Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-06-17
FROM THE NATIONAL rNrELLreExcKR.
To THE PEOPLE OF THE U. STATES.

w rs ne same CONSIDERATIONS winch
direeted il led. likewise tn most of the 9th
er steps taken, if II shall appear to have
been the result ofcorre6t views, there can
be little dispute with regard to them.
Against this measure the collected ar
tillery of the opposition has been brought
TO bear. Il has inspired new hopes, and
has given new life blood to party. The
shattered Fragments of federalism are in.
dus,riously collected together, and we are
exu,tingly Told rhat The proud column,
which once marked its triumphs, is again
to rise on The ruins of the principles of the
present administration
Montesquieu ard other distinguished
political writer's have laid it down as an
axiom, that the duration Of republican
government is dependent upon the virtue
oil the people. Our political adversaries,
let II be remembered, have invariably urea.
ted the existence of his sentiment as Chi
mericaI; and hence, probably, thei: uni.
firm rid.cule OF the feasibility of the prin-
ciple OF selEgDvernmeut, and the conf
dence that we must eventually, perhaps,
In cur own day, go the way of all other
nat ous.
.
hopes at this crisis are 20 be traced. The
ignorant, unruly aud lactiaus body whose
whole ms ory, in ,heir view, is that of a
succession oil storms and vices, is once
more, under different sky, but still up.
der the same baleful star, to be wrought
upon by those means which have hereto
fore always proved unsuccessful. Their
mistaken Interests, their momenIary graft
hcaions, the hckieness of their feelings,
their sudden haired of those whom they
lately respected, their pleasures i'm exer-
cisng despot:c power by tumbling down
one sys;eni and building up ano her, is to
mark IN unerriBg characters, their total
inability TO govern themselves, and 10 prove
TO the world, and even to themselves, the
policy OF bending their necks to a regal
csurper.
Fantastic as this picture may, in some
oil It's features, appear, let us not too light
~ treat Il with Contempt. 1t is only me-
eessary 10 establish one fact, 10 reconcile
all It's apparent contradictions, and to soft
en- down It's disturbances into one harmo-
nioas hue. Oace establish the fact, that
the people cannot command their own
feelings, and it irresistibly follows that
they must be commanded by others; the
republican system vanishes aud liberty is
entombed.
The discussion ofihis topic is, therefore,
ofawlul magnitude; il involves, not mere
'y the fugitive interests of the day, the
happiness Of the present generation but
that OF ages; that of people. whose mum
bers and power are hereafter to guide the
civ'azed world.
To establish The wisdom of the En-
barge seems TO my mind very simple
profess. Few premises are required to
supply the materials of persSl demon.
stration.
Had not the embargo been laid, or some
measure equally prohibilory OF commerce
been adopted, war would have been inc
yitable.
The effects of war would have been
more injurious than those of the Embar
go.
Hence the imposition of the Embargo
was called for from proyident govern
IN mt by tina fIrinc,I,le SUhich required il TO
ddoff the BsST MEASURE sodich erisnns
circumstances adHEHfed.
OF deity only il is the prerogative to do.
absolute, unqualified good, because such
a. ACT implies infinite power. 30 the liz
snIted capacity of man, it belongs 10 do
the best he can. which in its most lnteii-
gent exercise blends evil with good. II is
however enough for the puresl virtue and
bighes: wisdom Of man, that he does HIS
bgs and that the condition of those who
are he subJeets uf his power, is render-
ed as happy as circumstances warrant.
AS the differences here drawn are plain
and indispu able, the whole Of This discus
SION must consist IN examining the sound.
pess OF the premises. To do this, it will
be requisite.
In the fret flsce, to shew that, but for
the imposition oftbe Kmbargo, war would
have been Inevitable.
Secondly, to sbew thai the Embargo is
the lesser evi; 10 doing which coriras.
tel view will be taken of the effects Of
wac and Of The Embargo.
To carry rae successfully through this
discussion, Ii is necessary to requne one
thing from my couBrymen In prunoun.
chg Judgment they must think as well as
IecL While they realize The extent OF the
evil they suffer, they must not shut their
minds TO the evils they would suffer, but
for the exisIeDce Of that which they feel.--