The recorder. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1802-1803, 1803-04-06

I.a'pS' GNU lyFlntJ tEsSy Ieel NOT only an IN
chnat'on to afafinatc him, but to deitroy even
tho!e who iubmit to his government. This
IS a da1gcro6s and diforgauizing temper. We
ought 70 be content in the enjoyment of our
vine AID fg-trec. We flould not diiturb
che fcpotc, the quiet, the inftitutions or the
government of others, merely becaufe we
rank them wrong. The French tried this
tort Of republicanifn for nine or ten years.
They paiicd through an hundred revolutions.
They foued that there was no liability in it.
And they have, without 1ruggle, or with
out complaint, bowed to the fceptre of Bona
parte. They furely are the beh judges We
now hear of no malacres, no guilotinings, and
though we admit that things are not as per-
feet ashley ihould be, they are certainly better
than they were. In fact, they could not
well have been worfc than they were.
s. In oppoiltion TO all thefe, my voice is for
peace. 1t is ealy TO expofe every eaule or
motive which operated with the fix different
descriptions OF characters, which have been
alluded 70. II would employ great deal of
writing, ard leave nothing for the reader -
contider. lhall therefore content myielf at
preiene with the calculation as it fands, and
proceed TO that which is the Caufc OF this ehay.
l mean Mr.. ROSS revolution.
Prctent appearances put it i'll the power OF
the adveiarics OF this gentleman TO impute
to him improper motives for the motion. Il
might be fad that if has reiolution had cahed,
congrefs would have been actually at war
with France; that MIR. Ruis deierves difcre-
dit for the endeavour, and that it was poll
ticai and party fcheme.
Although difagreed with Mr.. Rofs; and
was plealed at the failure Of the relolution,
do not condemn him, and for the following
reafon.
1t was well known that Mr.. TefFerfon lad
diipatched a minifer extraordinary 80 the
courts eft France and Spain, to negotiate CON
corning the injury which we had iunaincd;
that his party had appropriated 90 him two
millions OF dollsrs in confequence Of thief.
cvenfs. Ii was therefore rational fer every
man or common fenle TO conclude, that theie
things would not have happened! that AIR.
Jctferion and thoie of his contidarts who led
the rett OF the party, would not have Adopted
hch important ineafures, unleiS they bad oee.,
convinced that war was highly probable. If
was natural for every politician TO weigh the
Teaiures which were neceiiary for a wag,
which the perfors at the Helm iee.ned to ex
peel.
The queifion to be determined was, whe-
Their we Gio..ld A.iS~ the irit blow, before
fhe enemy was prepared. Whether we ihouId
take poiiefiion OF defenceleis country. or
wait Tx or twelve months, waiting our time
in idle lurmite, until it fhould be filed with
veteran and numerous troops. If there was
iufhcient cauie to feilJ an arnbaiIaelor if was
iurely the mott wife method 10 have prepared
Tor war at once. AS circumstances kave
fnce occurred, it would have been unwiie;
IT would have been an error. But this error
could not, nor cannot be imputed 60 Mr. R is,
Or thoie who acted with him, brcaule he
could not have tuppoGed that the PRECEDENT
Wonid have fent Mr. Monroe 10 France.
4VttboHt jtl6E:cfs*f rfajon I he proficient can
not luftify this expence and ridiculous pa
rade, unles there was a caule. If there was a
canfe which authorized it, it authl lied alto a
preparation for war. It mutt have been, or
ought to have been of iuRicicnt Confeouence
TO have authorized preparation for the one,
1T Quilted the other, and Mr.. Rofs, iii that
reipcct acted with manly firmneis, with 4
patriotic ardour, with an individual ndepen-
dence, which entite him TO applaufs and
thanks. If ne erred, the fources Of that error
may be traced to Che prciident, who autho-
rlzed the embafly. II no miniffcr had been
ient--if the PRECEDENT bad declared, that it was
temporary Misunderstanding, which could
be removed, then MIR. Rofs would have been
blameable for introducing che refolution AS
the cafe food, he deieryes appIaufe. His
conduit proceeded from his confidence in the
WILTON At the executive, and that Confidence
was jufihed by the embaiiy.
II the ruling party are prudent, they will
be illent and quiet. When they blame Mr.
Rois for the war reiolutions, is is only to &c
one itep further to condemn MIR TefFcrfon fol-
meaiurcs which nothing but beiiefthat war
was inevitable can juftify. To blame Mr.
Rols and tho(e who voted with him, is TO fay
that they ought not to confde IN the pselidenr