Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-02-23

(WHICH so STRONGLY CHARACTERIZE
4" stAsr or ora coyxTaYMxN. should
scarcely rxpeci from him lhe heroism
cot a Car.los "p'uhgihg into ire fiery
"gulph for the salvation of his country"
or u Dscins "dcvaii:,g himself to a Ro-
"man,ic DEATH" After this. TO people
jsalnus of The political purity Of their re-
representatives. as a'e the people Of Virr:-
MIA, It was in vain 20 add the poor, milk
and water, AMI obviously reluctant pallia-
ton which follows must, however, BE-
'ieve that he is deeply attached 10 The
"cause of,he present administration and
"that " h;y erfress:ons are nor SO rnthusf.
"esf;r in Us e,ticyiua, it arises more f,6m
the han.tuai moderation OF his passions,
Ethan from any want of conscientious con 4
v'cnon." This whole quotation requires
no comment. The Object of it is palpa.
bic. Yet it's carlousto observe how well
the author ooeys his own maximsl His
sacred! maxim is, g nor Ia counienaner.
"eOem ia IDA, susiiiciom" injurious to tl,s.
political purity Of so respectable a gentle.
man." withontvery satisfactory evidence"
very we" Sin this Case, however, he de.
clarcs ilrat !, was 's6nfcssi6ie for him to
collect the necessary eyiGcsce ON t:,e sna.
Jcct yet he precIaims to all the yers
nnmerSns readers os the Enquirer, thar
tiom very r-s itfesG5lc Information AN inn
"pression exiss OF MS mind that even q,
"the present day, Mr.. -- apnears
"noi 10 De susceptible of that disinferestcd
zeal AMI unasa'ei enthusiasm in the anti
federal cause, which 50 strongly cha.
"raeter'zes many of our coualrymen."
Whether this be net 10 countenaace the
suspicion, and, confesscdiy, without the
necessary eUidrnce, the public will Judge
they will judge, too, how religously this
author observes his pwn sacred nlar;n,s.
The design Of the piece being obvious,
1t would have been much more candid and
noble in the author 10 have come ABOVE
board to have made his accusation open
ly and directly, and exhibited his- proofs
the friends of the gentleman would have,
then, had an opportunity ofrcnly, and The
case would have been fairly before the
people of Virginia. But although this
Conduct wouii have been more candid
and nc5'c, and would have been adopted
IT the man had been gritty, yet, il was NOT
the most 3olitic plan With cblld be a.
doptaf to poison the pubic mind against
an tnacccns cha, acter. sro mask this dis
ingenious and cruel design, lest the hui
manily OF the people Of Virginia should
take alarm at its barbarity and iuiusiicc,
and blow il up at oncesit was necessary;
first, to create fictitious charattey-.-a
modest, ten6er-hesrted. basbful Young
member ofthe Legislature, with {" ten thou
sand oc;tiar s,nccfra" dancing before his
eyes, wsiliHg 10 his bosom friend, conf
dentialy. ADD therefore sincerely and nv.
reseryedly--an;t.h his By the way Of gaining
an undeserved credit to the author and
his opinions for Being a member OF lie
assembly, he must know.aII about his fell
low members, and writing 10 his bosor,
friend, he would write nothing bot what
he ,honghli; this fictitious char lcler thus
created. instead of doing his job, and so
answering the end of his creation, at once,
must make his approaches very gradually
and step as softly and silently as s. The fea
thered foot Of time," lest the slurberin,
generosity Of the nation should aw.l;s:
and tear him to pieces. lie must, bc,yin
his work at great distance from his real
object, by a labored analysis and e,flogy
OF the gentleman's mind, as if this in fact
wese his only Object; having tI,us, as IL
were, pilded the cross on which his VIC
tim was 70 be raised above the heads OF
his peers, ne proceeds more Immediately
to Ills principal business he homes the
cup AID Fits the poison (; il is for Tie peo-
pie Of Virginia to say whether they will
dash j, to- the ground, or compel the cup
bearer himself To taste! lie however,
seems TO imagine that the work is done,
aud done. too, without detection; for al
though his advertisement announced to
our expectations splcndid pantheon, en-
riched on every hand with the varied
woiss Of master, ye; having done his
task in the exhibition OF single portrait,
he desires The editor 70 burn oRfhe yest
and like Millions arch ambassador, on his
return from Paradise, felicithed himself,
no doubt, on the success Of LIS expedition.
But, now, either cmbollened by that sue.
cess, or OH further consideration, perhaps,
afraid lest in histoo abrUpt~cxit, he might
have exposed the cloven foot, hc sends
second copy Of one ofhispor,raits TO The Cd
tor, as weleafn by last Enquirer; h,ch
portrait, If we have read his asterisks a.
i@ht, i. Us intended to misrcpresent ano-