Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-05-17

the country, particularly IN the 'northefn sec.
tiou of the union. certain it 10 that it never
was a, a lower sbb at head quarters than at
the urssea. mensa,. One Of our most Yea.
LOUIS msjority mem observed in speech
made some ten or twelve days ego, that If
congress closed the present session without
doing any thing .e&ecthsl for che homes and
safety Of the nations itwould be in fact tel.
ling the nation and the world, tina, they
were un6s to manage the helm, and they
ought to resign it into other hands. How.
ever might doubt the correctness of some
of the positions which he advanced, I had
no controversy with him about this for
believe more manifest want of capacity,
energy and system, never appeared in any
public body.--The scheme of embargo,
non. Intercourse, &c. will be suGe red to tx
Pire Of itself "a long quietus to itD and in
all their researches after substitute il will
be found impossible for them to agree in
any thing.
In the house Of representatives we have,
properly speaking, no majority; at least it
, is all haPhazard on which side that majority
will fall. There are at least three If not
tour parties III the house-the federalists, <
about ten or twelve who do not really as
sumo the name of frderalists, but who u
suAlly vote with them and the remainder,
who compose majority Of the whole, are
divided into the peace party, and war par.
ty. The latter, which probably consists of
about thirty members, who cannot deny the
reiterated injuries of the French, nor help
acknowledging the favorable disposition of
Great Britain towards the adjustment Of
our diAiculties) even at this day advocate
as the only proper course, the taking off all
restriction so far as it respects France,
which theysay will enable US to obtain good
terms from her; and the adoption of vigo.
rous hostile measures against England,
which they say would soon compel her to
conc-de T. an accommodation on our own
terms! But as they arc sensible Ibis plan
cannot be carried through, therefore they
don't propose it.
I'm addition to the clashing Of parties in
the house Of representatives, almost the
only thing in which the house and senate
appear to agree, is to disagree in almost
every thing. Indeed our situation is near
Iy or quite novel one. 1t is uncertain
what is the majority in the house, and
where the majority falls. There can be no
calculation On ma ority in the senate /;
and 1t is extremely questionable whether :
the executive can command a majority in
either house: Jefferson, by an influence !
almost unbounded, moulded, fashioned
and managed the party at his ,pleasure.'-
His influence, however, was on the decline !
before he left the helm. Madison is ra- !
Their managed by, than a manager OF, the !
party. Indeed / can consider him but lit =
tie more than mere Puppst, without ei. |
thtr energy or independence, but banded |
about at pleasure; and his managers are, I |
bellows, rapidly losing their inauence.-
The party must evidently soon crumble to |
pieces; but the danger is, that the cons,i.
ta,pn OF our country will 60 to wreck with
it.
" When the session was protracIetd for
eight days longer, ] thought it probable '
something might be done; but week,
lacking one day, has elapsed, and nothing
is like to be done. The second commercial |
bill, called No. 2, or the so per cent duty
ling W BUe same late OF the
6rst' The duty has been struck out, and J.
a provision to grant convoy has been sub. ,
siituted in its stead. This will not pass the
house 3; and the whole apparatus of non.in.
sereourses embargo, &c. will be suffered to
expire at the close of the session. Two or
three days have been taken up, during the
last week, on proposition for reducing the
navy. This has been discussed, not so
much with any expectation OF being able to
pass any bill on the subject, a. with view
to protracs the time until the close Of the
session, and with a view to expos: an abo.
minabIe sInscure establishment, the expen-
ces Of which were enormous. Was the
British navy maintained at a proportionate
rate Of expense with that of the pismy ma
Wy Of the United States, the revenues of the
world would not be sufficient to defray the
expense.
Some statements have been shtained
from rhp freasnrv deDor,pa aoH ,k;e e...;o,