point of considerable
importance, inasmuch as it proves Uil.
equivocally the disposition of the Bru
tism government, and tests the sinceri
ty ol its previous assurances, we shall
dilate a little upon it. It, in perform-^
ing this duty, the facts seated, or the j
inferences deduced from them, evince!
a want of goood faith on the part of
the British gove rnment, we trust we
shall not j in condemning such conduct,
be viewed :i«t vim» II,• «u..
conduct ol the French govern nent.
We wish it to be distincdy understood
<hat we can condemn die conduct of
oncj wit Out approving that of the o„
thtr ; tha , in the strictures offered, we
act the p, rt of Americans ; that we
are neither Frenchmen, or English
men, but Americana ; & that although
as philanthropists, we wish well even
to our enemies, yet as patriots, we
consider it our duty to maintain by all
just means the rights and interests of
our own country.
It will be recollected that the viola
tions of our rights by France 8c Eng
land have been all-along justified by
each on the ground of retaliation.
^Jeither government has maintained
its right to originate the aggressions
committed by if, but each has insisted
upon its right to retaliate upon its
enemy for her original violations of
the laws of nations. It has been in
vain that we have denied the justice
of this principle of retaliation, by ai
led Jug that a just retaliation could only
fall on the enrmy of the offending na
tion, and not cn neutrals, who had
maintained an inviolable impartiality.
Having ouce taken their ground, both
the belligerents have been deaf to our
remonstrances.
In the cou’se of the numerous ex
planations which these outrages gave
rise to, both ihe English and French
ministers frequently declated, that, as
the me isu es taken by their respec
t.ve governments were entirely retal.
atory, euher would, on the previous
repeal of the ordtrs of the other, re
voke its own.
To put the sincerity of this assurance
to the lest, we find that G.n. Arm
strong, in virtue of an instruction from
Mr. ‘'mith of the first of Dec. last,
enquired of the Due de Cadore “what
were the conditions on which his ma
jesty the Emperor would annul his
decree, commonly called the Berlin
deer e; and whether, if Great-liiiiain
revolted her blockades of a date ante
rior to that decree, his majesty would
consent to r voke the said decree.”
To this enquiry the due de Cadore
returned for answer:
“ The only condition required fo»
the revocation by his majesty the Em
peror of the decree of Berlin, will be
a previous revocation by the British
government of her blockades of France
or part of France (such as that Irom
the Elbe to Brest, &c.) of a date ante,
rior to that of the aforesaid decree.”
These blockades, it will be held in
mind, are paper blockades, as contra*
distinguished from actual blockades,
which (the paper blockades,) it is al
lowed on all hands, are not authorised
by the laws of nations.
This answer, then, of the due de
Cadore brought the pending case to a
point. All room for subterfuge was
removed by it. The condition of the
French government is simple and pre
ciw« It does not Comprehend the
wide class of ailedged or real violations
of neutral rights committed by Eng
land. It is made to apply exclusively
to blockades, and not to those at pre
sent in force, but only to those of a
date anterior to that of the Berlin de
cree.
This written declaration of the
French government, solemnly made
in the natine of the Emperor, reached
Mr. Pinkney on the 12th of February.
On the 15th of February Mr Pink
ney writes to Lord Wellesley, and en
quires Of him, iu pursuance of a pre*
viotli intimation, 44 whether any, ami if
any, what blockades of France, insti
tuted by Great Britain during the pre
sent war, before the first of January,
1807, are understood by his majesty’s
government to be in force.” In the
previous intimation, alluded to, Mr
Pinkney had explained to Lord Wel
Jesieslev the probability afforded by
General A1’,nstr°nR>*» letter that a de
claration by the Briii h government
that no such blockades existed would
be followed by the recal of the Berlin
decree.
To the letter of Mr Pinkney, Lord
Wellesley replies, on the 2d of March,
41 that the coast, rivers, and ports from
the river Elbe to Brest, both inclusive,
were notified to be under the restric
tions of blockade, wiih certain modifi
cations, on the 16th of May, 1806 ;
and that these restrictions were after
wards comprehended in the order of
council of the 7th of January, 1807,
which order is still in force.”
An explanation of this note having
been csked by Mr Pinkney, Ld. Wel
lesley, oa the 26th of March, most
explicitly answers as foliovs :
u The blockade, notified by Greet
Britain in May, 130f, h.is never been
formally withdrawn ; it cannot there
fore be accurately stated, that the re
strictions, which it established, rest
•altogether on the order of council of
’he 7th of January, 1G07; they arc
comprehended under the more* cx
t nsive restrictions of that order. J^o
other blockrde of th“ ports of France
was instituted by Great Britain be
j tween the lbth ot May, JS06, and th.-.
|7ih of January, 1807, excepting tha
block de of Venice, instituted on the
j 27th of July, 180G, which ii still in
force.” •
j Here then is a broad and v.ncqui*
vocal acknowledgement, by the Bri
tish government, thnt sr nc of har
jilLgal blockades again-'.* France, of a
date anterior to the Berlin decree, arc
still in force.
From these facts, admitted bv
herself, the following inferences ate
irresistible.
!• That England was the original
aggressor upon neutral rights.
2. 'I hat she stj 11 persists ia some of
her original aggressions, e'aiofced and
extended by subseqctnt orderw.
3. That the pretext that they are c.
retaliation upon France is false.
4. That when brought to the point,
and the sincerity of her assurances .ire
put to the test, it appears that she is
unwilling to give validity to those as
surances, by revoking her paper block
ades of dace anterior to the Berlin de
cree, as, if sho were so disposed, she
might revoke them by a new order in
the same summary way in which they
were originally passed.
NAVIGATION or the MOBILE.
It will be recollected by our ea lers
that during the last and preceding ses
sion of Congress, several petitions
were presented to Congress from ci
tizens of Tennessee and the Mississip
pi territory, praying for the adoption
of some measures to relieve them from
the payment of. duties exacted bv the
Spanish government on produce or
goods passing through the Mobile;
which were referred to the Secretary
ot Slate, on the suggestion that it was
o. ly by treaty that a modikeation or
repeal of theee duties could be obtain
ed. The Legislature of Tennessee
dso at their last session instructed
their Senators and requested their Re
presentatives in Congress to use their,
t ndeavors to obtain a removal of this
obstruction to the free navigation of
the Mobile. In consequence of this
instruction the Senators and Repre
sentatives from Tennessee addressed
in urgent memorial to the President
of the United States on the subject.
I hough the evil complained of ope
ra’es with considerable sevetity on a
portion of the people oi the Western
country, it is one which, it is generally
believed, cannot be effectually relieved
so long as a foreign power exercises
sovereignty over the territory at the
mouth ol the river ; because they have
the power, at any time, wholly to ob
struct the navigation.
The following extract of a letter
i from Pleasant M. Miller, Esq. ad
dressed to his constituents, will shew
the result of the 1 »te application to the
President of the United States in re
lation to this matter ;
“ It is witn deep regret, that I have
to iufurm you, th.it ail the ex- rtions
of the delegation from this state to ob
tain the desirable objects recommend,
ed to their attention by our la it gene
ral assembly, and so frequently and
pressmgly urged by his excellency the
governor, have proved unsuccessful,
i'he want of success in our applica
tion, is not i apprehend, to be aacrib
ed to any hostility oa the part of the
president to the interests of this state,
or to the western country in general,
but principally to a belief, that while
the Spaniards are in possession of the
mouth of the nver, the navigation of
*he waters of the Mobile wili not very
essentially promote our interests, as
they will have it in their power at plea*,
sure to obstruct our passage to the o
cean ; this opinion, and the fear that
the free navigation of those waters
would have a tendency to involve the
United States in controversies with
the Creeks and Spaniards, have I be
lieve, had very considerable influence
in inducing the president to decline a
compliance with our request.
[Nat. Intelligencer.
On the Sd February official notice was
given to Mr. Bourne, the American Con
sul at Amsterdam, “that no American
vessel whatever, would be admitted iuto
•he ports of Holland. ib.
WAi Ffc’S Correct List of Prizes
Drawn in the Union College
Lot ery, No. 1, to the thirty-ninth
j •’ znc*jsivc, may be seen by those -
interested by calling at this office,
> ,ierc thtT examine for them
selves.
Oc.valry Orders ! f f
The R chinond TVonp will parade on their
C?r,°Ur;d °" Wt'hnesday the 4th July,
at 10 o clock, '*ouipleu?!y cquipt.
•. KOBEKT gamble, Capt.
June 24, lbio. v
Sal-s at Au&ion.
P ^ .v,Tt u® a deed of truci bearing date the
,v - 4j e**cuted to the mbscribsrs
b/'i't.c.If'ur5* P'ckettj Ptfllaid and Johnjton, and
l;ri.KlCh j Young, to acccte the payment of
19 tvmi « d pound, due *. Mr. Gilley Lewi, aud
Nit-. Le.wiet
M'ill be Sold
At Roc'-tl'w. on :1« ICth dry of July neat, «om*
Vc.y valub ,• oOTS conveyed in said trust
or so n.uch hereof ... vrill bu sufficient to ,ai*i
the .aftogc ’-58 6 8 w..hin«ce*. ther*o« f(0£
i »•*. ait» bt,n- the b Uace due by
Xicaa.d acting ».n account of his purchase.
John Pross-r }
John batchel! v Trustees,
i att’y. for John Fo. ter. )
RicKUoud, June IStn, 1810. td.
jVi'cs/i Medicines,
drugs, palvts, &v.
T*H •• S'..bKr:ber hat Jmt Rece'Vvti a fre -h run*
| P*y oi Me-1 iclv.er i) •»£<.. Paint*, Peifnmury,
1 c c. v'l.ic i, teded to hi. forme. t!ock,4rm,.|e!ci
h'S #i or nur.t, *nj render > it rery ext n. yc>
| Physician*, country MUsie k.tptrt, Hut ten.
PSi liters, and other permni w r. ing any thng
in hi. line, will be 'tt pjilitd on very moderate
, terms.
LZAJAMIM D UVAL.
Richmond, Jubc 26.h, a8I0.
w 3 w o f 3 t.
----
THE Subscribe** vill on Thur.duy the
| J* 5th of July, offVi at Public Sale, the
House ur.d Lot
ill which his family now resides, a very
healthy and pleacaa valuation on ilockett’s
' hill—
Also---Lot No. 9,
in Nicholson's Roj>* Walk Tenement, on
which is two Frame Buildings. The'said
■ Lot is en the mam street and convenient to
Navigation. 1 he S tie will cor.rn.ence at
3 o'clock in the evening and the terras
, made known.
I william goodwin;
i [3 P-3
i’AivE.N up by the subacribor li
ving in Mecklenburg county o;i
Finney wood, FOUR HEAD of CAT
ELE; one & bri. die cow, wiih u b II
and wooden collar on ; one a brinule
heifer with white leg. up to the knees ;
one a red and white cow wi;h a
young caif, the three first .nn ked with
an underkeel in the right ear and swal
low fork in the left.
WILLIAM HUNT.
January 30th, Li 10. Ip
1-? ANaWAY from the Subscriber, on
Saturday 33 1 Jim-,
Ambrose Jack son,
i apprentice lad to the Blacksmith’s trade,
about sixteen years old. Hfc is remarks
ble for his piecing * rur.trnnnee, and ap.
parent good f pm our. All persons are lor
warned from employing him in any oecii*
, pauon, as 1 am desirous of getting him
j again, and a reward of rwo dollars, will m,
given te any person who will deliver said
lad to me. JAMES CURRY.
King k Queen, June 33d, 1810.
S/w E want about 30 thou'aM seasonal
Barrel Staves.
Gallego, Richard, & Co.
Richmond, 38th, Ju e, 18 o 3s.
LATELY PUHLISLEH, '
AND FOR SALK AT THIS CirriCK,
THE
Virginian Orator.
■eing a variety of Original k Selected
Poems, Orations, WDramatic Scenes;
To improve the American youth iu
the. ornamental and useful art of
ELOQUENCE k GES fUrtE.
By Tmohas E. Uuhum.