Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-09-09

nav render most expedient, the operation OF
our arms sballbe delayed or defeated--in bne,
when difficulty, distress, and disgrace snail o.
ycrtakc a rash and improvident, ano' q. INC
same time, timid and irrresoiute adminis.ra-
ton, rash where prejudice guides, or passion
prompts, feeble and compliant enough at o. o.tSi
times, will Mr.. Madison resist the otter o. inc
fleets, and armies, and marshals OF france
Will he have the hrmness and courage sos
TO conduct the war in which we are unhappiiy
involved. as to save us from that tyranny,
which has hitherto invariably followed the
friendship ofNapoleon Having surrendered
to him the right of chusing for us an enemy
NAV not our liberty and independence hereai-
ter follow? We cannot, fello" CITIZENS taNe
any assurance, short of moral certainty against
such dangers TIE age OF freedom Is Pas. Ia
Europe, we trust, the age OF confidence has
past in America.
CONGRESS. after much deliberatoD, once So
lemnly determined that while cause TOT War;
existed. against both the belllgerents' war
with one would be submission to the .olher'
You now behold their proposition realized oy
their own act. 1t rests with you to sanction
it by your appreciation :,
3 You have in France alone, 10 contend WITH
the cunning of the fox, the ieroclty OF the "
ger, and the strength OF the lion Inc foid IS
Enclosed, and the shepherd OF the Hook sleeps
upon his watch Awake fellow cltzens, 70
a sense OF your danger.
If true to ourselves, we shall, with the favor
Of heaven, biffle and subdue all our enemies
No danger which asSails us, however Is halt
so great, as that whieh is yeiled beneath the
unconstitutional doctrine, that because our adj
mipistration has involved us IN war, we must
surrender to it, our senses and our liberty;
that we must neither, discern ourselves, nor
point out to others, its incapacity and mlscon-
duct.
The @body of the times" is indeed full of
alarming symptoms Tyranny has raised her
voice against the freedom of speech, and OF o.
pinion After silencing ruth and eloquence
in congress, by the application of arbitrary and
uaheard Qf rules Of debate, she IS employing
The strong arm of power to stihe and smother
them in their nursery, the press
Fellow citizens, we repeat, that the question
which we have been trying is not the one be-
tween G Britain and America that Is, now,
committed to the danger and uncertainty OF
war. The decision which ask you to pro-
nounce, is between the administration OK our
government, and the rights. interest, and no
aour of our country. Between our ancient u
sape with regard 10 the mode OF chusIng d
chief magistrate and that practice which ma
iority OF the general assembly, adhering to
bad law, has urged upon us, with view to
the reelection of Mr.. Madison.
.-,OIo cfa ell
tors, with due Difference, its constitutional
power Of celebrating and determining whe-
Their he shall be reelected, or who shall be his
successor; expressing as we hayea right to
do. cur serious objections to him, and forbear'
inc to press upon ,their choice any other Can
ddatc.
We haycin oarstate, characters, whom you
IN common with US must delight to honor
The remnants of an heroic age, to which pos
tcrity will look back, as did ancient Rome,
f,om the degeperacy of her empire, to the pu-
rity and simplicity of her commonwealth.
Our electoral college will doubtless, imparti
ally weigh not only the pretenslons OF Virgil
MIA. but those ct her sister states. Much is
always due to their wishes; something, at
present, we think, to the times. We have en-
loved, latterly at much expense, worse than
empty honor, in furnishing three presidents to
the United States, if it fills our neighbo,s and
friends, with jealousy. Envy Of their hroshe-
rity, we have never felt, The aspersion, come
from Whatever quarter it may, merits our dis
dain However, we may disapprove of the
policy of some of our statesmen, we do not
hesitate to dscountenance an insinuation false
in itself, and calculated to plant deep rooted
prejudiccs among our countrymen elsewhere.
Whatever has been the general policy Of Vir.
GINA towards foreign nations, her feelings to-
wards her sister states are not unfrendly to
the prosperity Of any part of America. We
love the land, on which the son of American
independence first she'd bis, orient lustre and
we venerate the soil first moistened with the
blood of our fathers The shores of the Mys.
tic and the Hudson are only, less dear to US,