Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-29
From tie Ntso-l1ark EVENING PosT.
.MONROEs SPEECH
CirSD By RANDOLPH.

Iarly arfeited by the iPcech OF MT. Mon
roe, formerly delivered in the Virginia
Convention and now read 10 Cnngrefs By
MIR. Randolph !: The Object of this fpeech
is TO prove that in the old Congrels,
the fonthcrn nates had been the firm friends
of tbe free navigation of the Mi6iGippi,
and that ieyen of the eaitern ftares had
been 10 favor of proportion made by
Mr.. Jay. fecretary of foreign affairs, in
the character of negociator with the Spa
NTH miniiter, to forbear the free naviga-
t;on of thar river for twenty FIVE years"
This infdious attempt of Mr.. Ran
dolph TO excite belief in the minds OF
our wei1ern citizens, that the eafern tates
have been regardless of their rights, while
the fonthern ftates alone have been their
" firm friends" ought not to pats with
out fomc comment and explanation. In
dependent of the unfairnefs, and the IN
truth Of The iniinuation, regard for de-
corum as well as policy fhould have pre-
vented it. On great national quelfion,
in which The interelfs, the honor, the dig
nifty of the country, in It's collective Ca
pacity, are cmsnen.ly concerned, the en-
dcavour to infpirc one part Of the COMMIT
nifty with i'll will and diiiruft towards
another part, has q manifeit tendency to
weaken the energies of the nation. 1t
will naturally produce coolneis in thoic
who are iajrdcd, and jealous and die
tant conduct on the fide of thofe, who
imagine that their interea is neglected.
Under fuch circumstances, cordial CO.
operation cannot be expected Between
doubt on the one hand, and indignation
On The other at being thus unworthily
treated, ,hoie meafures which fpring from
dnccre union of fentiment and exertion,
and which can alone Be uiefnl, will either
not be undertaken, Or if they are, will
be purified with all the puflanimity which
marks the councils of a.nat;on, that has
no conf lence IN the integrity of its own
members. If, therefore, Mr.. Randolph
had been at all attentive 10 the plai CT
duties Of a fatefinan, he would have re-
Trained himfelf from indulging in the ma
licious effort TO create fchiim in the
country, upon queAion. which, it is be-
1ieyed, is viewed throughout every part
of the union, IN the esit no leis than Ia
thee fourh, as one affecting our common
rights--our national fo-ereignty conie-
quently, one on which mere local f.uati-
on ought to have no Influence.
Since, however, this gentleman has feen
fit TO make uie Of Mr.. Munr e's ipsech,
with the avowed intention of throwing an
cdium on the eafern fstes, it is proper to
recur to fome facts connetacdwith the fate
of things alluded to in that fpeecb; It fhall
then be fubmitted to our weiiern brethren,
TO appreciate the projections of shoie who
now 20 boldly declare, tia, in the cod
Congrefs the laatbeu fates had been the
firm t,iends of the free navigation Of the
MfitIippi.'
Whit Mr.. Jay was in Spain IS our
rniniGer, during the revolutionary war,
the /amben fates procured reiolution TO
be paasd, intruciing Mr.. Jay to yield en-
tirely TO the views of Spain rela-
tive TO the MifiGippi, upon condition
that Spain would recognize cGr indepen-
dence. What then were the views Spain
.rpon this fubjed !. They were well known
TO have been the exelzjfve aauigatioa of
thar river, no: Cox IS years. or for any
other limited tire, bur to,ever. This
indeed is admitted in the fpsech itfelt
but Governor Munroe is materially in-
correct when he itatss that this Rep was
taken by Congreis, upon the fuggeGion
OF Mr.. Jay: On the contrary, this gen
tiemsn, with that difcernnent and tirE.-
refs which have ever characterized his pub
lie conduit, did not think fit 10 flrrender
his judgment, 10 what he iuaiy cont