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

eve ask in vain" This is Just such pref
w little sing-song composition, as school
boys, with senses halfA wake, dream over
for their first theses: and who are you that |
hold this language concerning Mr. Madison I
AS TO the most prominent among You, we
ask for your energy, and we are told OF
your arrogance we ask for your talents, !
and the reply is your sarcasms and your
petulance; we ask what are your services
in the cause of public liberty, and We are
directed 10 your cooperation with the Bril-
fish Cabinet and the British author OF U0r
an DiayR;se to.iustify the piratcle plumber
of our commerce.; we ask FOR your consis-
tency as republicans, and we are told OF
what Won were and what you are OF your
former attachment TO the pure principles
cr the administration, and your present
delicious and frantic invectives against
them we ask for that high and honorable
sense Of duty, which trampling, with dis
dain, on all selfish considerations ofprivate
pique and personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, looks
only TO the public good we ask for the
mind which pursues that great object with
calmness and discretion which instead of
Turning and fretting itself upon u partial
view OF a measure, takes the time to look
COMPREHENSIVE patiently and calmly TO
all it's Consequences, in all its bearings; &c
allow TO every consideration its due weight !;
and then, instead of rushing TO its decision,
i'm a state of feverish passion, takes its
ground with that dignity which results
from Z conscious mastery of the subject
frora mingled temperance and firmness =
We ask FOR these things, we ask in vain
As 20 the rest of YOU, we ask who you
are. and we are told--you are members
of Congress. We ask how you have dis
tiDgushed Yourselves and we are pointed
to your PROTEST And you are the
men who expect, that 6y gtUing your names
10 me zvorid YOU can destroy Mr. Madison !!
1t was, indeed, high time for you to have
received TINS salutary admontion. No,
gentleman, believe it, you are not the kind
Of characters who are fitted to sway the
dcsIines of this nation. We would as soon
commit them TO Macedonia's madman
or the Swede" Nor are the people of the
United States m Athenian mob, on whom
ycu can play ofiyour intrigues with success.
You viii not speedily gain with us the name
Of patriots by means of your rashuess and
vociferation; nor will you prevail upon US,
by fictitious Charges, to Danish from our
bosom another Aristides-You forget that
we have the example of Athens before us.
If, after such an example, we could repeat
her follies and her crimes--banISh our pa
Jrots, and stoke and fatter the fiery de-
nagogue until we raised him into despot
and unavaing ~remorSe, the ruin and the
infamy which finally overlook her.
Yet you are sufficiently inflated and swol-
len with ideas of your own Importance, to
expect that your names will induce US to
repeaS those follies and those crimes. You
begin. BY desiring us to prescribe a patri-
Of. You seem to care very little about the
charges, which you bring forward for this
purpose. You seem to think. indeed that
his transccndant talents and virtues have
already filed our bosoms with the same en-.
Wy ard jealousy which you yourselves feel
that we are pre-dsposed for your design
and that being ready for the sacrifice, YOU
have but TO give US some watch word, g va
Zuo' or want of energy" or any thing else
that comes uppermost, and his doom is
sealed. -Yes his doom is sealed; but it is
to be engrGftcd upon our hcarts-to be dis
tingushed by cur favor-aDd to be rooted
in cur confidence SO deeply, that the storms
OF malice and ofenvy, although an hundred
times more powerful than the storms that
shake the mountain oak from his base
should not move him for an instance. His
doom is sealed: it is to figure on the page
of history, as an ornament and blessing
TO his country: as proof, honorable and
illustrious 20 our republic, that the patriot
is safe ia the bosom of the people, and NAV
Dtu QShANNC ~ lut ijttH CdDdlS or the fac
tious and invidious We have seen, not
with envy or jealousy, but with grateful af-
fiction those transcerdant talents and vjr-
tues which give you So much pain, exerted.
purely, faithfully, stienuously exerted for
more than thirty yyars in the cause of his
country in gaining and confirming her IL
berties- in promoting her honor Instead
of hooting like birds of i'll omen at his lus-
ire, o. 20 ye and do likewise
But he has (" forfeited his claim TO nnb-
die confidence by Recommending a shame
" ful bargain with the unprincipled specu-
"lators Of the Yazoo companies 20 ga dis
"honorab compact with fraud and COR
"ruption," from which it seems he ought TO
have turned with "foafhing an abhorrence. .
And from this language you nope we shall
infer, that your own moral sense is exnui-
sitcly delicate ard acute. With what Ias-
tidious state, with what high-minded loath
ing and adherence you turn from inicufi
onal breaches Of the Constitution and If
oaths, when il will serve your purpooes. we
have already seen in your confession offajtb
on caucusses. But what do you mean 6y
raising this uproar against Mr.. Madison
about the abominable Yazoo business we
know that he is as perfectly clear If tbat
transaction as you are anil yo7l kuozy il
too. We understand you, gentlemen. We
sec YOU through all your mazes. You know
that this YazOO business was uni,o,.eo,t,