Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-21
R &c II NJ O N ID,

less and inactive, under the belief that our
ascendancy is fixed upon an immutable ba-
sis, while such variety Of Efforts are max.
ing to destroy it. There can he nothing
wanted on your part to preserve il. but vi.
GLANCE and 6rmness. The period before
you demands your unremitting attention.
1t is known to,you all, that an extra sessi-
on OF Congress will be held on the 4th Nom
day in May next. IN the mean time there
can be little doubt but that our opponents
will avail themselves of every advantage
which ingenuity can suggest or pcrsever-
ance afford to diminish the force of the re-
publican delegation. In order to do this
they will tell you that the Republicans of
the last Congress acted with the most shame
full inconsistency, and that the result of their
conduct is the unanswerable admission of
the impolicy of ever having laid an enbar-
so at all.
They vii! tell you that this measure would
have proved fatal to the happ ness of oui
country, and that they were opposed to it
in the beginning. Thu, exclusively taking
TO themselves the merit OF consistency, and
the superior ken of political wisdom. Eve :,
ry evil which has resulted from the cmbar-
go, will not only be mn, nifed and presented
to your view IN the most offensive and dis
astrcus colours, but Imagination will also
become an auxiliary to fashion out mis-
chiefs which never had existence. Tney
will speak of national disgrace when hey
themselves have been CHIEFLY the cause,
IT they have succeeded in cab trrassing
the views and dcsg ns of government from
no other motive than that of party passion
they vii tell you, that you are entirely m
debted to them for their political sagacity
and true republican virtue. If they have
succeeded in exciting disaGection at home;
" w q N n +
they predicted from the unwise and op..
pressive embargo: And thar these things,
which they foretod. have now come to pass.
In this way they will endeavor to increase
their Importance ant, to extend their popu.
larity. If there should be even one indiv,-
dual weak enough to yield to these impress
sions, we must beg him to pause and to ask
of these gentlemen '.what will you do; If
there is any prospect os your giving direo.
ton to public 4ffalrs ?" "You accurse the
policy OF the admins ration what course
will you pursue Z" You are ready enough
to blame and to censure, but let US under
stand IN what manner you can do better"
Even these few SIMPLE question, VIII prove
that the contest they nave been wag,na, is
for nothing but power. And that the noisy
opposition which they have made 10 the adj
mnis,ratinn has not proceeded from any
honest convection of the mind, but entirely
from disappointed ambition. When asked
what path they would have taken at she
time the embargo was, laid they will ind-
rectly hold TO your view the ioashsone trea-
~ OF Monroe. This has been the secret OBJ
Ject OF their wishes, but the paper has been
so extremely odious to the sense of the ma
ton that they nave been afraid to bring it
forward in support of their schemes.
Under these circumstances it was nccessa-
ry to take this handspring of their engine
ry out OF view and to proceed IN some more
artful * circuitous method. This fact in the
political history of the day is really one of
the most singular description. Tae paper
Already spoken of is undoubtedly the docu-
ment OF their faith and views In regard TO
our relations with Great Britain. We
Cannot believe that they are really attach
edto the paper on account IL any me r:t II con-
tains, but merely on account OF the author,
whose popularity they wished to give some
Character TO their opposition aud 70 become
suoservient to the r scheme OF political a.
grandizement Thisis only the pos Ioie expo
sition we can give TO the circumstance, that
although this paper has at least nominaily
been ,he ground of their opposition TO go
vermont, yet there perhaps never zvGs ono
about which the party themselves hsve
besn SO profoundly silent. If was a pa
per So repiete with merit and so happily
Calculated to advance our national happ E.
ness as well as the views ofthe particular
party attached TO 1t, it is but natural to
wonder, why they nave not beeR continual
~ showing ITS fddeless beauties TO the peo-
pie?
When 1t first arrived it excited transit
ent q scusslon, but we remember to have
heard very rarely uset IN debate during
the Contest of last year, and equally so in
the public speeches aud papers winch are
devoted to tins party. Tue conclus on
which results from ihese remarks IS,
ether that they were not sincere in their
attachment to the. treaty, bu, merely wish
ed to use it as a plausible pretext for their
opposition TO the administration, or that If
they were attacledto It they have been afraid
to sbew tas they buoy to their hopes OF po-
itical elevation, because tits so extremely
offensive to the people and because It would
tend to exhibit in stronger tight the real
designs and imbecility of the minority. If
then the minority would have accepted this
treaty, rather than have LAID an embargo,
their standing in the estimation of the peo-
ple IS pretty correctly ascertained. 1t is
impossible that they can fly to any o.her al
tentative. They cannot pretend 70 say