Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-06-02


a man defpifed by every perfon of charac-
| ter In the United States made the agent OF
government, and fuch anxiety ihewn 10
render him feryice and TO honor his drafts,
that they are Paid many months before
they are due. On The other hand We fee
a faithful and good officer, universally
Telpetsed and saeemed, drawing upon the
Tresfufy for money aekuo4Oledged to be
due him. 1'he ieeretary, inftead Of pay
ing il, Putsit off on frivolous pretexr tor
more than year, and then fubjetts the
drawer TO very great expence, trouble and
delay, which might have been avoided,
by itaung The objections a, frR. The
damages occaiond byl the proieR
are regulated by the different ffates. In
few are they lels and in fome more than
IS per centum on the whole amount, be-
iides interef, colt and charges. A pretty
little fun for Gan American 10 pay for
The whim or caprice Of an infolent 70,
reigner.
We are not acquainted with Mr.. Stecl's
circumstances but let Us put very ma
tnral fuppohtion, and a very common
cafe Suppofe Mr.. Steele, being employ.
ed by the government, had negl-cted ali
other budnefs, depending foley on his Of
fetal emoluments to fupport his family
relying on the promptitude OF government
TO pay its debts, he enters into engage
ments on the credit of his public bills, TO
provide for the future fupport Of his fami
ly; mott of his fortune, and all his credit,
relt on thefe bills; they are Forwarded :
when prefented at the Trealury zach an
anfwer is given, as to keep alive hope,
and to fapport credit. After feyeral
months delay and anxious expectation, the
bills are fuddcnly protected, the unfortu-
nate. though fair creditor, relying on the
faith Of government, is irrctrievably ru-
ined, and himlelf and family reduced to
beggary.
IT. may be anfwered, perhaps, that in
the prefent inaance, the consequences will
not be as injurious as expreaed. Of this
we cannot certainly ipeak but every
perfon will allow, that there are thou
fands On whom fuch conduit weuld ope-
rate as fatally as above delcribed; and
towards any perlon it would be in the
h.ghef degree unjua.
Such, Americans, are the glorious ef-
fetfs Of Placing imported patriots at the
head Of your affairs. The dregs and out
cats of every foreign nation, arc received
with open arms, nouriihed and Imported
by our government, whilG thoGe foreign
ers, Whole refdence is really beneficial,
and naiive Americans, are fpurned with
Indignation by our rulers, and ruined by
reliance on the faith and honor of govern
ment. Such are the men tleaed by the
chief magiRfate TO conduit your affairs;
not bccaule they are better qualified, bur
becauie they feel none Of thofe fympathe-
tic emotions, none of thofe unphiloiophi-
cal weakneGes, which arife from being
the children Of one common country, and
from thofe tender endearmenfs and early
aGociations, which form the frongeA &C.
msns to focicty, the irmeA foundation Of
government, and the mott fruitful iource
OF friendalip and patriotilln. The man
who famed the fame that threatened to
conAagfa;e our country, could not be fup-
pofed very warmly attached TO lis prof.
perity or happiness: Nor fhould we look
for noblenefs or generofity from him who
could lead thofe deluded by bis arfihce
and fophiary TO the brink OF defruction,
and upon the leaf appearance of danger,
lave them facridce 10 his turbulence and
ambition.
When man isappoinsed TO Office, who,
tho a franger among us, commenced his
public Career by an avowed hoitility TO
eur laws, and by countenancing and per
fuading an cppaGtion to our government
who threatened infamy and dearuetlon TO
thofe officers who dared to perform their
duty--when fuch man is placed as the