Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-07-16

almost impsegnable strength OF .te eoa!-
TN. we should be fe;ied By British skill
and British valor, what an accumulation
OF disgrace anu loss will be :leaped on us.
let the most successful issue attend our
arms. Suppose our triumph to be COM
plete. May not ricfory Itself involve our
liberty in the greatest peril; Can we
calculate on ever seeing again an army
as patriotic as that which achieved or
independence Can We ever expect TO
find commander so pure. 50 viftuous. so
magnanilaous. as Washington especial
~ when usurpatioa has become the
order OF tlle day. so successiul and SO
fashionable IN the old world. Can we
,oDe that the next victorious army. head
ed By a daring and ambitious chief, Will
voluntarily surrender their power, with
out an attempt to fix in the nation mill
tarv or monarchic system. over when the!
NAV hold an effective influence. In fact,
have not the three last Presidential cleo
tons tended to prepare the public mind
for such a change:
The people have seen the arts and IN
trisues to procure Dir. Jelterson's tirst G.
lection: they have read the ISLANDERS On
Washington they have even seen Jeifer-
son himself patconiz:nS the s!andeFera--
Jeffsrson. ,ciiose soft and elegant a'anners.
.ciose classicand highly cl'ttiodt5@ miR5'
it might have been expected, would never
have permitted him to ste9p to sntA
meanness. When such a man. SO c1''ioGt-
ed and refaed, can be so ccntau.inatet 5y
ambition as to resort TO such SroTe.in&
eXpedients to procure al c.eetion-Whai
can we expect from persons inferior, anu
Of less expanded views. Bat il was not
only necessary to caiumniate The eharac-
ter Of Washington and to alarm and de-
cei.e the people, but a formal compact
became indispensable between the Oil
sarehs OF some ofthe most powerful states,
by which the people were sold. and the
public honors and spells were divided a
mong the partners. It.particuiarly be-
came necessary for Virginia to secure
Newly DIRK, and treaty was formally
made between these states, Or between
Jefferson and Burr, by which each was
fairly and equally to be run for the Presi
Gency. We all know the issue Of that e.
lection the honor with which the com
pact WAS fulfilled on both sides; so that
they. both Jefferson and Burr, we're pre-
scented TO the House Of Representatives
with an equal majority of votes. We all
know the struggle between the two candi-
dates. and the final triumph Of jefferson.
We all know the ample rewards bestowed
by him on those who finally decided the
election in his favor. Again, at the next
periodical return of the Presidential eiec-
ton. the Oligarchs in Congress at Wash
ington, step out Of the line of their Legis-
Iatiye duties, interfere with an election
which by the constitution peculiarly be-
longs to the people, and prescribe to them
the persons whom they must choose
Again at the last Presidential election the
same course was pursued, and the people
positively obeyed the orders which were
issued.
But these Oiigarchs, not content with
prescribing to the people the man whom
they must make their President, attempt
TO prevent him, when elected, from exer-
cising according to his own Judgment the
functions which the constitution devOlyes
on him. From their successful nomiAa-
ton they claim him as their creature
They require him to appoint ministers not
of his, but of their choice. They tell him
ycu must have no counsellcrs about your
person but those whom We appreye-you
must appoint no men TO Office but such as
are acceptable to Us. In this manner does
a iunto or cabal, unknown to the consti-
tuition, attempt to master the Executive
department Of the government. and to rem
der the President, who was intended to
be a great substantive power, represent
ing the majesty of the people in all eXeeu-
tive concerns, the mere puppet OF few
concealed individuals, whe in midnight
censults ana in the shades of darkness. un-
de,take to mark out to him his course.
Such scenes OF fraud and art, such indi-
rect means of electing and controlling the