Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-01-30
VIRGINIA ARGUS.

FRIDAY, JANUARY so, 1907.

THE General Assembly of Virginia hay
ing lately closed a busy and interesting ses- /
sion, in which many laws of importance |
were passed, and several political qucsti- |
ons, of great consequence to be rightly I'M |
derstood, as they respect the schism among |
the republicans, were discussed, review |
of the proceedings of that body, and reflec- |
tions on the tendency both of the adoption
and rejection of certain measures which
were there proposed, we conceive would at
this time be peculiarly useful. We shall
therefore, with that freedom and candor
which ought to be exercised by every friend
to his country in delivering his opinions on
public affairs, proceed to make some obser-
vations on the transactions of the legisla-
ture; which may probably be continued
through several numbers of the Argus.
The first branch ofthis subject, which de-
mands our attention, consists of the mea-
sures rejected, and the second will be the
measures adopted. The most important of
the former were the resolution ajihrouing
fhe conduct Of the administration Of the fe-
derdi government The address TO the Pre-
sident Of the United States, requesting him
again 10 consent to be hut in nomination as
a candidate for that office and the resolu-
hons reiatiUe 10 q convention.
Each of these, in its order, shall now re-
ceive that investigation which we think it
merits.
In reviewing the proceedings fthe friends
and enemies ofthe resolution, approving the
conduct of the administration, the first cir
cumstance which strikes US as most remark
able is, that many of those who opposed it in
the Senate as well as in the House of Dele
gates, voted in favor Of resolution declar-
ing their undiminished confidence in the
7Uisdom, frmness, and patriotism of the
President of the United States! 1t appears
indeed extraordinary, that the men who had
the highest confidence in the wisdom, of the
President, should have been unwilling to ex-
press their appreciation of those measures,
which had received his sanction ;Ifor which
he was therefore more responsible than any
member of congress, or any other individu-
al whatsoever; and which could not be dis
approved, or even regarded as questionable :;
without impeaching his wisdom, or suggest
ing doubts, entirely inconsistent with the
Highest confidence in its existence. But we
arc told by the Senate, that they chad not
osufhcIent documents to enable them to
form correct opinion of the measures a.
"dopted in relation to foreign nations" If
so, they had not sufficient documents to en-
able them to pronounce an unqualified, but,
we believe, nevertheless, well-merited eu-
logium on the zvfsdom of tine President
These gentlemen appear to act with respect
TO Thomas Jefferson, as weak prince does
with his favorite ministers. They are will
ling to entrust every thing to him, to bestow
on him the most unlimited confidence, not
withstanding they are unable to understand
or to form proper judgment of his actions.
They give him certain peculiar attributes
or wisdom, hrmness and patriotism, of
which he must always continue to be the
right owner, as certain lords in England
are OF honor, which attributes must, &C
cording to them, exist in idea only, not in
action so far as they relate to the most
important part of his duty, the conduct of
foreign affairs.
We will leave to those gentlemen the task
of acquitting themselves of the charge ofin-
consistency, and proceed to consider the
merits of the resolution which passed the
House of Delegates and was rejected by the
Senate, and the reasons assigned for its re-
lection.
1t has been said by many that the reso-
iutions was unnecessary. We grant, that
in one point Of view, it was so. The deci-
ded majority in congress, the almost uni
versal appreciation of the people, the intrin-
sic excellence of the policy pursued, and
the high republican virtue of an admin
stration, which has rendered more service
TO the cause of liberty, and promoted the
prosperity of its country to a greater de-
gree than any that ever existed, all COM
bned to render it unnecessary to Vim
dictate or defend it against the efforts of a
feeble minority, who had attacked it with
out cause, and with such heat and intempe-
rance, as rendered their declamatory effu-
cions, however eloquent, contemplate to
all those who listened to sense, and not to
souuad--to reason rather than to passion.
The resolution in question was therefore
unnecessary, as it could not increase the
well-carned popularity of the government,
nor sink the MAJORITY lower than their own
injudicious violence had sunk them and,
If it had been rejected OF this ground, the
true republicans who voted against it would
have acted consistently with their own prin-
ciples, and Yml id have been excusablc.-
But it is ono ming to say that the charac-
ter of my friend is so firmly established,
that it does not stand in need of my applause,
and tits another to fatter him in one breath,
and in the next to say that am not salts
fed with his conduct, and am in want of
documents to prove its propriety.
The majority of the Senate have said that
they want documents To prove what
That perseverance in sacred regard 10
our treaties with foreign nations, and de-
termination to do them no wrong, which all
the measures Of the administration have e.
WINGED, proceeds from spirit of Justice
That resolution not to relinouish our
rights % any fOreign nation but 70 he fond