Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-10-15

sorrow. the lame ntable alterations OF delStl-
81, individuals ii private life, the consistent
believer will omit no personal influence, mo
,leaa, eyertiors to prevent these principles
and tFeir,fatal consequences irom appearing
in the highest iunctlonaries OF the stste.--
Christian charity can never be suffered to
take So ample range as to lncluae WITHIN
the same limits the restraints OF religion and
the loose casuistry of infdelity. Other ac-
oiirements being equal, the Christian muSt
prefer the religionist to the unbelever Or
he violates his consci ence. He must solemn
" believe, sand zealously contend, that the
best men are the best patriots, and that SIM
cere Christians are the best men.
On the score Of his religious principles,
therefore, be they ever so foreign to the
doctrines of3.he gospel, a true Christian will
ahsr;s .h 10 senf;,oents towards tbs secretary
If state but those of Kindness and good Will.
But, to contribute in placing him at the
head of the nation, is quite another thing, al
together incompatible with every principle
Of religion and conscience. Nay, supPos-
inc HIM even to Be capable supposing lin
10 be honest ;swith heart and head altoge-
ther American Gail veJysqnestlona!de sup
positions TO the wrilsr OF this address, win
nerves sufficiently bnaced to encounter the
political whirlwind now sweeping, over tne
earth and desolatins nations to 's-en I'm u
appaled TO th= tempest roaring from afar'
and 70 direct II. should it ever reach DIR
shores-supposing, say, the secretary 10
be all this yet could a Christian, zeaious
for the glory Of his master, ana the establish
,nent o; his kingdom, assist n placing HIM
Of 5be head Of the nation, while any doubts
remain of his religious opinions, nay, while
the common presumption Is, that he IS really
an pnbelever? Ii it be asked On what
grounds this presumption IS founded, the
answer IS. on the total want OF evidence, on
the part OF the secretary, that he believes IN
Chris t.anitv. Vyhetherin private converse
t;,n he ever commits himself On the SUBJECT
Of religion, I am not authorised to say but
| certain il is, ne is never seen n any pace
o,s re,ip;oys worship, and his close intimacy
with lie presideni, who deems It mater
Of indifference whether 2 nation worship eae
CAD or tzue1,ig, forms, at least, probable
CONJECTURE, thu; their religious opinions are
very congcnial. The president, indeed,
t,lls aonCtiales orProyidence over national
concerns: so did The Old Romans: and SO
do the Turks and such also would proAa-
bly, be toe langl,ag. Of lhe secretary. But
during the eight I9ns years OF these mems
rticn, has Providence been ever aoknow-
! deed, or appealed to, as that Divine FRO
violence revealed TO Us IN the Scriptures =
IIas any public token boen given, OF reqo!f-
cd by these rulers, OF our national depenti-
eace upon Providence Has single Gay
been set ASIDE publicly to ltnpiore the Des-
sings of Providence upon the country -
What must n Christian think Of the hasiIua
violation Of the Lords day, and the scl7P1u-
raj denunclations against 1T! And yet, II
public information be correct, no respect is
paid to this Christian institution Ii OF by
the Secretaries family, with the exception,
il is said, OF his pioLs and venerable mother.
Il he himself too vice for instruction, or o.
Tiers of his household too light and fr'vo-
lous for restraint: 1t vould not be difficult
to mention q her well grounded suspicious
OF this gend2nlan's de.stical principals
His noted partially for the French revolu-
tion;s.s at a tine when tieY were hanging
thp;r CLERGY at tie lamp posts, and raurdei-
ing them BY thousands; when Tor the sn-
preme God, ard his Christ, they were sub
shutting in their temples the goddess OF
Reason, and aooring the new Divinity in
the person of prostitute &hen they were
declaring death to be an everlasting sleep
ali this creates a conjecture more than piau-
siblc. that the doctrines c! Christianity
share but little OF his attention or esteem.
Nay, it is well, if a rooted hostility to these
doctrines do notrankie IN his heart. What,
in fact, Will the advocates Of the genie Sc