Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-06-22


contribution of fuch nation will fall a prey
to party-fpirit and contention. That this
is at prefent the cafe in America, will
clearly appear, on examining iome of the
recent meaiures of our administration.
The quefion with our rulers of late has
not been, IS this Or that mcclure ,gbt,
.jyf or rea/onabk? but, NH this or that
Me4lure gain rs popularity !? has been the
only enquiry. The belt intereRs Of the
people have been facrifce.l, while the po-
pular yearh as been tiekled with fascinating
POUNDS. The conduct of our fatelmen,
have refembled that of the dafhing retailer,
whole windows are filled with goods,
while his fhelves are totally empty.
A4r. Jeferlon's inaugural fpeech was
we'll calculated TO gain potAlayity, becauie
the ientiments contained in it, were fuch
as to extort applaufe even from his enemies.
But would NOT MIR. Jeferlon have done
himfelf more honor by candidly marking
out line of conduct which he meant to
purfue, than by making promifes which
he had no diipoG.ion to fulfil Had he
frankly declared, ct his frf ietting out,
that one half of the people of the United
States, were fet of political herstics,
over Whole heads he might brandilh the
rod Of periecution, he might, perhaps have
fufered the lois of little Aeeting Popu-
larity but he would not thereby have
endangered his veracity.
The ruling feet in Congress, could have
had no other Object in view in defroying
the old judiciary yaem, than pob4lary;
for they were net ignorant that fyfern
equally good could not be adopted with
out as great expence: Yet while .fome few
had the candor to acknowledge that the
expence of the fyaem was Of 10 conie-
quence, the impudent and dehgnipg pre-
tended that their only attn was to rid the
people of their burthens. Fearing that
the meafure, if left to itfelf, would have
a tendency rather to dipinih than in
create their popularity, certain members
of Congrefs wrote deluive addreaes to
their condiments, in which the falaries
of the diip!aced judges were fet down
as clear favings, while the extra expences
attending the new judicial yeem were to-
tally omitted.
The repeating Of the internal taxes,
carried with it fafcinating found The
mealure in name, was charming trap to
catch popularity. But could the advo-
Gates Of that mealure have been Gncere in
their projections of regard for the peoples
when they 2bQli(h the tax on coaches, and
permitted the duty on falt TO remain?
To mention every infance in which cur
rulers have attempted to purchafe popula-
rity at the expence of principle, would de.
tain ale too long from my plough. But
there is one more which is too glarins and
barefaced to be omitted. A law was pait
during the late felton, of congrefs, entitled
An act making providon for the pay
ment of the whole public debt" Now,
my fellow farmers, what opinion would
you naturally .form Of a law bearing fuch
delightful title! should you not expect
to find in it fome means provided for the
payment of the public debt ? Mott GER
tainly. What then, mutt be your fur
prize, when you find not afyllable in the
law which conforms in the leaR degree
with the title? What mutt be your indig-
nation, when you dilcover that the trainers
of the law aimed, by means of falfe title
to impole upon your credulity ? In what
manner does the law provide for the diff
charge of the whole debt? It merely au-
thorlfes re-loan of money for It's pay
ment! Alas! alas to what deiPlcable
lhifts haveour popularity hviag rulers been
driven. A PLOUGHMAN.
Balauce. 1T his Oe1s.