Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-01-06
TcSTINuEp.l

MT. OF. w i5tSl u III iiiDfC eetiitt
fuential individual, voluntarily isolating him
self from the several great parties that siylde,
distract, and ruin our devoted and degraded
country our devoted and degraded country
8 repeat the expression, Sir, for 1 know 1t to
be as consonunt TO the rules of order as l
shall prove it TO be inconteshbly true--when
such an individual rises to deliver hiszsentl-
ments II pom an important subject of national
concern, 1t would seem that the singalarity
of his situation might attract attention, how
ever deficient he may be IN the solid powers
5 oil argument, or the brilliant ones of.elo-
quence. But these are inauspicious times
these are not the msllia tenlhora fandi, the
soft seasons of persuasion, theecalm hours of
peace. They are times Of alarm aEd-denun-
CLIFTON For myself, peculiar and alnaost ir-
nue. silent, not only this day, but for the short
remainder of my political ,cxistence But
there are periods when silence is almost eqni-
valent to an abandonment of duty. Private
Affections, as ihconceivable ey others as they
are indescribable by myself, were l disposed
to describe them, indispose me from political
exertion. There are times, however, when
even the most refined feelings of the human
heart should give place to the sublime energies
OF the human mind; when imperious duty
calls, the latter should be exerted, even If it
be only that the former, when the great effort
is over, should resume their empire with
more exquisite sensibility.
The present is one of those great crisis
that rarely occur in the annals of n,.lions. 1t
is, indeed, a crisis of most awful moment.
Oar political day of hope, and Joy, and peace,
is suddenly overcast with thick and dark
clouds. I'm the languages of sacred and orr
entail poetry, lisa day of darkness and g!oo-
miness, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
as the morning spread upon the mountains.
S / E,est be indulged in few more Prelinli-
nary remarks, before | proceed-to that con-.
nected but perhaps not systematiS view which
II is my intention to take of the subject under
consideration. have never risen upon this
floor to recite by rote written defamation ;;
but every one who speaks here owes 1t TO
those who hear him, and to his country, to-
have deeply studied his subject. 1 have there
fore ayailed myself of all the inform alton
which could possibly obtain upon the sub
iect of gun-boats. In the course of my re-
marks, may be led to describe certain class.
es, and orders, and genera, and species, and
varieties, of political characters, whose In
suspicious influence, at the present moment,
may entitlc them to attention. may describe
them with fidelity, and my duty to my coun-
try would require that / should endesyor to.
deliver them, bound hand and foot. to the
) contempt and indignation Of their country
land posierity. Still, can most cordially re-
ciprocate the declaration made the other day
from most respectable member Mr.. Ran
dolph} that | am the personal enemy of no
j man ) an<lswoulci to God that no man was my
3personal enemy! But though we may wish
1 for peace with all men, there are certain sa-
( cred public duties which must be performed
at alLeyents.
10 castirg my eye over the various do.
cnmep,s open the table, my attention is for
The Hnomeps attracted by Que which has
bsenplaced upon itthis morniug. report
from the com rsis.ee OF repisal aud un6.
nished business, upon matters uodcsermio.
cd az The last session. In this / gind men,
nor msds 81 several propositions upon the
subject of the defence Of the parton. which
4 i had the honor then topropose, and whcs
Ii ssH not the pleasure Of ghe house ihen
io4acs upon. ProPosisions of similar cha
racter, SO far as respects the fortihca,ion
of the ports and harbors. the organization
and arming OF the militia, and the equip
mens of he fiigates, il is now limited, will
be carried into effect during The present
session. am happy ihas my doctrines are
becoming popslar, aud that ihereis some
prospcci of their adoption Bur itsis be-
cause fear and Indeed heiisve, that the
present hnl is pressed cpen Us for the pur.
pose Of soperceding every measure of ma.
tional defence which would compors with
the truc interest and the honor of The ma,