Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-17

s,urent may be found in favour Of this pro-
position.
What course, he asked, was to be given
20 this army Was a state ofwar expecfea
between this country aud Franc! iasre
was now no point at which we could come
into contact with her. Formerly, when
the French governnent had despotlc m
fluence over that Of Spain, the Spaaiards on
our western frontier could have been set in
motion against us. But now we had no
thing to fear in that respect. Were we to
have war with Great Britain Was that
at leugth determined IN Had it been set
tied out,of doors that we were to have war,
and were the house now called upon to vote
what could only be Legitimate consequence
of a declaration ofwar? This army must
be intended to be employed out Of The coaa-
try, for to self defence the militia were sure
II competent. Was this nation to SO to
war with Great Britain and Spain Was
this force to be employed against Canada,
or in giving legitimate form to the Burr
project? Was it to so to lllexico! Mr.
GARDENER said his mind had been struck
with a kind Of horror which he could not ex-
press at this projected army, and could not
sit still, and give a sil<ntvote when pro-
iect which he believed to carry with i SO
many mischiefs, perhaps such utter ruin,
was set on foot.
He did not believe, he said, that the pub
lie liberty would be more safe in the hands
Of those who now directed the public con-
Germs, than it had been formerly il the hands
Of other rulers. There was a fact which
filed his mind with alarm, communicated
10 him, and that years ago, oy man whose
mind was as pure as that Of any humaa b.
ing that ever existed--a fact concerning the
opinions as to what ought to have been the
form of government, and AS to the theories
OF the gsnslenan who most probably was to
be high in power in this country, which had
made such an impression On him, that he
could not but at this moment view this sub
! iect with INCREASED horror and dread. He
would, however, say no more OF that al pre-
sent. But in his plain and humble concep-
ton, the public liberty was in daager--aai
here, within these walls, within this sane
tuarv of American independence, 1t was
! that the pubic liberty was 20 be saved. 1t
was here, By recurring to first principles,
that free states should be Jealous OF militia
ry power, that he looked for its salvation.
At a time when, under pretence Of cnforc-
ing the embargo, all ubconstitutiofa. pow
er was proposed = b. placed in the hands
! ofexecutive officers, when an arbitrary pow
er was to be exercised on mere suspicion,
| when with all this was combined strong
md overwhelming military force, he could
not AZ snch a period be silent.
Yes, sir, (saiI h-) do in my soul and
conscience believe, that if ever there was a
time when we should solemn pause,
and look around us, and survey Our conIi-
ton with cool aud calculating eve, tI1its is
the period; AMI [, for one, have not hest
tated to give the alarm. | would place
myself here, upon the ramparts q the cou-
s,itution, and give the alarm to the coun-
try. / would place Invself here on the sig
nal tower Of tn public liberty, and sound
the tocSsn Of a'arra to IL nation. We can
lose no.inlns By Being .;ealous, by Withdraw
ing enormous power rom executive agen5s,
by contrary conduct We may los. every
thing sacred without hope OF regaining ii.
Gedate to 6e co,tinue1.
HOUSE OF REpD,SssEATT s,rrJ~T,c IT G