Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-13
To The Han. JAMES M.fDISoN,
NecrftQrr "a Siafe.

fubmitted 10 your confederation, and that
of the people OF the United States, you
will perceive none of ;hcfe malignant efu-
frs, which have too long difgraced the
freedom ct me pre!s, as applied by your
" Sect" TO. the iages and patriots who
have preceded you in The high and digni-
fed ~itations Il which they have been call
ed by the voice of Aylerica-But you will
find an attempt co examine your political
conduct with candor, and with that de-
cency which becomes a freeman, and to
which from your former fervices, and the
high ftatior you fill, you are entitled from
every American.
In early life you were diGinguifhed as
a young man Of fplendid talents and gent
us, from whom much was expected at ri
yer years and at a very early period you
were elected a member OF the Legislature,
and during l believe the hrt tefion in
which you ferved, you were elevated to
the rank of a Councillor of State. In
: both thefe capacities it is conceded you
faithfully and ably discharged your feye-.
raj important duties. Your promiing ia
Tents, foon, however, marked you out as u
proper character to fill a fill more impcr-
tant and digniied Office. and you again re-.
ceived an elevation TO that of a member.
of Congress under the Confederation,
which, feeble as il was, carried US trium-
phanely through our revolutionary c%cntcl.
Returning your appointment to your ma
tive itate, your emlnenr talents ioon again
brought you into the Legislature, where,
in c~oniunction with the venerable Henry,
with whom you cordially conceded in re-
commencing to the feveral itates forming
the American Confederacy, to appoint
delegates to meet at Annapolis for the pur-
pofe of strengthening the bond Of union,
by which they were for common defence
and common benefits united. The Old
confederation, during the forms of wal
sin which all America united in the com
smon caufe, was found, when aided by pa
: triotic fentiments p~ervading every breaH,
-fuficie ,tly trong to ward off the dangers
with which our independence was af1ailed
-Butno iooner had peace fpread its be-
lnign influence over our happy land, thanit
was found, thofe patriotic feelings and fen
timents which had guided as lafeIy through
our ftruggles for liberty, no longer upheld
and iupported our weak and tottering go
,yernment.
1t was found that, in the contribution of
man, there are certain feelings and paGi-
ons that can only be reRraincd within pro-
per bounds, by wholefome, energetic, and
we'll administered laws that the powers
of our rulers were footed a, and d~iiregard-
ed--- That thirteen Earring and indepen-
dent governments afforded no f%ecurity or
protection to our rights and our property
THAT confidence between man and man,
In the ordinary traniacsions of ~foc;ety, was
bu, a name, and in fact had no exiAence
THAT the general welfare, fer the want
of energy in the government, was %fcarceIy
known, and that the confederation which
had fasely carried US to peace, liberty, and
Independence, was crumbling into duff,
and at the eve of diflolution.
Without a fhilling in the national trea-
fury to fuPport the ordinary expences of
civil government, not to mention.the pay
ment of our honeit debts, the price of that
peace, liberty and independence which we
70 much prize, for which we 70 nobly
fought and bled, and for which, honor,
gratitude and the national faith, was 70
folemnly pledged. Hence refulted that
wife meafure already mentioned, of call
ing upon the feveral tates to give Efficient
powers to the general government to ena-
BILE it to perform all thofe honorable and
iacred engagements. And you, Sir, as
one among the difinguihed American
worthless, were f~elected by your native
fate to aaia in that augult ailembly.---
How you conducted y%ourfelf in this mo-
mentous buGneE Is known. and with ora