Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-04-21

made through the mealutb u VIC " Gill
ington Federalilt, il now becomes a duty
which ! owe to my own character, TO al
iign the realons which urged me TO The
fsp; hus before -cnaes.ng Immediately on
the fubjett, ! beg leave to make few
remarks on that almoa uniserIai cutom
among democrats of ip'peaehing and CEN
turing the motives OF him, who from the
very bea Intentions abaadons their party
and enliits under the banners Of federaliia.
There is nota fubjeet in nature Except
politics) on which the greatea latlsode OF
opinion is not tolerated-we may differ
10 our fentiments on religion-we may
differ in our opiniens OF the merits OF tie
FACES and heroes Of aatiqaity-we may
pronounce a Scion fool, an Anlttdes on
juf or Cincinatus tyrant and tho
ID this opinion, We would difcoser TO our
an,agoniA want of ferfe and tate, yet
the motives on which the opinion ilieii is
grounded are not deemed by him proper
fubjetts of pel(onal hoitility. BOT no
fooner does man change bis political
creed; no fooner is he the oppoler of Mr..
Jefcrlon and his fec, than the fhatts OF
maleyolence are levelled againa him. His
character is then fair game. Ii mult be
attacked /: the integrity Of his motives
mua be called into quefion he is brand
ed with the appellation of trimmer, and
held up TO his fellow citizens as a con-
(nmmate llypocrile. Such has been the
language applied to the csudid and elo-
quent MIR. Baker and fnch are the terms
which, with literal hand ! may expect
will be layiAhed en- me. Bur to lheie
centuries, as ] have before faid, ! am pei
fetaly Indifferent. Democratic infolence
.ihsll never deter me from putting that
which Isconceiye TO be right. They may
tave, / have large flare of pity for
them. They may abule, ! Will tender
them my deriton. They may attempt 10
ridicule I will pay them the homage OF
my high contempt.
return from this fnort digrelion to
10 the Objects of my addreE. | have
been ademncrat the enthuGaiic admir-
or cfrepubiican inititutions from an carly
period ofmy life; | iaw Tor thought |
fawl iuring the four years Of MIR. Adams
sdm,niiration, fpirit hottie 10 the hap.
pineis of This country. rho'' | beheid
the principle of the Britifh monarchy re-
duced to pfattice by the enattion of the
alien and iedilion laws. / Jaw an army
RATED (as then thought) tpr the fubver-
fon OF our liberties. / trembled for my
country. At thar time extremely young
(hasing fcarce obtained my I7th year, IS
1t 10 be wondered at, that my imagination
hould take the deGgued alarm, and that
/ aiould become The opponent Of M.
Adams. From honee motive, | was op-
pofed 10 his re election and from that mo-
ment I entitled under the banners of de-
mocratic faction. Alarmed at what |
hen though. to be the tendency of Mr..
Adams policy, viewed with a jaundiced
eye every mealare of bis Administration
and in each | fancied | beheld arecogni-
ton OF principles unfFiendly to our plof
perity becaute hottie to republican In
fitutions. On the other hand what did
behold A glowing portrait was prefent- 4
ed for my imagination TO feaR on. Mr..
Ieferlon drawn at full length, in thas
fplcndid, tha, lufcicus language, which
never fails Of making an impreaion on
young mind, and unfortunately covers
for time the miichiet il is deGgped to
location. was deceived. Relying
with implicit confidence On the opinion Of
fome of my friends, became the advo,
cate Of Mr.. Jeferfon. ! repeat thar at
this time was very young. Nothing
srpeared 10 me more tedious than monar-
chy. Nothing ieemed more lovely than
uncontrolled liberty. |
Hurried on by an enthuGafic devotionE
to this bewilching Gcddefs, her votaries ] |
thought mult OF coufic be the friends OF |,
,,,rl1;,,i ,n1 coaf,o.,eotl1r GAEarvico |