The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-07-03

From the National MtelHgeneer.
A MASKED BATTERY.

cause he was elected to office by Republican
votes, has, for the purpose of quieting the
fears of the latter for. his detection thought it
necessary to say something which would pass
for an expression Of disappro5ation of the
measures of those whose administration he
opposed with SO much zeal in its commence
ment in 1902. His sentiments are con-
veyed in the following paragraph, which we
extract from his speech as given in our pa
per day or two ago :--
+" If there ever was an occasion which de-
manded the exercise of patriotism in our
country, it is the present. The times in
which we live are filled with great and ex-
traordinary events. The commotionS Of the
gvorid are Jeh by our government, and zoe are
not only asSaited from abroad, bm zvhat is
more alarming, THE VITAL INTERESTS OF
OUR COUNTRY ARE ENDANGERED by TEN
PoRIsING SYSTEMS OF POLICY, and from tie
qyan Of pigour-ef national shi,it, and Of
u,Ion at home. We ought, however, still to
trust that the GoD of our fathers will not a.
bandon the vine which he has planted-that
our cxertions will be blessed--that spirit Of
patriotism and union will give direction to
publick opinion--that the national character
will be vindicated, and our rights sesurcd."
AT this paragraph the federaists loudly ex-
ult, with but little reason in our opinion, un-
less the pith of the extract lie in the empha-
;ical manner in which part of it is presen-
ted TO the view. That " the commotions of
the world are felt by our government" and
that VIC are " assailed from abroad" are un-
deniable truths. TO the sentiment that " the
vital interests OF our country are endangered
by temporising systems of policy" we can
not assent in its full extent though we have
no hesitation in declaring our belief that
steady perseverance in the system devised
for the maintenance Of our rights, and COM
menced in 1907, would long ago have pro-
duced either decisive collision or pacifica-
tion with both belligcrcnts but Z" tempori-
sing system Of policy prevailed" and the
embargo was substituted by an almost inefli-
cicnt non-intcrcourse. That tho dcrcliction
of the embargo endangered the vital interests
of the country has been alledgcd by many
men, the correctness of whose political prin-
Ciples cannot be doubted But, if SO, who
was to blame What caused its abandonment;
What produced this temporising system a
"want OF vigor, of union at home" 1t is a
most mortifying reflection that the opposition
of federalism TO the law was the active agent
in procuring its repeal ; yes, the opposition
of those men to whom Gov. Grswold SO sig
niicantiy intimates the necessity of cherish
ing spirit of patriotism. We really see
nothing in this speech of Gov. Griswold which
affords any cause Of exultation for modern
fcderalists. He expressly states the necessi-
ty of union and OF a spirit OF patriotism, la
ments the absence of il, and the effect II has
produced on our measures /; and In these
points every man of sense will agree with
him. So far from atfording food for federal
triumph, this whole sentence conceals a cut
ting sarcasm on those who, like his predeces-'
sor, Gov. Treadwell, strove to deprive the
measures OF government of all vigour, by
refusing to cooperate in their execution, and
endcavouring to stir up the state governments
to fatal opposition to the laws f; who have
endeavourcd to lower the national spirit by
representing the nation as weak and nerve
less who, so far from chcrishing union at
homo, have sacriIegiously contemplated a
severance of that sacred bond Of union which
ought to be so dear to the hearts of Amcri-
cans The tenor of the whole of this speech
, appears to us to mark decidedly the differ
.ence of princplc between the former Cover
nour and his successor. The one concluded
His speech on similar occasion with an invi-
I thtion 10 opposition and rebellion the other
invokes the genius Of harphony, and calls upon
his auditors' to rally round the national stand
<a5d, and to cherishfa spirit of patriotism,
and thlg concsibute to an effectual vindieation
Of the national character.
II one sentiment sh6 has expressed, how
ever, VIC cannot,accotd with Gov. Griswold
He supposcs TIC allcdged temporisng char
actcr of our measures to proceed from want
Of national spirit. OF that essential ingrcdi-
ent in the character of nation of patriots VIC
perceive no deficiency in our citizens. A
difficulty has been found in determining the
course of policy which the United States
ought to pursue, from the circumstance to
which he correctly adverts,--the great and