Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-04-12
From the Connecticut Couyanf.

Ii happened about 40 years ago, that
the English house of commons, by certain
misadventures were thrown into such per-
plexiiies and confusion that they knew NOT
how to steer their course or what measures
TO propose. The members had sat tope-
Their tor some time, ia sullen silence when
sir Dudley Carleton, who had been sea
voyager, arose, and spoke as follows:
| Ind by great silence in this house.
that II is fit time to be heard, If you please
to give me the patience. may very 6,ly
compare the heaviness of this house unto
some OF my rnisfortunes by sea, in my ira.
wells; tor as we were bound unto Mare
settles, by oversight Of the mariners we
mistook our course; and by i'll fortune met
with sand; that was no sooner overpast.
but we fell on another and having escap-
ed this Likewise, we met with third, and
IN that we stuck fast; all the passengers be.
ing much dismayed by this disaster, az
now we are here in this house, at last an
old experienced mariner, upon consultation.
affirmed, that the speediest way to come
out from the sands was to know how we
came there. So, well looking and behold.
ing the compass, he found, by going in up.
on such point we were brought into that
strait /; wherefore, we must take new
point to rectify and bring US out Of danger"
This story of old sir Dudley is no less
accommodate to certain great folks on this
side OF the water, than it was at that time
TO the English commoners. The govern-
ment of the United States may be compare
ed to ship. This political ship, for Sc
pff ha los Lo-
qnieksands, striking now against one sand
bank, and then against another; and the
danger ofwreck and ruin has been, and vet
is constantly increasing. In the mean.
time all is confusion and hubbub aboard
| or rather stupefaction.
Now if the captain and pilots of the no.
litical ship would but consider how thew
came among these dangerous shoals and
resolve to retrace their course, there would
be yet some chance Of escape. This chin.
whilst Washington commanded her, was
the very best saler in the world, and never
once struck, or sprung aleak. This illus.
trious old captain minded well the com.
pass. He kePtthe ship exactly balanced,
her hulk Clean and tight, and her tackling
all in good order and he seized and im-
proved every favourable gale to carry fore
ward. But not so Jefferson, Madison and
20. Whilst their negligence occasioncd
the ship to become intolerably foul, and
dangerously leaky, they must needs alter
her course. Hence she got among the
shoals where she will be lost inevitably,
unless, by good hap, there be change Of
| officers aboard, or unless (what is more
to be desired than hoped) her present
steersmen tack about, get out where they
came in, and then follow the track of the
first captain.
To speak plainly, the vexations attend.
ing both our foreign relations and our int.
rior national concerns, the loss Of countless
millions OF property, the ruin of trade, the
bankruptcies OF our merchants and shippers,
our perplexitirs at home and disgrace a.
broad--are all owing in great measure to
a departure, by our late and present adj
ministration, from the wise, honest and
digni6ed policy of Washington. That
great and good man was truly styled Father
q ms Country. As well in peace as in war,
his single object was his codntry's interest.
he had no political party to build up, no
sinister ends to answer. He had discern-
ment to know, and virtue and resolution to
pursue, the right way. His policy, both
ioreign and domestic, was impartial, open,
honest and honorable. And had this ex-
ample been followed, all would have been
well.
The political rnumuery of his two last
succ essors, who utterly abandoned the
plain and noble path that he marked out, has
occasioned most of the public evils we have
cause to apprehend, as well as those we all
ready have felt. Nor shall we ever again
see good times in this country, till the u.
States be governed with more wisdom than
at present. The people have employed
their endeavors to gather !" grapes of thorns
and Grs nf fhisfles . long ennnrh fn be sa-