Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-02-06
Fo, the ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE,

Madison entlTc. A1o" 30 "
!, contains are just, will be tor the puo"e
10 decide.
SIR,
Should this address not prove agrseae'e'
[ ,rus, it will not fail to prove useful.
Tha, yeu possess talents, that those Ia
len,s were once honorably sxerted tor the
good of your country, neither d''Po'''o"'
nor uncharitabeness will prompt me to de-
nv. Had you pursued the same honorable
bath. which induced you to advocate the
adoption of the federal constitution ''sho
the temporary consequence and ec'at at
tached to the presidency might not haVs
grati6ed your ambition, it would have 'e'
dounded infinitely more to your honor
Adherence to correct and honorable
pr;n: ipls. too often depends upon the re-
compence efrezuard. Much OF the boosted
patriotism which oye,spreads the commu'
nity. and tIeafeas our ears with its deela-
ma,ory nonsense, is neither more nor less
than ;nordinate sslflove, artfully disguised.
Deprived of the expectation of REWARD "
Instantly becomes sullen, and is silent as
the grave. Few men are so completely
abandoned as to r. joice in the calam'uss
Of their country, unless those calamities
afford them prospect Of gratifying their
own private interest or ambition. Bat ma.
ny, too many are ready TO hazard the safe
,y of the nation, rather than risque The loss,
or lessen the expectation Of Office. This
detes,abl. principle has become prevalent
to an alarming extent. 1t now is, and al
ways has been, the governing principle OF
the faction over which you preside and,
if the merit nf man is to be- known by the
company he keeps, it will not be an act OF
injustice to your character to say, that you
have adopted the same rule Of conduct for
yourself. Let us see how far the evidence
Of lnouva facts substantiates our assertion.
To CRAFTY your ambition, you joined the
standard Of that arch plotter, that high
priest of iniquisy and mischief, Mr.. Jeffer-
son man, who, by intrigue and hyPo-
crisy has done more to debase the morals,
and degrade the character Of this county,
than any other man. under like circum.
stances, ever did in any age or nation. To
this man assign the first rank in the or
gan;za,ion & direction of the faction which
from the year 1898 to the commenc ment
of his presidential career, embarrassed the
former administrations, and which, ever
since that period, has controlled the public
affairs of the union, and pursued system
of measures hostile to The gh.s of the mi
nority, hostile to the general Interests Of
the community, aud sminous of that awful
crisis, which daily occurrences pronounce
to be fast approaching.
A violent faction, consisting of large
majority, cannot long exist in any free go
vernment, without producing violent con.
vulsiors, without shaking to the very cen.
ire, the foundation of lis rights and liber-
ties. Beware, SIR, lest in the general con-
flics you fall a victim to the willy workings
Of your own hayward policy.
The frequency and violence Of popular
passions, are commonly 10 proportion to
the freedom of government. The reason
j. obvious. The less the freedom of speech
and of the press is restrained, the greater
is the opportunity, which ambitious dems.
sogues enjoy, to kiudle & inaame the popu.
lar passions. When the natural eonssqurn.
ces Of these passions are hostile to the int.
q ,:.1..oI.