Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-09

will do every thing in my power to satisfy
those mistaken men who may be seducedto
ENGAGE in it, that they are embarking IN a
cause Of peril. Did ! not do all in ny pow
er to avert it, + should not hold myself
blameless: but after doing this will do no
more. Let it come when it will, Oh let the
consequences be what they may, | will not
betray the trust reposed in me, as the repre-
sentative Of a brave and independent peo-.
ple. by sacrificing the rights and interests OF
: great nation to the clamors Of faction, or
the fury OF a misguided few. The gentle
man told us, some days ago, that ne was
horn a free man, and would die so, orr per-
ish in the attempt. Sir, l was born as free,
though perhaps not SO high as that gentle
man. / represent a people as free as the
constituents of that gentleman, and who,
though not perhaps I" fed as we'll" can en-
durc not only "the winters cold" but can
meet tempests, storms and commouons as
undauntedly as they this is state OF things
which they will be the last to provoke, but
let it come when it may, they will not turn
their backs to it. Let not the gentleman
talk or think too lightly OF it, whenever II
comes it will be no common Crisis. WEo
will first be buried in the ruins OF such
day, TO man can predict. again warn the
gentleman by the deep pledges which he
holds in the integrity, and peace OF this u
MON not wantoniy to provoke its dlssolu-
ton. He ought to consider that those who
promote if, may in all probability be the
first TO suffer in the general wreck OF the
times.
He spoke to you of the men who upon
the ruins of political CONFUSION, Wou,a
not assume the reins Of power, that It Woulo
not be ff5s 9e fvs 81 Ehf 6R Fsssn' nay no.
the transition IN such cases being Away
from bad to worse. That the Condorceg'<
and Drissott's were always followed by til
Danton's ard Robespierve's. No, sr, a
| gree with my colleague, that upon the con
summation of such crisis, federalism can
not expect to guide the destinies OF this
! country. There is another illustrious ex.
ample in the bloody annals Of that revolution
to which he alluded, from which he wori.d
do well to derive lesson Of warning and IN
struction. The celebrated, the notorious
Philip de Egalite, oi-lcvant Duke Of Or
leans, had like the gentleman, a deep stake
IN the common interests OF his country,
and In It's tranquility, he was a man OF no
bic extraction and commanding rank, but
envying the higher fortunes OF the mo-
march, and wishing to be greater than the
throne, he became an accomPlice with
those who overturned the throne itself,
and was with his fortunes buried in It's ru-
ms.
No, sir, upon the ruins o. a disjolnted
confedsracv, far different set OF men than
the common federalists Of this day, will
preside over the destinies of this nation
Whatever share federalism may have had
in producing this state Of things, or, how
ever she may have contributed her aid to it,
she will be remembered BY her masters only
to be disgraced and desPlsed. The most
that she can aspire to, will be a hope that
from her higher ranks may be selected the
viceroy to govern his country in the name
OF yiceroy over him on the other side of
the Atlantic. She can at best aspire to no
thing higher than becoming the tool and mi
Mon OF aforcign despot. 1t is impossible
it should BE otherwise i, will be utterly
out of the power of any domestic usurper,
without foreign aid, to weld the sceptre
which grows out of state Of civil discorl
and commotion, brought about through the
agency Of a foreign power; it would be
stuck from his hands by the indignant arm
of an incensed people, faster than he could
recover it.
speech 10 be conlinued.]
NJ IN U TES.