Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-05-17
PROGRESS or REDERAIIea..

treating our readers with the rich and
| wholesome repast it affords. 1t is the
best " piezo 81 the zDdok grand" that we
have yet s~een--It is replete with sound,
reasoning, just observation and truth
Facts are stated with frlnness and candour
and the-readeris assisted in his reflections
by useful hints and apt remarks. Its
length will deter none from completing,
that have once commenced its perlIsal, to
them ii win commend itse}f.-7H. I'D.
Ad0e1tisey.
The late intelligence flom Washington
has dispeled the dependency and animat-
ed the hopes OF New-Engiand. The CLEAN
OF Joy, like the rainbow Of promise, gilds
the departing gloon. Of a fifteen months
Emhatg2, and Is hailed as the precursor Of
anticipated prosperity. After wandering
through the painless and thorny wilderness
of dleoretic experiments, surrounded on all
sides by inpelvious difficulties, we return
with rapture to the beaten highway c~.fprac-
tical wisdom. Hhowerer, we would grow
wiser by experience, We must pause AID re-
fleet on che causes which isapeIled us to the
brink OF ruin, and those which snatcacd rs
from the dark abyss.
Upon reviewing the measures OF cur na-
tlonal administration, through It's successive
periods, ob:lse indeed must be that intel
lect which does NOT perceive, and obstinate
that spirit which will not acknowledge, that
democFatic policy has been our bone, and
FEDERAL policy cur SALVATION. Passing
by the weak and distracted situation of our
country at the time Of the adoption OF the
federal constitution ; passing by the enlhar-
easements and difficulties which incompas-
sed, and were s~urmounted by, a federal ad-
nliristration of our national government
passing by the condition Of unexanpled |
prosperity at home, and ofpeace and ~consi-l
dera!lon abroad, (which democracy has been
.ei ghty years necessarily iabouring 70 DESTROY.
let rs beSSow a few cuTsory thoughts en- the
ia a5ures pushed by the democrats, and
those advocated by the federa!ists w; h re-
gard TO the Berlin decree, the attack on the
Chesapeake, aild the oyders in council.
1t is we'll kncwnehal the French direofo-
ry. N tae Year 1898, passed a decree sab
stan!sally the sam- as that issued by Bonn
parte atReriin. At that zine, the admins
tratlon OF the government Of the e. S,oe4s.
was IN the hands Of the federal;sss. The
salne measures which We're t~hen>adoDted TO
repel the Wanton aggressions on our rights
were advocated by the tederaIists en- the
PRONUNCIATION OF the decree Of B Rim. TIL.
former was pronounced by President A
dams to be & IN II equigocal act of war,
which interest as we'll as honor called upon
the nation firmly TO resist" Negotiation
and remonstrance failed of success. and c ~.
gress, without waiting for the resaliaaing
measures Of other belligerents, proceeded 20
prohibit commercial intercourse with the
dominions Of France, and 10 declar. thoso
treaties which she openly and aagrantIy Vi
olatcd on her part, to be no longer binding
on ours. Vigorous measures for the de-
fence OF our rights succeeded, and :he
French government was thereby induced to
solicit a restoration ofpeaee. Truly pacific
IN Its policy, our administrator again re- }
samed negotiation, and, by the treaty :
which was soon ratified, the object was &C >
complished. !
Such was federal policy, and such the /,
result! Had our democratic rulers :
followed the path thus plainly marked out !
by their predecessors, the people of the U. !
States would not have been compelled to E
suffer the calamities and privations Of long :
ruinous embargo, inflicted By the raer- =
CHESS hand OF unfeeling power. But at the :
time OF the PRONUNCIATION of the Berlin de- +
cree, dignity and energy were unknown in !;
our cabinet. Ihe silence ofthe grave seal !;
ed the lips of administration, and our minis :
ter in France hardly dared even to ask an :
explanation On the subject or to whisper /,
Observation-Disclosures IN tie aar Of The Erenna MI