Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-07-04
FPoM THE DEaocEAr.
MR.. OTIS'S SPEECH.
No

WHEN we see The legislative champion
ct political party at their head, about to
! make display of the arguments which
are 10 influence such party IN Young ON Il
| great and Interesting question, we are in
/ duced to expect sober investigation, and
/ pertinent reasoning. The public will no,
/ be 50 unchalia5le as to suppose that "the
tInscl OF defamation" is To be substituted
Tor plain good scn,e and g the cobweis &C
/ soph>ury" and m!srepresen, alton for an
| uJtight and cand i rarCati II OF /, e.. IL
TINS, however, they have Tor once been
! disappointed. The speech of the hon.
/ Harrison G.. O;is in The General Courc ON
1 tuesday last, on the question 10: pre-, id.
! Ing method in which Electors are 10 he
! appointed Ia vote Tor Pre- 5ident and Vice
President ot the United States, a,thou;rh
h"ciy wrought up by the softer touches
oil rhet0ric, and carried to the hearts of 4
, number ~ splendid display oil tropes
a"i sSufes, yet upon eXaminl ion, must
7 he pronounced, by every candi; man 10 Gc
nothihB more than a specimen Of hand.
some though hollow defamation, ard All
address 10 the feelings OF fallen party,
IN defence OF the principles Of which, this
gentleman has made so boid stand.
! This speech might have passed for what
1t Is worth among all parties, without in.
, 6ucirg single observation from. iae, had
The remarks IT contained been confined
s'nSly. To ~ abuse of the measures Of The
! present national admins ration Eut
{ when every candid man present saw that
us great object and scope was Ia sou the
seeds ot di,cord, jealousy, aud dsunion a
noog the psople OF this Commonwealth
{ ia ISOLATION 10 the gentri, roveynmen,,
under the tiimsy preteUce of contendmg
| lor state righ,s and STATE influence
w hen TINS, II present iaYuritc object. Is
AIMED at by an attempt 10 shcw an over
grown AMI improper rflucnc- IN Z par;i.
GUAR section OF thc union - ~ hen Tor this
purpose, We see the orator transported be-
You'd all reasonable limits, 20 tale " d ge.
neral viyw ot the pre- sent administration"
| irrsle'ent and inappropriate TO the uues.
! tor, winch ought solely TO have engaged
MS ate ton, and therefore an insult upon
! The Understanding If The members: and
"'icn, IN fine, We sec Tie Legislative hall
converted into forum, for The purpose
oil giving currency 70 popular calumnies,
a"d Ia; sing still higher the already hea ed
feelings OF aparty who seem TO give them.
selves 10 Bounds on this side the torclers
oil hideous ruin, cannot in duty 10 NV
country and my own feelings, lorbear TO
iavIle the attention OF the public TO a mo-
mentous consideration of the doctrine pub
hcly and legislaiiveIy inculcated by one OF
the leaders OF that party.
| On the arguments in favor Of the eIc6t-
ing electors by general ticket so lar 3
they clate 10, or arc drawn from the Con-
sIi'lt!oa. have nothing, 20 say. They
have already been s4tisf,Gtoriiy answered
I /. IS to what Mir. O.. called his general
( view" to which the public attention is in
Vi;ed' and TO which the subsequent obser-
+ va,ipns shall be confined. As he cx
! pressed 4 Willingness To- eater into parti-
I cuiars, presume he will not be ayerse
( 10 slight examination of his general
view" In doing this, his ideas, so far as |
was able to collecl them from having
/ hca d them delivered, shall not be misre-
( presented.
in taking this view of the administra,i
! OF, he aVowcd his object 10 be, to shew It's
, grow ing and dangerous influence or IN
other words, the uncXampled influence of
I pau SCCllOn oil liFe UNION, and that
therefore the unequivocal voice of this
stale should be thrown in To- check it,,
which could be best done by a general
ticket. Every body understood him TO
mean Virginia, by particular section ol
the union. What was hi, object in max
ing this ayowal Does he or any one else
pretend that Virginia (Which, according.
to the isest fedeta language, is synonl-
nous with he present administrator has
;aEen any unconstitutional or even iilbc-
ri measures 20 make herself, Or the lea.
ders, popular! Has she occupied any power,
Of acquired any dominion, not given her
bv appreciation Of al her sis,er states in
The UNION Shall she be branded with the
%; and Hateful appelIallon OF usurper
or tyraut, MOI to be sure because she has
Produced a Washington, but because she
has given o tie world and to this c iuutry,
The services ola Jefferson and a VI ldIson
"hO have by a long course IF vlrtuous con-
duct and patriotic acls, gained the conf.
dencc of The American people When fe-
dcraIi5m (taIsely SO called like a resislless