Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-11
From Tbames's Me6;rbwtifs sly.
FEDERAL REPUBLICAN,.

independent, the mott ufeful, the head
and beginning fell, the firit fupport OF
the community; That ia cafe OF ima4ion
they make the hardy folders, the itreng,n
and defence of the nation. Then uulofs1
J they are too ignorant, barharous ard IN
acquainted with the ~iatertjis Of their coun-
try, they certainly delerve a iull flare in
the administration of It's governmens.--
Some of them iuproie that they have been
by various arts deprived. Let us ceafc
TO call names--.lct US lock at fats and
traniaetions--let us all have the candor to
fnppofe that our chief maeitrstcs have at
leait intended TO do right and then let
US examine with freedom.
In the beginning of the French r%evo'u-
ton and war with the coa!elced powers,
we were all the advocates of France--wc
rejoiced at all her iucce1es--we manifefted
our JOY In public feafing and in various
other ways. vConfidering that we were
not a party in the %cohtef, we were impru-
dent in the difcovery Of our prediction.
But it was natural to remember the inje-
Ties OF our late war with Great Britain,
which injuries indeed ought to have been
forgotten as,4oon as peace was concluded.
1t was natural TO deiire the fpread Of Re-
publican Government; and to fear left the
formidable! coalition of Monarchs, after
having prevailed to extirpate Republican
lin in Europe, f1ould attempt TO pull up
the root alto which we had planted in A.
merics. He who by his prudence, as much
as by his undaunted firmneis, had gained
our whole CONFERENCE.-THE wife Walh-
ington warned US of our error, and pro-
claimed our neutrality. But Great Bri-
tain began to prey upon our commerce.
She had received no actual injury from our
Government, nor even from any individu-
al, and did not pretend to complain of any.
But her officers and her people felt preju-
dices from the late war, which preiudices
too, as well as ours, ought to tave been
done away by the peace; and her govern
ment probably anticipated hoailities, from
the general prediction which I have al
ready mentioned. notwithstanding the
proclamation of Warrington, he fill con-
tinued her aggrefions. What was to be
done ?-At this time Msdifon came for
ward with his famous proportions in Con-
grefs. The chief Of thefe were to hlpeud
all commerce 4Uib Great-B,tSin, and 10
Eqnsfe, all The debts die fran chr ciliseus
tsbers, until @s RouM eezk her dtbrlaa-
fioas and do rs jufice. No human being
can now tell what would have been the e.
vent had thefe proportions been adopted
nor whether our f~ituation would have
been better or worfe. Thanks be to God
that our circumstances and PROJECTS are 70
good.
l by no means pretend to cenfure the
paft administrators for their conduct In
this refpccf, nor undertake to determine
that 1t was not the mott prudent which
they could have purified. I am orly trac-
ing that difference of intercf which gave
rife to party. By what interef and in
fuence was the adoption of M~adifon,s pro-
petitions prevented? I think by the |
mercantile. The fouthern Rates, are lefs |
commercial than the northern Virginia, |
the country of MadifoD, Of Jefierfon, of
Warrington, perhaps lefs 70 than any.-
AT frft they were popular in the northern
ftates. Oar farmers felt indignation for |
'ne uhPioVokea INJURY which any OF
their fellow-citizens received, as if it had
been their WI And though they dread |
cd war as the WORT calamity, except tame
inbmiilion and @lavery, that can beEal man |
kind, they knew the Importance Of our
commerce to Great Britain, and expected |
TO bring her TO terms {: If not, t.ey Jaw !
that we could pcfibIy diipenfe with TO- |
reign commerce, and felt the power to
wound their entmy in her colonies, while
fhe had full occaGcn for all her Arcneth al |
home. But our merchants had f~creieen
the advantages Of neutral commerce, while |