Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-25


exposition OF the meaning CT it's severed
Clauses, as well as am admirable viddic.-
tion OF the whole collectively.
With respect To Mir. Jay (wno also ,,,r
took IN the merit or demerit of those let
ters,) Mr.. Madison was certainly nor m
blame for associating with HIM. Ar Ibo,
time, his republican principles had ncvs,.
been questioned the had not then h,en
contaminated by the Court of St. Jqmcs,e
nor had he sacrificed the rights of HI,
country by d'ssracetui treaty.-His ro-
fenfS nave never been doubted. Surely.
therefore, Mr.. Madsson was right in en
listing him also on-tne SIDE or the cons,;,,,
ton SO much then for the char,l. tSat
madison, was originally tainted with aris-
tocracy. The rest of the grounds Of arcn-
sation may be as easily removed.
IN the second place. it is pretended thar
he is, at present, lukewarun or nnf,;thE,I
republican Is this charge subs,an,i,,ed
by ms long career OF public services Inv the
republican amendments to the constitution
which he introduced Is, his endeayors IN
90 Justice 10 the soldiers aud officers of the
revolution, who were cheated of tbe;,. No.,
by set of hungry harpies bv his ,na ~
rable resolutions OF 1874, which, if adonted.
would then have set bounds to the na,.i,;,,e,'
/ tyranny OF Great Britain by his zealons
+ opposition to S0y's treaty, which opposition.
f.; because 1t happened to be unsnrresef,,I'
<'4ktdnu mas the conscience to stygmatize
as conducted with ''incapacity or treacbe.
! ry" by his timely and admirable o.
fort' in defence of John Iaukor'e r..o,r1
tions! and by the whole tenor of the excel-
lent administration OF Mr. JEfFERsoN. in
winch ne has had as important q share, as
any man. except the President himself? Is
1 1t not really astonishing that, after all tb;s
a parcel of hot braiaed, self,conceited ana
seD-caHed rchu6hcanS ofyssterdav. sho,iJ
venture to question the long, well-tried. and
well-Proved republcsnism of James ma.
Olson.
But it seems, he has not turned out ofof-
/ nee some fcieraHSts whom he found i, en-
ployment in the department of state Mr.
Jacob Wagner the chief clerk, and Mr.
Brent, have been permitted 10 remain
Inns, indeed, is most terrible affair." Rut
1T it be "A heinous offence, which we know,
not now to Ju8nIy, We may, ut least, haGf-
afe It oy suPposing that it may have pro-
ceeded from an upright regard for the 1ub-
lie good, which he thought would be hest
promoted by retaining in employment two
men whose skill and experience were. in
ms Judgment, necessary in their respective
stations IN which they would be so much
under his own control, and so laborionsl,-
engaged, as not to have the opportunity %
exertng any Official influence III supnort oF.
their federal opinions.
He is accused too of shelving civility and
hospitality 20 federat members of CONGRESS-
and others of that party! This charge is
OF that rldIculously futile description which,
needs only be mentioned to be despised.
The third subject OF reproacb is 7yo,,t,o,s
ErmnesS. To this the whole public life oe
Madison is a sufficient answer. Ills nor
having been IN Congress, or in the Virei-
MIA Assembly, in the critical session on
Z 1898, is said by Falkland, to have Been a
proos OF timidity and he callsi it shrink
ing from fhe storm" We know not the
circumstances which produced his short
recess from public business at that time.
but we think his conduct in the still more
critical and perious session of 1899. a suf.
fcient answer to the charge. His reluctant
assent to the General Ticket law, (if, in
truth, 1t qras reluctant, Tor we know not whe.
Their to believe 1t, on the authority of Fax
fand only is also relied upon. But, admit
ting 1T to be the fact, that he was with dif-
difficulty persuaded to agree to thar
law 1T proves nothing but his independ.
ence OF spirit which could not be induced
to go along with his politicul friends until
convinced OF the propricty of the measures
proposed by them. The General Ticket
law was one concerning which the best pa
triots and republicans differed and those
who thought it improper in principle, tho
mistaken in thinking so, were certainly
right in conscientiously refusing 10 do whus
they conceived eVit, that good fluraose
might be accomplishedby it This circum.
stance then, is rather proof OF Madfso,1's
urn adherance to recttudc than of his
7ua1tt OF hrmness But does not his conduct
as Secretary Of State, IN the present situa-
ton of our public affairs, of itself afford a.
bundant proofs of his frmness Is
not his innexible opposition to British
encroachments in spite of the immi-
nent danger of war, and of the discon-
tented clamours Of the factions minority in
Congress, and his equally resoluse determi-
nation not TO yield TO the gigantic power OF
France, enough TO demonstrate that he pos
lsesses the virtue Of frB3ne8s Does even
his Willingness to encounter the task of the
Presidency, in times Ike these, appear like
shrinking from the storm ?" No. JAMES
MADISON will never shrink but, cool and
collected, tho firm and undaunted, will,
with wisdom and prudence for his pilots,
safely stem the stormy sea OF civil discord
and OF foreign loar.
The rage Of his rancorous enemies will
have no effect on the happier temper Of
his mind, which, Notwithstanding all their
abuse, will yet preserve his country from
their rashDcss and phrcnzv To the end