Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-12-22
Senate of the United States.
THURSDAY, November 81.
EMBARGO.

the political world, and having little agency
in the passing political scenes, living IN a
part Of the country too, where there IS little
or no difference in political opinions, and
where the embargo laws are almost unlver-
sally approved; / felt the real want OF IN
formation upon the subject how under dis
cussion. thought knew something OF
the general objects of the embargo laws,
and had not been inattentive to their ge-
neral operations upon society, as far as !
had opportunities of observing tlereupon.
When ! arrived here, and found that this
subject had excited SO much senslbility In
the minds of many gentlemen | met with,
AS to engross thsir whole thoughts, and al
most to Danish every other topic OF CONVEX
eation; I felt also curiosity to know, what
were the horrible effects of these laws In
other parts of the country, and which had
escaped my observation in the part OF the
country in whichI reside. OF course, sir,
have given to1theN gentlemen, who have
favored us with their observations on both
sides of the question under consideration,
the most careful and respectful attention,
and particularly the gentlemen represent
Ing the eastern seetion of the union, where
most of this sensibiity had been excited. 1
always listen to gentlemen from that part OF
the u. S. with pleasure, and generally re-
ceive instructions from them; but on this
occasion, am reluctantly compelled to ac-
knowledge, that have received from them
less satisfaction and less information than
.,sY,aI and still less conviction.
Il was hardly to have been expected, MIR.
President, that after 30 many angry passions
had been called int6S action, by the recent
agitations throughout the whole y. $. re-
suiring from the elections by the people, to
almost all the impol1apt Offices within their
gift; and particularly from the elections OF
electors for choosing The president and vice.
president of tIhezH. S. that gentlemen would
have met here perfectly exempt from the
feelings which this state of things was ma
tnraIly calculated to inspire much less was
it TO haze been expected, sia, that genfle-
men who had once possessed the power of
the nation, and who,j from some cause or
other, had lost it; "a loss which they now
tell us they dn too 7vsA remember and |
fear, might have added, TOO deeply aeplore)
gentlemen too, sir, who at one time during
the electieneering scene, had indulged the
fond and delusive hope, that through the
privations necessarily imposed upon our fell
low-citizens, blythe unexampled aggressions
of the beliigerent powers, they might once
more find their way to Office and power, and
who now find themselves disappointed in
this darling expectation. 1t was not at all
to be expected, sir, that these gentlemen
should now appear here, perfectly exempt
from the unpleasant feelings which SO dread
full disappointment must necessarily have
produced. 1t was a demand upon human
nature for too great sacrifice; and how
ever desirable such an exemption might
have been at the present moment, and how
ever honorable it would have been to those
gentlemen, it was not expected.
But, sir, | had INDUCED a hope that the
extraordinary dangers and difficulties press
ed upon us by the aggressing belligerents !;
attended too, with SO many circumstances
of indignity and insult, would have awak-
ened a sensibility in the bosom of every
gentleman of this body, which would have
whollysuppr or atleast suspended,these
unpleasant feelings ,untilsom measures, con-
snlting the general interests and welfare of
the people, could have been devised. TO
meet, resist, and if possible, to subdue the
extraordinary Crisis. But, sir, even in this
hope too, ] haven totally disappointed. |
was the more encouraged in this hope, when
upon opening this debate the gentleman
from Connecticut (Mr. Hillhouse) seemed
sensible of the sacred obligation, imposed
by The crisias when he exhorssd Us in SON