Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-02-02
FOR THE ARGUS
To THE HONORABLE JOHN RAano1pn

SIN.
The deduction Of Phiio Laos IN tn.
,.Spiri, Of Seventy ST. of the 18th in
st4ss, has fully compensated the publ,
: For Observation-Disclosures absence from
your seat,in Congress. Although
do not expressly charge you with being
tHeoes.hor of that pcrfor nance, vel
we perceive /, it much of your genius
and all the maIignity Of your passions,
The sentiments, it breathes correspond
s., precisely with our political views,
that am justified in ascribing it to
one, Of YOUR bosom friends and, with
sohde allowance for difference BE-
tween speaking and wiring, il is just
such an invective as the world expect
ed from yon at the present period.
To speak with discretion, Your re-
manning at home under the pretence
ofindisposition, is extremely prudent.
Your inconsistency of conduct h al be
come so palpab,e thar i. was exceed
ingly difficult Tor you to make ont a
spiaGsible for your cons itecnts !;
and, for once in your life, YOU t.citly
confessed that there IS point in poll
tics at which i:nposture must cease.
Even the powers of your face could no
longer :lrnish mask for the ungra.
~eious ccntrivances Of GINNING; and
you wisely confined yourself to your
plantation, waiting, like al unholy "a
theist, for some fortuitous concoursc
tof political ATONE, which might place
the affairs of the nation in a posture
move congenial TO your spirit. At a
convenient season we STALL find you
creeping forth from your retreat to
scatter the seeds of discomfort among
the people, and to wi,her ths nerve OF
government. Such a common exer-
ton 1T your faculties will create no
teurprize and must serve most admit
ra5iy to Illustrate the complexion o.
your patriotism. In the mean time we
are. it seems, to be amused aad etiifi-
ed by occasional salIies from news
paper which claims tie honor ofbeiag
nuder your particular patronage and
direction.
Your opposition to Mr.. Madison,
previously to his late election, was
marked! By IA inteinrera,e personal
hostility. In the qualification of YOUR
spleen you violated every rule &c de-
ccruta. and forfeited cauch IF your
fretension to the character of n gen
tlemaa. But you failed Ia y ar at
tempt to crush him, and only rendered
Yourself ridiculous. Your sarcasms
md your defamation were alike una
vailing. We admired your eioquence,
but we, smiled at your logic. You
were considered as spoiled child,
sviiose'mind as well as constitution had
besa injured by indulgence, and
whose temper was too irsisaol
TO brook either manly admoniti-
on or reasonable chastisemeut. To
aseain your standing with the public
apd to propagate an ionorab'c opinion
of your cardor, the first act of Mr. Ma
dlson's administration met with youi
unpounded appreciation: Yoa bro'i
howard and advocated aresolution un-
equivocsliy commenting the arraoge-
Tnent made with Mr. Er5kine,a and, so
rapidly had you grown upon the es-
TEEN Of a certain party, that the fede-
ralists on that occasion were veluuta-
riiy your auxiliaries. The fervor OF
!our newborn zeal for the president,
however, was suspected. There was
70 occasion for yos+ vote Of thanks.
because there was 40 impending dan
.Cer to the country. 1t was the dawn
Of q peace with England, for which
Mr. Jefferson as well az Mr.. Madison
Lad Ing sought in vain fact which
your proposed resolution 70 the house
81 representatives tended to contradic
by implying that Mr. Madison hac
done more than Mr.. Jefferson was will
ling to do; and, as far rs Il went, thi,
vas III eui1gium on yourself for tn,
enaii.y you mad manifested against III.
vtntra5le patriarch of Virginia. Tn,
republicans understood you, sir. The,
resisted with fcrtjtade The m aIevolenc,
efyopr denunciation5 and the inceus
of our 1a,tery. In the former they
'rheid tie vindictive temper Of dis
appointed politician AID in the latter
nofhiag bat the cunning of Jesuit.
Iadced sir, you viii ruin none In
your lriends-e You caiuoaniasad al,