Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1800-08-29

dshgn' are the true csnfe; 60, It wool3
T7art iaysgs and uociviiizei "a mach ,w
nations 10 eorlhat 70 is,,ie an e.icas,ie, q
( the trIth Of luch approaches, ,han, VS. d
old times 70 cagagc two champions in Dat.
tie of lie or death, 20 lc;tlc the ,it'e to 4,
e,'Rie. The mic>hief would ,: iniinitel;
! greater, and the Object in6u;te,g more fr;go
lors, IF iudge who !hould noe itttle IL
'le' by battle, oagh; TO Dc di!gracci, wb2:
aPoicSy coud be made for c9vernmsn:
wh;7h 'hou!d engage in var TO i:title az e
tique'te?
| We are told tn. ;he army propoie6 to ae
rs!ied' is noi 70 he G.nding srmy--,hat
1t caunos be dangerous, 5cczoie j, depends
upon the annual concurrence of p1rli6uen,
that our government; dete}s the idea OF a
itantiog army 40 much as NC do--lhst il is
an Amy Of cosiun9ure, and will be di5and-
cd IS loon IS the coniu19ure 10 over.
But AZ we have alcertained by the unegui-
vocal evidence OF ihc act of parliament for
| fdnifhi'g lsdiiion, that our government be-
!lsye it rishs to control public opinion, we
ough, TO fee CLEARLY E cauic for war. coner
pocdent WIKI the national in,eyca, or a!ign
/ t 10 tnS only remaining ccutc
1t is irue, ;hst there may be fucceiT;on
Of peseSts for war, and that theie may be
cxhihi ed rs csrjunGurss that rone NAV
&c allowed to have paftd away, and tina, ar
mics, o. parts Of armies. may BE occaiopally
diihauded. But may not 4 rapid (uccelIjon
OF iuc.l eTcEts ierye 10 habitua;e the nation
to the idea Of a Ganding army, 10 az 70 sna.
bic government gradually 10 accumulate it,
until, although in form it may till remain ao
annual army, it may in fa3 be perpetual,
mercenary, a-d sn engine in the hand. OF
government TO guide public opinion, 10y the
ianttons both ct fear and hope ariGng from
ito force and les patronage.
With relpea 10 funding fyaem, "a En-
gliihman in the time of Walpolc might have
! oblrrVed-that it ia true we have Incurred
lmall debt which we are able and wiliine TO
pay. That the miniAer and the government
have ALTO iqlennly declared, that ihe only
3eiigu ct fundiag fyaem and linking fund,
! was 10 proyice for rs payment, in like man
ner "a they declared, th2I the army was on
ly intended Ter national defeace, and the fs-
dition law for The defence Of public opinion.
| That funding fyaem, like IA army and
a iedi,;on law, might nevertheless be convcr,
ed into powerful inlrumen', Tor produc-
| Tag gradual change OF he principles of the
contribution although the nation would pre-.
leatly be able to difcoyer by It's efFeas, whe.
her it was their friend Ut their foe. IF il
was their friend as it projected to be, it would
pay the debt it promiled TO pey--if it wa,
their iecret Zoe, it would ieJulouly iroreafs
! the debt. and produce frauduleRt,y an inc
quality of property, which would at Grf 20.
n;rate opinions incon!iltent with tie prirei-
PIES ofths conGiletion, and finally deli:oy
1t would open the Guices OF hope and fear
for direction of national conduit 70 as to
fubjeCt it completely to the will Of the go
vernment--hope Of reap!ng flare in the
golden harvia, with which government may
annually reward rs adheren;s by the ihsru-
mentality OF national deb. and fear, lean
this harVea ihould be endangered CT dimi
niihed, by countetading the viii Of the 90
ge.nment, in favor of he will Of ,he people.
II a funding iyReu hooid be turned from
The purpoie OF paying pebt, into loch po-
liticsl engine as this, iss iIue mutt inevitably
ne mortgage OF all idoouF and al property
mp 10 It's full vaine, 10 the holders IS hi.
ia6lous naticnal debt, who will thea be the
government in reality by wha,eyer oame Il
,s called. Their lsIf-in'ereaed opinion will
&c the only indpeocing public opinion they
will be 1T OF Joint feujal lords Of the lardc
aud Of the people, NOT by me,es and bounds,
which might produce diviliors among them
ieiyes, bn, BY "a arong parinerfhip NOR gagged
upon the whole lin ihorl, they vii be the
Spar,aas, and tie people The HsIol5.
, The only Preca9tion sgaiaa this rilqas,
l,he Englihnsn would have faid Yves 20 is-
. lea men for office, 1Ho had given proof ct
: an enmity to the rylsm Of fopgortiog 60
vcrnment by terror and corruption, in 4 pub
. lie difaporobati5n Of mice, iedlion lave,
aud an incrcals d national dc5;---and @ho
would pay this d,5r, ioaead Of converting !,
ia,o rnonGrous lever, with which Il over
.u,a the contribution.
The fare man would have urged tie grow
ing patronage Of tie crown, as contributing
IN uIcif dangerous evil, which the army,
funding, and lsdilion iyAens were no, calcu.
lated to check. lie would have faid--pa-