Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-04-25
ia i-2 CENTS sIRaLEl


rance of opinion there may be respee tinp-
the extent to which our naval armamepts
should be permanently carried, the po-
vermont did not hesitate moment 10 feel
the necessity of energetic measures, and
the proprlety OF increasing our naval force
IN 'he Mediterranean. For this purpose
million Of dollars have been appropriat-
ed, and four naliona! vessels are equippinr
with the greatest speed. These are the
measures OF the government. Can thew
ITO" from bad motives! IF they do, should
not iederaiists be the last to condemn
them! Should they not rejoice; should
not they hail with Joy the occasion that
oolstered up, when its necessity began to
grow cqnivocal, their fayorite establish.
meht Should not they, on all occasion so
Propi'ious 10 their hopes, and on the oc-
! currehce OF measures so congcnial with
| thelr wishes, Tor q moment, relax the Sc
verify OF censuie, and by candidly approx
ing these measures, shew that there are
some instances IN which the perterse spi.
rit OF party is lost in the glow OF pa,rio-
lIsm. How far this is the case, let the
ioiiowing extracts from long piece in the
Charlesfon Co4trIr7 shew:
I'VE remembered to have heard of a
shrewd economist in Virginia, who could
not be prevailed upon by the most warm
remonstrances and earnest request of his
irends, TO go TO the expense of q conduct
orto save his house from lightning. ale.
1t alone, he would say, let it alone. NV
faith in Ged is great !" But on orc un.
lucky day, misadventurous fash of Epht.
ehlng came, burned his house to the
ground, and at once put him 10 an expense
equal 10 live hundred conductors--not In
mention that of the one which he wisely
Pu, up when he rebuilt the house. Thus
II iares at this moment with our state eco
nomists. There unPropitous prundenoe
has blasted the expected harves, of tbrir
PERJURY, and what is infinitely worse. con.
signed TO misery against which no pecp-
mary consideration can be put in balance,
4 number OF our gallant fellow citiz< ns."
! =" 1t viii be readily understood, that in
these observations we have an eve TO The
loss OF :" The PhihdeIhhia Frtsafe." A
.oss which may CT may no, be considered,
Just as moral feeling may happen 10 be a
! match for political filth, dreadful, hor.
rIble calamity. The economists will &C.
timate the extent of the evil bv the balance
OF dollars lost or gained by cripplinp orr
| naVy-the moraiist and man Of feeling. tyi;I
estimate 1t by the eroans, the tears and
the n'iseres OF his captive countrvmen.
put we nope that there are but few, even
OF those who have been caioled into the
"as'etul economics, hy the Crav ling bepoa-
! ry OF the cabinet, who will hesitate to saw
that they would rather pay dollar more
| OF taxes in three hundred and si,,v 6v,.
DAYS, than have even che of ;hcir Eelrov-
citizens undergoing the horrors or T. noK-
ian slavery Americans shed their blood
o be relieved from speculative slavery bur
they walk deliberately into practical slave
ry--into actual iron chains to save dol
lar. Such is the policy Of the man of 10
peoplc-and such is tie pole, bv which
he became the man Of the pcorle-.GoD
forgive us IT we wrong thcnl, but We fear
| That there are some whose love or . dollar
is greater than our hatred Of slavery.
| or our pity for fell w-citizens epslaved
1t shall be known, howcycr-.his is tn.
lest-this is the tombstone now To he
applied to the American heart. and
we shall soon see whether il be gold or
dross." -
We have often taken occasion to lead
the public mind to Just consideration re
the misconduct ofthose Who merely to FIX
the lrnPuiatIon Of Frodigality onthe Fed.-
raj administration, and emblazon their own
PREDICTIONS to economy, though 10 the in
! Jury 81 the state, 20 inlure thcir opponents.
| not To serve The public, divested the ,o,,,,-
try OF its best and safest defence, 2 navy.
J VINO 10 make sixPenny saving. com
! m'tled The honor and security of he u,i.
on to the care Of chance, and subieGied i,s
people and their commerce to insult, pI,tn-
der' and imprisonment. Hitherto thc evil
has been light, compared with what il is
/ siYrossnt--f he capturesand confsca,;orq
OF French, Spanish and English, though
enough to have deferred administration
rom dismantling the country of us de-
tenCe' were nothing when compared viil,
the EVIL which that misconduct has now
occasloned. Our commerce was soucez.
cd and our people mallreated, bnt our
brave fellow. citizens were'nnt rcduccd IN
The State Of galley slaves "a barbarisns. n.