Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-10-07
fsoa IF. .4IsArr G4zE71s.
REFLECTIONS OF A NATIVE AME-
RICAN ON THE LATE PUPLlC-A-
TI0NS Of F G. GENET

The boIdest assertors O. liberty are often
mistaken for the tools of fiction, or ii they
happen to be men of sanguine temper and ar
dent imagination, they are frequently num-
bered among its dHfts The rank CT Ar.
Genet and the important posts ne has ceeu-
pied, one would suppose, ought TO have pro-
,ected him from the charge O. greatness anu
the principles he treftsses, from that OF poll
teal wickedness. But, strange as II may
seem, he has been suspected OF 6oth. Is 1t
IT that an honest heart is the only standard
Of POLITICAL rectitude How deplorahle then
must be his condition, 1ho has been Lifted by
public distraction, into public notice, tar be-
yond his scope and intellect, without even
honest Intentions to assist him . The within OF
his own designs, his gel viii outrun is OBJ
ieet. and his schemes. however DIRK, will be
bafIled before he is aware th-t they are under
stood. The unceasing regard of Mr.. Genet
for the American people merits their warm
est gratitude-Maay OF Us have witnessed his
conduct, and listened with delight to his pro-
fessions, from the first moment he Set foot Oh
our shores, TO the present hour-and not
withstanding he assured Mr.. Jefferson with
all the warnIth Of enthusiasm, that +" he faS-
si5aageEy Eores his nafipe countrp - notwlth-
standing he publicly declared TO the citizens
Of Ncw-York, that s. The cause Of France is
tie cau5c # ali mankind and e$feeiaEly Of lie
u tied .Siu.eS,''t ave still believe and we Call
heaven and earth to witness, that MS steady and
parsevering zeal for our honor and lndePeRd-
ence against the doninions Of Great-Brltaln, II
it be not hQtriotisn, has at least the atlaearanre
of il. But unfortunately for Mr.. Genet, am
bition too often walks abroad, under the mask
of public spirit. and in spite Of himself, we
fear he will be suspected OF dishonest artltl-
ces. We are jealous people. We love
cur country-Her glory is dear to us-We
revere the patriots who brought into lite and
action our free government, and sit with
proud exultation under the shadow of their
fame Wit, such feelings, when we listen
% Mr.. Comets professions, we regret that
WASHINGTON diStruSted them. and that MIR.
JEFFERSON has endeavored to contract tbs
sphere Of his influence, and to place obstacles
in his way to public confidence, which are
,lmost insurinountable. Isany man at loss
TO what We allude General Washington, IL
his message to Congress, Dec. S, 1898, de-
clared +" that it was with extreme concern he
0uOt
g The herson whom the French nation had un-
.. fortunately appointed their minister pleni-
: potentiary here, (alluding to Mr.. Genet
had bresthed nothing Of the friendly spirit Of
the nation which sent hirn-That their ten
dencv, on the contrary, had been to involve
y us in zvQr Q6rocd and oi,cerd and anarchy at
."-Neither can it be forgotten that
Mr.. Jefferson in his letter OF Aug. 10th, 1898,
20 Mr.. Governor Morris, then our minister
IN France, had the temerity TO call Mr.. Genet
an ogcns efthe FrefaeA GoDernmen 7rhcse
:. DESIGNS z0ere mysterious )" and TO declare,
=: thar his continuance here 7pas RconSistent
Nth orGer and teace"-" That for the ex-
press:ons of ;ttac hmeDt with which Mr.. Gc-
net was welcomed on his arrival, md for
our long fcrbearance under his gross usur-
tations and 1urrGges Of the laws and auto
rity of our country, he rewards US BY en-
de;.vorirg to crcite dtseord and etsnst BE-
F." f7ypen our ozvn citizens and tho& e 7vhom they
;. hare entrusted 7vuh their sovernment."-
Nav-In that memorable letter (which is III
every body's hands, Mr.. Jefferson goes fur
Their He fixes charge upon Mr.. Genet
which fills every good citizen with horror,
and makes him sl!udder to the heart. He
says, that if our citizens haze not already
I" been shedding each others blood, is it not
Z. owing to the moderation Of Mr. Genet.''t
Thus, is Mr.. Genet represented by two OF
our most distinguished citizens-gentlemen
ofopposite parties-as the mad demon of dis
cord, turbulent and Notwithstanding thro'
our commissioning flames and fury
breathing out destruction against the esta-
blished order of things-unsettling and I'M
Ringing society and at last stirring up our fell
low-citizens to wage an inlpious war against
the government of their own choice, and to
butcher their brethren. Such sentiments,
In letter to Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.. Genet
has these expressions: 1t is pure and a
VAIN bloed runs with rapidity in my veins
I love passionately my country. When | find
an injustice done to my fellow citizens-that
their interests are rot csponsed with zeal
which they merit, no consideration would
hinder either my pen or my tongue from trac-
ine-from expressing my Pain" Mr. &C.
net dare not DENY this letter.
- f.. IL