Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-08-13
aIsrarnrta DatIp 6asettf,
COMMERCIAL and POLITICAL.

the Nrw-York Review, for the candidates who
are set up for representatives TO Congress, to
circulate an address among the electors, set
ting forth their political sentiments, & stat
ia their views of the great national concerns,
upon which it is likely they may be called to
deliberate, should they be chosen. The fol-
lowing is extracted from an address of the
kind, by III John Sfaniy, who is candidate
for 4 district in North Carolina. 1t is so well
written, and contains sentiments so copgenial
to my own,l that could not resist the temp
station to republish it. The reader may de-
pend that the time he shall spend in Perusing
J. this, will not be lost. Had our representa-
tives In Congress been all such men as Mr..
Stanly, we had never bsen enabargoea
g Satisfied that republican form OF go
vernment is best calculated to promote the
happiness and secure the equal rights of man,
and convinced that The federal constitution of
he United States is the best form of republi-
can government ever devised, cherish for it
the warmest attachment ;to guard it against
7 violation or abuse is the ferycnt wish of my
heart Veneraling the precept OF our 1nrnor-
tai WAsHINGToN, thar s excessive partially
- for one foreign nation, and excessive dis
like of another, cause those whom they ac-
" tuatc TO see danger only on the one side,
( s and serve to veil and even to second the
8 arts of influence on the other" and behey-
ing il 4 wise rule of conduct towards them to
consider all enemies: LII war, and IN peace
friends" ! never have, and trust never shall
feel an undue attachment for, Or prejudice a
gSinst any foreign naiicn. With these prin-
ciples deeply fixed, and solemnly protested,
Slain the character of an American and re-
publican.
of thinking as of acting for myself, and una
Bile to as.ribc infaihbiity to mortal, have
Often differed as to the exPcdiency of nea-
surcs from the present administration. what
Thought right, have without reserve com
mendcd what appeared to my understanding
i'll Judged, ] have as freely condemned. An
honest independence, and trust an honorable
pride, has never permitted me to descend to
the Humiliation of masking my political senti-
ments. have pursued the course pointed
out by integrity, though the path of papulari-
~ may at times have led different way -
Yet on this fosntl;ssior, 40 80 81. charge rest,
49, sssrse who deny the wisdom of the nea-
surcs OF the present administration, arc not
republicans! In the place of this independ.
ence, we find gentlemen calling themselves
patriots and republicans, substituting tho doc
trine Of g Coaffdcnce in the Esecutiue,' the
practice under wAiah in substance transfers
the power Of iegisiation from the representa-
tives OF the people 10 the President. al the
suggestion of the President, We find Congress
In their late session laying an embargo, which
holds In its palsying gripe the expiring com
mercc and resources of our country whose /
destructive operation hourly produces ruin to
thousands, and INCREASES distress to all -
When time is demanded to reflect and obtain
information of the hidden reasons of this dead
~ measure, the rerly from ITS eloquent and
much admired advocate Mr.. John Quincy
Adams) Is, " the President has recommended |
the measure, Eould not consider, I zvould not
deliberate zvould acf."-When in the same
session, repeated attempts were masie to OBJ
tain from the President information of our 81 |
tuation In regard to France, to enable our re-
representatives. to act with understanding on I
the subject, and to remove the curtain of mys-
terry and darkness which shrouded the alleged i
grounds of the embargo, and the proceedings |
OF Congress thereon, we find a large n,alori- !,
tys infatuated with blind confidence in the !
President, prefsrrlng to grope In the dark /
anu kcCp tHCu CShStuucnt> III Is tiOIdiiCC Id (
Their than ask for light,--and repeatedly yot- !
ing against such calls for information When
at length the demands were no longer to be
resisted, and the President yielding to the ne
ccssity, communicated to Congress the dis
patches from France, we find the same majo-
rity repeatedly voting against gfting to the
people any information of the contents OF these
papers :--untilat the intimation of the Presi-
dent, these very men, who had decided not
to make public the papers communicated,
wheel about and unanimously do that at his re-
quest which they had afew hours before treat