Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-05-04
aIsranurta Daily 6asstte.
FRIDAY, MAY :.

&The f.deralists lost their election 10
hods Island by l5S votes, owing to the
fectiOn of governor Fenners party
Fal,. Eesnomy. - TalIeyrand, than whom
man perhaps is better Judge of individu-
and national character, has said in some
bis political writings, that the Americans
a nation of merchants, whose gold is
''kir idol, and whose political creed, like
& kir individual transactions, is regulated by
II Dir interest table. The willy Frenehman
ew his maGim from personal observation
unfortunately every days experience
b6rms its accuracy. Economy, that stalk
3 horse of political quacks sud demagogues
the oracle which guides the judgment Of
Ehe people in all their enquiries into the ex-
ediency Of tho measures of government
lot that genuine economy which spends mo.
Ny literally upon objects of real utility, and
cautious of wasting none for idle or use
Us purposes; but spurious and misery
''trd, which defeats iIsIown object by an uni
rsal and indiscriminate parsimony, which
Fldom grants supplies for any purpose, and
Ihich when it gives does it so sparingly that
,s gift is made worthless by being too small
accomplish the object in view.
This false economy is in truth, and in ef-
st, the most extravagant prodisaiity, for
yoney withheld, where its application might
useful, is more Injurious to the com,nu-
tty than money lavishcd.-To think of
Maintaining a government by Withholding
be proper and liberal supplies which expe-
|ence has proved its various operations to
e9uire, would be as absurd as the Dutch
ANS project Of learning his horses to live
|ithout eating" thou old fool !" says he
telling it to friend" Gs soon as he had
nrHed IL ne died ;" And so it will ever be
|nh that government, which by foolish
BID misplaced fondnsss for money saving
hrtails It's fondness and its operations, in
der to iess5n cxpences AS soon as it has
nrncd, it will die.
There cannot be more erroneous or a
bore pernicious maxim in politics, than that
lose rulers always govern best, who govern
ffh the least erfenee. The true test of po-
Pical economy is, not who stends least of
Re peoples money. but who spends it to the
20 Gt2anIege.
II Is the want of attention to this important
|stincGen, that has oceasioned not only our
hers, but all classes OF our citizens, to run
kd after the present false system OF econo-
va system which from its eagerness to
rs penny for the present, svcrlooks the
kcessary consequence ofthc loss of pounds
3 the future. There is no department of
Svernment into which this penny wise
Bd 'pounG foolish" doctrine has not ersPt,
d any measure adopted in which its die
'tes do net prevail; and while the NEST
bameless ProGgality is permitted to favor
|es and inferior agents, all the great and
|rilne objects OF national policy are suffered
anguish under the specious prstsxt, Of a.
biding extravaganza in the national exPcn-
lures.
The consequences of this system have
Ben, that while little has been attempted TO
lvance our internal prosperity or our ex-
rnal respectfully, and while even that lit
was but half accomplished from the Mig
rdly means afforded fer its execution,
bth The one and the other have yisibly and
PLY declined, until at last our efforts at
PINE present one universal and gloomy pic
'Fe of want and ruin and our relations
ercad of imbecility. perplexity aud con-
pnpt. From having stood amongst the
bremost Of the nations Of the earth in point
= political responsibility, We are degraded