Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-05-12

Nor was this alone the embassy most
disgracsful III the intention, the mediiat-
ed emb ,ssy OF that same Smith 20 Constant
s,inohie was proposed, bu, public indig-
nation crushed the corrupt and waHtou
design.
The complaints against embassies were
their multiplication without necessity
their extravaganza without utility and
without common sense OF Gcco;um.
1t is true that the administration OF
those days made no professions 10 economy
nor to consistency, and in that alone, wefe
they consistent, Tor their measures were
never governed by the wishes or the wants
OF the people; and their measures had in
view without regard 10 their occasional
inconsistency with each other, the accu-
mutation OF debts and the expenditure
of public money for the purpose OF infu-
! ence andthe gradual destruction of the de-
mccratical principles of our government.
To talk therefore of what had been fey
mcriy said about Oh: fits and embassies, the
real cases must be referred to--and no o.
Their argument will be then requred--he
who runs may read.
With special regard to Mr.. King and
his boasted embassy, and his general hos
hffGliiy we may be permitted to put in q
small caredt. We deny the fact, and t.
ven II the fact were as stated, that he did
display that general hospitality, 1t must
have been a matter OF mere choice, Il was
either the result of habltual conviviality
and cpeuness OF heart or of the desire to
make himself acceptable to his country
men. Objects i'll themselves innocent or
iaudable.
But VIC repeat it, that as it relates to
Mr. King II was rot The fact we repeat
1t, his habits Of intercourse were the re-
verse of bospitable--and that his attenti-
ons, were often Withheld where they ought
from decorum z; otiicialduty to be bestowed
AND that Ia foreign country aching as
| the representative OF his own, he was in fact
the representative of faction hostile to
the government under whose authority he
acted.
The Royal Gazette Of New York was
very unfortunate in meddling with Mr..
hing's euiogy, the materials to work up
on were scanty and they had been unfor-
tunate in the hands OF such miserahly
stupid being al its editor. We shall not
d.
Mr. Monroe, nor go into ali invidicus COM
( par'aon, which every man may make, be-
tween the hospitable manners of the east
and the sDuth 1T would be more painful to
The southern people TO hear their habits
truly described than it would those Of The
east-Alr. Monroe and Mr.. King, on that
point might be very fairly taken as the
standard of their respective sections.
But while we have MIR. King thus bro't
before us, let us add ogr observation more
whether he acted according to instruc-
| tons from hence, under the influence and
advice OF Mr.. Lislon TO the party in power
here on that day; Mr.. King was guilty of
! one OF the most fragrant violations of mutt
+ ohol honor and humonity which history re-
, cords; he had the baseEess and depravity
to lend himself TO the very court AID king
which had attempted 10 consign j. Han
COCK and Samuel adams his countrymen to
the gibbe,, and to become the instrument
of barbarous violation OF public faith be-
tween the British governmental and the lead
ers OF the Irish whose crime was exactly
that OF Hancock and adams, the sacrifice
OF fortune TO the emancipation of their
(. country from the bondage and tyranny of
the saIae govcrnment.-Nir King lcut his
name 10 this iniQuity, and he had the har-
dihCod 40 take upon himself in his cha
racter Il ambassador to set aside all the
former declaratiaas # tic old C9ngreas TO
conen6h and supercede ali their invita-
tons, and acting as the instrument of
lore'gn court 20 hold up to contempt the
institutions, the interests and honor of
ms country. II no othsr evidence OF MIR.
hing's mission existed but dis, it ought 10
seal the lips oil his friends Tor ever.