Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1798-11-30

yells againlt French cruelty and lr. rch am
btion which are inceGan;ly kept up by he
hirelinss OF Great Britaiu and he enemies OF
liberty. This deluGon cannot lat. If the !
people of this coun,ry arc not " the moa en-
lightencd people in the world,' they have at
leaf understanding enough to know the inef-
unable value Of liberty, and courage G.
nough to defend il. They viii ditcover
that the executive directory OF France are not
our mot danSerou, enemies. The vengeance
of an oppyeiied aud infultcd people is a,,noA
as terrible as the wrath Of Heaven. The ar
tihces aud clamours ofyour party cannot pre-.
vert the people from difcovering that their
contribution hasbeen violated and their liberty
invaded whila their approximations and their
patiions have been dire 6ted towards foreign
enemy. ] ihallauimadvertin fome iubieuuent
numbers with ieverity, but with truth, upon
the political creed which you have publiihed.
If was your perfonal enemy fhould rejoice
at the indiicretion of which you have been
guilty. / Mould rejoice at the infaiua,ion
which has led you t. en- avowal of principles
odious to your country and fatal to yourfa
But iince | am not your perional enemy, I
Cannot hep lamenting that YOU have proved
by your own deliberate confsiIiors, that YOU
are not worthy of the confidence of tie peo-
pie of Virginia. It is painful to attack the
political reputation of man wholetalents are
iplendid, and whole private character is anna
bic, but am impelled, by the lacred duties
which owe te the cauie OF truth and liber-
ty. ! lolemnly undertake to demontra,e
| that the principles which you have explicitly
avowed, or which may be fairly Inferred from,
your an!wers, are dangerous 10 the conftituti-
on and independence of this country. I 70.
lemniy undertake to demonltrate that thele
principles are incompatible with the happi-
nels OF she people, and with genuine al
tachment TO 4 republican government. re-
peat that am not aimulated by perfonal ha-
tired. | am not ccniciou, of any of the ran
courandmalignity ofparty-lpirit. Theprin-
| cIPies which you entertain, and which have
! determined To @-rsign and expofe, are obnox-
ionsand abhCrent TO my mott lohel and tenn
perate Judgment. would not attack the
WORT OF your opinions for the abaraaed pur
Poie OF preventing your aggrandizement, or
producing you downfall. But iipce your
elevation would be dangerous TO the liberty
ofmy country, II is my duty to prevent it by
far and candid examination of your nrir-
ciP'es. In the performance of this duty 7
ihall not attempt to torture your feeling, by
acrimony of ceniure and energy of invcttive. |
You have long been accuaomed to the blan. |
diihments OF Rattery, and it is poiIibIe that
the plain language Of fncerity and truth
may kindle your relentmcnt. ihall hold
myielf reiponiible to you for this attack uD- |
on your political reputation, but / g,all hear
with contempt the clamours and rnenaces Of
your friends. In the examination of vo,,r
ahfwers ihall expoie the iniincerity and art
OF which you have been guilty. This infn-
cerity viii injure you even with moderate
men OF your own party. 1t mutt be admit
ted that their number is very inconlidrrable.
and ii is probable that their cenl,ire win mar.
take Of the apathy of their fcntimen,s.
The majority of your party will readily ex-
cule any duplicity. Like the Jcluts, their
Predeceaor5 in ambition aud hypocrify, il Is
their fundamental maxim, that the holine(s
OF the end VIII fandify the moR dilhonora-
bic means. Their gratitude for your pad fer
wees, and their fanguine expectations from
your future exertlons, wilreadily induce Their,
to forgive momentary afFe6iation of the
good principles, which they abhor. You
did not calculate with fuficient cor nee
upon the attachment of your own party. Yon
night have gone much farther in the ayoyal
OF republican, opinions, without forfeitine
Their confidence, or loGng their affections.
on might have ventured to pubiiff creed
" hlch would have impoled upon every weak
and creduious republican. Your par,v would
have had penetration enough TO afcribe your
conduct to policy and not to brineibl, and
your iervices IN congrels would have been IN
ample atqnement for a momentary defer,ion
rom their iandard, They would not have
believed that you hal leriouly abandoned ]
-he Administration, after your long and yea
Gus attachment to it, and when yonr great.
'el' and power were growing and fourihing
y the genial funlhine of executive favoy'
! hey know that the man who has once de-
cried the people, viii never return TO them.
CURTIUS.