Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-10-31

perons. and that the sovereignties OF the nd
yiduai states would be destroyed. sc. &c- Inc
scale, for some time, seemed TO be eq9an!
poised, and at last barely turned IN favor Oh
adopting the constitution; though It has been
thought since, and with considerable reasons
that if il had been left to the Immediate sui
frages of the whole people, there would nave
been majority against It SO fearful were
they that their liberties would be lost or ol-
minished.
Our first President was one, who, OF all
men in the world. merited jealousy the least !;
yet, from the very beginning OF bis admihi-
nistration, all his steps were watched with a
Jealous eve. His proclamation for nauonai
thanksgiving was reprobatcd as a violation
OF the constitution. His subsequent procia-
nation Of neutrality was declared 10 be such
an unconstitutional stretch OF power as &C.
served impeachment. He WIS accused OF
drawing out OF the treasury some tour or I'VE
thousand dollars for the support OF his house
hold, before the money had become due
This was considered as n enormous offence,
and it nightly agita;ed the public for while ::
the accusation was however Clearly proved
false. and so fell 20 the ground.
The violent complaints OF executive power
and patronage, which were necessarily runs
over the whole country during the administra-
ton OF Mr.. Adams. are not yet forgotten !;
tho the old gentleman seems to hare forgot
ten these things himself
At last this extreme of jealousy suddenly
runs into the opposite extreme of blind I'M
DIicit confidence and unguarded security.
Mr.. Jefferson vas the idol Of democracy. i
seems to have been the first article In the Pc :
liticaI creed Of his party. that he could DO no
wrong. Il his magic hands cur federal Con-
stitution became nose OF wax. He could
and he did twist and mould and fashion II IS
he pleased; and ali this seemed right In the
eyes of the people. His Inconsistencies and
absurdities, his whinls and cap-ices, his eyre
gious foIlies, such as would have exposed any
man else to general scorn; passing through
the cruci5le Of public opinion, were subhmat-
Cd into wisdom. almost dIvine.
When Dir. Jefferson was fraHsisfed to
Morticeilo-not to heaven yet-he dropped
his mantle upon his successor. Il Law abso-
iutely with the former TO have adopted Tor his
successor, either Monroe or Clinton. or any
man else who stood high in the ranks OF de.
nocracy. His choice, and of course the
choice OF his party. fell upon Air. Madison !;
because he had been his pupil. and he knew
he could make him his puppet- ii the very
outset ne declared with confidence. that his
successor worli pursue the same system that
he did himself. Accordingly the party, all p
long, have considered the doings OF Mr.. Ma
Olson as but the second volume Of the works
of their great Jefferson and SO have been
perfectly satisfied. Indeed Mr.. Madison has
more than redeemed the pledge: he has made
confusion worse confoundcd." His ill-fa,-
ed reign has been so filed with por.ents and
prodigies, politically speaking, that they
hardly raise wonder. Or excite notice. Does
our President proclaim to the world : most
bure-faced untruth, and through means OF
tia, untruth get enacted partial laws ruincus
TO thousands of American eitizens Is he
mon, twenty-five thousand dollars, from mo-
ney that was under sacred deposit, and then
TO have contrired TIE refunding of this sum
by getting it drawn from the public treasury
Does he positively and uneqIiyccally declare
that he viii make no settlement with France
without repara;ion for her seizures Of Anne
rican property; and does be, notwithstanding.
patch up settlement with France. and by
arts ofintrisue prevail upon congress to rsti-
f. it. tho knowing full well that 70 reparat:on
was TO be expected! Are American vessels
and their cargoes seized. and their owners
punished III treble costs, by laws which did
not exist when the voyages commenced and
at the same time are French privateers, those
even which have been engaged in making
hayock of American IS well as British ooH-
merce. admitted into our ports and treated
with hospitality and friendship! Are these
facts? Yes, they are notorious fAots. And
yet the nation is fast asleep; now and then it
is reused little By some new ard surprising
disclosure or occurrence; but presently 1t
falls back into It's wonted lethargy. Where
now are the men whose every nerve. former
", vas so tremnious with jealousy Of execu-
tive entertainments For eieven whole years
they have been quie: as lambs: their fears
have all subsidized, and not murInur Of ap-
prehension proceeds from their lips; nay
they are the most forward to approve and APP
plaud.