Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-07-23
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COMMERCIAL 81 POLITICAL.
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THE good old times Of incipient inde-
renslence have not yet faded from the re-
collections Of the people, nor are the pos
teritv Of the with esses Of those day $ unac-
quajnted with tie prevailing opinions OF all
nations upon the conclusion OF the contest
for liberty. America was then regarded the
theatre Of the exploits Of new and mighty
people, whose glory and happiness were to
expand with every year, and whose new
risen empire was to remain the asylum OF
reviving liberty and equality. And at q
period which promised SO fair as that epoch
OF our national establishment, it might well
have been surmised, throwing aside the Hat
terinr Illusions which the intoxicating idea
of liberty will create, without mourning the
reproach of sanguine partially or overween-
ing attachment to ON native SOIL, that we
should have progressed with anunparallelled
and unexaa.pIed rapiditv, to an acme OF
prosperity and glory. For, conjoined with
every internal source Of rise to greatness and
power. as people. there impcnded, atthat
period. mo cloud Of misfortune from abroad
and mutual danger and hardship had ce-
mented. for atime, a mutually OF interests
and happiness at home.
1twould indeed appear, from the JOY that
we demcEssrate On the anniversary CONNIE
r1orations Of our national birth, and from
the enthusiasm of our zeal in euloglzmg the
EZRA that commenced our independence,
wealth and happiness, that our progression
hadsyen exceeded expectations, elevated by
success and expanded with triumph. II
would seem as if we had cause to congratu-
late each other on past advantages hitherto
Unprecedented, and present prospects br,ght
and alluuing ]. as if no cloud interviewed to
obscure the lustre of our horizon, or midi
cate the possibility Of advancing storms
Yet the eve Of investigation may possibly
discern, that although our progress mas been
great, il has not been une1ampled, or even
what it might have been II regular progress
sion thatthere is at the present more need
of provident sagacity and prudent reference
20 what may occur III future, than 81
hansting fancy OF its viyielness, and eioc utisa
Of all It's ponlp and elegance OF dlcuon, IN
panegvrics ON what, however important ct
tina time and preparatory to what has follow
ed, has ceased materially to affect the stabI-
lits or duration of our existence as people.
AT least let us learn to mingie temperance
with our 10Y to survey the present ard to
look forward TO the future with an eye OF
scrupulous examination and, comparing
the first dawninss of our empire with lis
successive gradations OF improvement or
decline, to form an accurate and tempe
rare estimation of our present situation.
The croakings OF sereech-oWl despair,
chat bode nothing but evils most tout and
horrible" should be heard with mattentlve
indifference. There is, however. pon5
where GOODNESS degenerates MO apathy, and
moderation into weakness; time unbe !.
coming of s modest Stiffness and huinility;"
but which demands an energy of Judgment
in investigation. an unerr1ng honesty Oh de-
cision, uninHuenced by situation on by pre-
iadice, and unfhwarted by danger or BY tiil-
6culty. And at a con]uActure IKE the pre-
sent. which, in spite of ali sottenlngs and
palliations, even sceptieism itseH must al
low to require every exertlon OF foresight,
of prudence, and of hrmness, IT will need
no apology, for pressing upon the minds OF
our citizens, even with an excess OF vehe-
mencs, the necessity of the most vigilanty
and unre,nitted attention to themselves and
their government. Amidst the wreck OF
falling kingdoms and republics IN Europe,
and the very astonishing revointion.of pow
er that have disordered and disorganized
that continent and its dependencies, we,
surely, are not so firmly footedin oar forn-
dations, SO im1nutably fixed on the sure ba-
els Of concord at home, as to be indifferent
20 foreign relations, or 10 stand uIshalen
Ike the rock which,
8 Tho storms and tsnpests thunder on Its