Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-02
From the NJ Y. Eveaiag Post.

s.
n .h. F1,;tor of the NJ York Evening Post.
SIR,
tits not the forlorn hope that any thing |
can saw will have the least effect IN arouslng
the ,lnwary and careless,or informing the ie-
norant, amongst my countrymen' that mas gil
ven rise TO this letter IF their utter blindness
were not a Judgment sent to punish national
sins. the exertions of genius and learning
would long ere this have restored the nation
TO its senses. despair that any means mere
" human, can have this effect. But 1t may
for time arrest our progress to rum, TO eX-
anime with the utmost freedom, yet at
the same time with candor and lmpartlall-
tv. the public acts of the government. This,
at all times, is the duty of every good citizen,
and particularly of those who have the manage
ment of the public journals; but 1t is more
impcriously their duty, when the nation, over
whose political interests they are placed as
centincls, is by any means whatever rendered
supine, and totally regardless OF their best III
terestsa At such season, the political mar
pies, who are ever on the watch tor prey,
stalk abroad: The liberty, the property OF the
citizen becomes insecure, and frequently falls
sacrifice to their ambition or avarlce. No
American who loves his country, and who
has taken any pains to discover her true int
rests. can look back on the last four years OF
her history, without giving sigh to the me-
me.y of her departed greatness, orJor7Dard to
her destination, without an awful PRESENT.
ment that it will serve as a warning Instead OF
an example.
II is now almost three weeks, since re-
mort was presented TO the American Congress
by the Secretaryof the Treasury, recommend
ing for their adoption, as the supreme law OF
the land, a set of measures, which the basest
minion of the most powerful monarch in Eu-
rope, would, even In the present period OF des-
motto tyranny, have recommended with hesi-
t,,;on and alarm-Yet In America, land
where civil and religious liberty were suppos-
ed to exist in degree beyond the experience
of any other people; in America, where our
forefafhers voluntarily undertook, and perse-
vered in, bloody and cruel war, for seven
I,ng wears, striving against every discourage
mey,t. enduring every hardship, and suffering
eyerv piivation, rather than submit to the
smallest infringement of their personal liber-
~. fheir children have, without even single
n,bl;c expression of disapprobation, received
e tbe;r supreme legislature and published in
every Jourhai tuiouSnout ''e '''u' - =
which. if adopted, lays the axe at the root of
nnblic aud private liberty---a report which
robs every dwelling of its sanctity, takes away
the constitutional provision OF trial by jury,
aud removes every barrier which the laws
have thrown around private property, by de-
claring that no testimony shall be received ia
opposition to the opinion of It's own officers-
And who is ths man Git instrument ofthe most
gloomy despotism , that has dared to propose
SO monstrous an invasion of private right? To
the shame of the country which gave birth to a
(; Rosseau, to the still greater disgrace and
shame of the American nation, which he rules
with arod Of iron, ne is a Geneyan.
Permit me here to close this letter--I feel
unable to controul the indignant feelings OF
my heart, and wish' ~ the discussion to winch
7 NAV be led, to avoid every Incorporate ex-
AN AMERICAN.