Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-05-23
Fron Ms FresmSn's Jouynal.
Letters upon French influence.
No. III.

-, fo the People Of the United States
The constitution makes it the duty OF
the President, "From time to time TO give
to the Congress information of The state OF
theD Union, and recommend to their consi-
deasti0n such me assures, as he shall judge
nescssary Nandsxpedient." This duty Mr..
Jefferson was not very much in the habit OF
r performipg.> Or rather, Ike NrsErs&ine,
he Departed from The LETTER of his +" in
81 ucIionS,"' to execute. what he chose to
deem their sPIRIr..T he gun boat system,
and the prcje CT OF paying money to France,
g as-ths price of peace, undsr:the pretence' of
purchasing Florida from Spain, were pro
minsne instances Of this policy. His con-
. duct, in, beththose cases, will be, reviewed
at large and with original illustrations, in
future numbers. A better service 90 the in.
sersstS of political truth, and OF course 20
those Of The " GOOD OLD UNITED STATES"
can hardly be +endersd. The review will
Involve q complete defence Of the " repub.
lican minority" or, democratic seceders
from Frsneh policy, and wilt-be' followed
by their acqruittal Of the charge, that their
conduct resulted r om impure motives, and
was the consequences of disappointment.
rThe.pOwer TO give information to- Con.
cresS, could cot Rave been intended to mean
the same as to withhold information from
gahe people. This construction would eSi.
IDENTITY be contrary to. the acknowledged
theory Of the eopstitution. 1t can never be
too much insisred on, by real republicans,
chat the constitution is ths act Of We the
People, |" and that ITO securr the blessing:
of liberty TO ourselves and our posserity,"'
forms the summit Of the climax descriptive
of the objects for which the constitution
was ordained and established. The polhi'
cal syslsmro d oar country was not ealeusat'
ed, by its authors, for the meridi,n OF a re-
.eioh ruled by-a OZARK diVan." lit was
means.for a realm ofligh' & lustre. 1t was
never intended that the presidents should be
aeetuded in a IS seraglio," or shut up with
cardinals in conclave.", eIt~was not een.
templated Lhat q weak and uerveiess, but in
trigning president, or any other president
with a-smali majori,yof ohseqsiou$ parti-
zans in the legislatures should shroud that
venerable body an darknesssS aud force the
minority to debate ard act, week after week
and almost month after month. excluded
from the Light of popular eommtnicasioa,
and almost from the light of Heaven. The
trainers of the constitution, clearly, did
not contemplate any sGehthipg as the com.
municasiOn Of secret Information fron
the president 20 congress, Hor they would
have provided for the exercise of q power
which they eonN deem no ess<imPortans
thaa that given to lAs,two AoOses 1T con-
grsss 70 keep d secret Journal E.,
But ths psesiidenk together With The Sc
nate, is vssstd.wi;h &sspawer ofmaking
t-reaIiss: Tresties rtquiresseereeyeN ZEE the
Presidsur has Rot-Pewereysn 20 Ob;ee the
senate 10 consider his comlnanications 40
~co1kdential. Thssbody must exercise ito
own juJgenpt in such a case. And the
: nnsjarity hiss 90 other right TO close the
aAopahS otSshs ~nainority than whas results
froaa tHs aush6ray EiSea BY che eonssisption
90 bod hsusea ! polish . ~journsi, ex.
{ esbsiax sacb p@1s a msy n Asis judy
essus ssssirs sssrsrK@ ssil . ussbsr Of
Aa