Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-05-13
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AMERICA.
AS IT lS-ANp-MAY BE.

good and viriuous, are So much absorbed
in What they consider as their most iEinte-
otate intcrests-that they often act like the
worst of the species, with whom the pre-
sent hour, add the eXigen,, is preferred
TO The permanent.
When our predecessors OF the gloriou.
revolution OF i776, resolved to resist for-
eigp taxation and tyranny, they acted up.
on very different principles, they prefer
red the future and durabie good, to their
present ease, oil that passive course which
would have saved them certainly from the
hazards as well as the real Affections of war.
IL was tie magnaniinous disinterested~
ness Of the American people in that day,
which made ANERIcA WHAT IT is.
What is .dmerica no1v in the eyes of the
world, compared wiki what America was
then.
II requires no historical recspitulation---
the envy or the admiration of European
nations tells US, what America is--com
pared with what she was il 1855.
What America might haue been, had
not her policy been changed in 1900, for.
tunately we can only guess. citizen OF
Rhodes, who possessed great wealth, per.
ce;ved that hurricane had destroyed the
crops of grain, and that famine would be
the consequence; lie determined 10 lay
cut his whole fortune 10 save his country,
and without ustenta'ion, fastened TO Egypt,
where be bought and shipt suiiiciency OF
grain 10 supply his country for a whole
year; the factors of grain were in due
time supplied with The usual quantity for
sale the fields did not produce il, the fac
tors got it--bu knew not whence it came /;
and Rhodes, was rescued from famiae, G.
ven without knowing how CIR by whom a
partial scatc city was felt by those who had
formerly raised grain aud had lost their
crops but there was no want, though there
was some dipinu!ion of prof. to few in.
MISUNDERSTANDING men asked how it
had come 10 pass, that no evil consequen.
ces, 10 famine, had followed the desoiation
of the preceding year how came there 10
be plenty and health in the republic. when
the elements appeared to threaten the re.
public with pest.lence and famine. There
was cause, Euynieaon alone knew the
cause of his country's escape from affiic,i-
on, and its present. felicity. But the great
body OF the citizens, who usually observ-
ed that the Sun rose and set as usual, and
who only Eel, that the storm pf the past
year, was like other storms that their
GRANDPA hers had talked of, saw no other
d ference between The old storm aud that
OF the last, but that no famine nor pssti
lence followed, smacked their hands, and
SAID, zoe are very lucky gcnerafion---anj
they never enquired farther for they oh.
served that The sun rose and set in the old
way.
There were indeed in Syracuse n few
persons, some o; them who came from Sy-
racuse to reside at Rhodes, who on the
prospect of famine had removed from ST.
ely and laid up vast magazines, under the
expectation that the famine would enable
them 10 obtain from 1--WE to ten prices for
their grain The carriers and camel drivers
who had been employed by the agents o.
Euryrnst,np had innoccn'Iy told whence
they had brought all their loads, and the
Syracuse factors seeing that the providence
OF single citizen had frustrated all their
speculalions, laid charge before the sen-
ais Of Rhodes. that GurymctoH was con
spring with Pfo!smy to bring Rhode un-
der Egyptian bondage and they bribed
one Of he Rhodian senate, who sent FOR h
Ielterslo all the communties, charging Eu-
rymedun Of Iliis crime.
The Rhodians Of The country were q
shrewd people---an1 those Of the seaports
were fnN Of craft; moreover, the people of
the plains knew that The Syracusan factors,
foil of tie abundance Of Sicilian haryes,s,
had engrossed & cat wsalth by the misfor.
lures ofhe surrounding nations and cities.
Eurymsdon was summoned before the
seralc, and called upon to answcr--and
he thus SPOKE Representatives OF the
people--,he good OF all states depends
upon The virtue Of the pe-pIe--ihough
"they cannot always be preserved from the
" Affections OF war, OF those which arise in
"the order &C nature provideni govern
m-nl may guard against war, but against
"lhc war Of the elements, foresight, ex
perieuce, and virtue can secure a PEG.
pie. aighed 10 save my country, and
" the wealth I possessed I expended to a
"lhousand ssptss--and this will subsist nc
" while live but my joy viii bc thas BY
A" this ac', though have frustrsfed he spe-
Culaiious Of he factors from Syracuse, !
see IN the health and happiness Of every
"ciiizen OF Rhodes, and in the plenty Of
(" the pre- sent year, sources Of iny adequate
Uto fenay me for all the morfiEcations