Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-09-19
THuRsDAY MORNING., Sept. 10.


vernment is making the most vigorous pre-
variations n Defence: The most timid per-
.on must feel at rest when informed that an
additional nuenbcr of Gan-HoGts are to be e.
cuippcd for service. Admiral Yorke will not
presume TO peep at one of our harbors while
defended by these formidable engines.
The same In.elhgencer reprimands the te-
deral prints for saying that the coulltry is not
prepared for War, and asserts that these very
federaIists always opposed defensive measures.
A single fact will serve to explain this mat
ter. Several years ago, bill passed the Sc
nate Of the U. States for repairing and equip
ming the whole naval force of the nation. It
was sent to the House of Representatives and
there. after some struggling, passed likewise,
perhaps with some little alteration. lmmedl-
ately after the vote was taken, Mr. D. r. Will
Iisms, a 6rst-water republican from South-Ca-
rolina, rose and conjured the House In the
most earnest manner to reconsider what they
had lust done. He actually "b!ubber'd like
boy,'' and declared solemnly that he would
rather suffer death than that the bill should
pass into law; and such was ms agitation,
that he was obliged to stop suddenly In the
midst Of his harangue, his fervor (Which was
no doubt sincere) not permitting him to pro-
ceed Well the house good-naturedly con-
sented to reconsider the vote just given, and
after some of their usual debating, as it is cal
led, they did absolutely reverse their previous
decision, BY rejecting the bill, and it has never,
we believe, been heard Of since. Here was
scene of democratic legislation; many ST.
milar ones might be noticed, if necessary.
AS to the fertilization Of New-York, OF
which the IntelEgencer boasts SO much, 1t Is
a notorious fact, that the ruling party constant
" refused to make any decent appropriation
towards, that object until New>York Demo
crazy was thought to be in a galloping con-
sumptioG, and cettan ly would have expired,
had it not been for this skillful restorative.
Do we not all recollect the heroic doctrine adj
vocated in Congress while this subject was
under discussion" Our seaforts are at
tackled, Ns cAN RUN 70 THE MOUNTAINS :"
and this, too, proceeded from the Stentorian
lungs of Brigadier General Nelson. Edward
Lloyd Esq. present Governor of Maryland'
very properly ridiculed their absurd behavior:
g know not (said he, in substance0 how we
shall get along some are opposed to tortihca-
tons until We have gun-boats, and others are
opposed to gun-boats urtil We have toruhca-
tons In this way they had cunningiy dlvld-
cd themselves into squcds, in order to defeat
every proposition, We repeat, New-York
never would have been fortified, had not our
rulers feared Ii loss of their tottering popu-
larity in that state in particular. Assuredly,
we are glad that the thing has been done BY
any means but we cannot consent to applaud
them so excessively for measure which they
were evidently fr;sAtened into.
We have taken the more notice OF this
subject, because it appears to US, that should
any of our seaports unfortunately suffer da-
mage from an ensmy, dismal yell will be
INSTANTLY raised, This is the taut Of the Fed.
eralssts behold the Effects Of their oflflosition
then never zvoald hermit the government to
,fortia the Alace" But surely no man OF re-
Election can believe that minority could In
this respect controul the operations OF govern
ment with the whole resources OF the nation
in their hands: It would have been happy
for our country if the feteralists had possess
ed influence sufficient to have arrested many
ruinous proceedings. %
We understand that orders have been
issued from the navy department, to put
in commission an additional number fsun