Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-01-27

whence inns alarm am feaTfu, thai the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr N;cho,asI
.gho>e known prudence and good sense
cannot avoid respecting, saw some hing
mare IN I'll this than tie mere usual eff.
forts Of the editor of newspaper; and
IN the same proportion as he attaches i'm
p>rlance 10 them will the people do the
same. Ii is unfortunate for the admin
istraiion that this course has been pursu.
ed; it will awaken remark and mische
vous curiosity among The people. Pro.
badly It men ion had not been made Of
1t, it might have passed without notice |;
but nov fear that suspicious will be en-.
tertained which but for this mode might
never have been excited by the editor of
a newspaper. After all I must confess
that do not find great deal of fault with
this editor of newspaper for the pnbli-
cation of a document, and his remarks are
out of he question. The people Of the
United STATES cannot know too much
However the administration may have
thought it of little importance to comnu-
nicate the documents heretofore, yet it
can do no harm to the good sense of the
people to read all that has passed. see
no danger in it; aud whether it comes
from the cabinet of G.. Britain or from
our own, 4 have that confidence in the
people of the United States that am
willing To trust them with il. If circum.
stances throw no blame on the admins
,raton, they need no, fear it. am for
publishing The whole, because l am de
sirous that The people shuld know every
thing, and shall always be thankful lha, a
nesessity flor whatever reason) does exist
! tor informing them. Aud If have cause
Of regret on this subject, it is not from
the same Source az, that expressed by the
gentleman from Virgins. Ny regre, is
that this communication should not have
been made before this time, and tina, The
necessity of making these documents pub
lie should in this manner have been
bought about. As representative OF
the American people feel humbed By
this; and whatever Importance may be
attached In II, am sorry lha, ;the admin
is,ration has not heretofir seen the ne.
lcessi'y OF laying before The public every
thing relating TO their proposition to re-
peal the embargo; for the whole atgu.
ment in favor of the continuation of the
emborgo has turned very much on The re
Jec,ion by the British government of our
candid offer. l, is Of jmpo' ance that the
reope shauld be appIIZed OF every thing
coDnec ed with .ha, mater. because il is
the pivot on which The embargo has turn.
ed. aud regret exceedingly that The PIE
sIdent of the United States should not
have seen the imPor' ance of making these
(documes.is hi herto--that he sh .uid have
seen It ouiy when one of TIE le;tets was
published. If understand the message
OF to-day, the reason why This communi.
cation Is made, is, that MIR Canning's lie :
or is Calculated To make an impress Oh
uniavrrabie 70 the character OF the 20
) Sernment, and The answer is necessary
o set them tight. l. would have been a
much betier reason for communicating il
heretofore, that the people ought TO b.
fully informed. know not uhe her III,
strongest sensation ofregret which feel
ISL that il has not before been made pub
lc by the administration, or ha, this House
should be mede the organ OF communica
uon, Tor the purpose OF preserving TO il
the confidence OF the people. Let gen.
,iemen remember that as long as the Ii
osr,y Of be press exists, it will be licen.
I ious that as tong as the republic exists
here viii be parties, those in power ano
hose cut. II is 10 be expected that ihey
viii assail each other frequently, ungene.
rously and with much calumby; and adj.
ministra;ions may again fall as they have
fallen. II is one of the evils attending
the invaluable Iiberly of the press
1t the printers publish unt,uth,
nave no objection to punish them but
do no. Ike these denunciations OF prin-
cr Who will laugh at lhem. lie does 10,
Care he acquires new ylgor and hose who
: participate ia his sentiments will like him
mach batter for he publicity given 70 his
mans,
Mr.. Love said, as he presumed from his
observations that the gentleman from New
York was not in the House when the mes.
sage was read, he rose to state thar
the answer of Mr.. Pinkney was not in tine
possession of the government when the for
: NAL correspondence On the subject was
published. Whether or not il was correc,
to notice newspaper illusions on the floor,
1t was certainly quite rs correct for one
gentleman to comment upon them AS for a.
neither to rise in their defence. The state
meot which he had seen in the newspapers
was not correct, and could onls be intend.
ed for deception and TO mislead the peop. e
L. /. l.