Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-10
From the United States' GQzstse.

Z
When we behold the portentous nbenone-
ma o our timcs--tlie comets that seam =,
threten the earth with immediate eestrpc.
tlen-1thc Garth shaking as beneath the foot. |
stepsPf an offended God--rnountains pourinp /
lorlh prrents OF fire, that lay the hopes of the
- Nam ~ tbs many are prone to trembIe and
warningstoour sinful race, and bit 'tlie nar- /
bineers If SINE more dreadful calamity N |
reserve. It'll not our province to discuss the |
points how fN these may be resolved into ma /
tural causes, DR. to what extent the Deity may
employ natunl causes as instruments OF his
displGasure. But there are other phenomena
Of moral nature more alarming than all these
fearful appearances in the physical world
They are moe alarming because they are not
visible and payable agents; but their progress
is mare prompt, more certain, more destrnc-
tive-They strike at the core OF private con-
fidente, and by fixing their poison there
blast all our enjoyments in the bad-they un-
dernine the stability of government, ana
breathe Their deadly pestlience around our
hre-ides and our affairs. We desire those OF
our ,ountrymen who have lived with US under
the ,alutary and life exkilirating beams OF
Washinetons administration to accompany US
for moment, while we contrast that spec
tacle with the present. TIE character Of that
man gayc sort of tone to public men and
public measures. Patriotism was not teisn'
ed, but real passion, In the deliVerer we
beheld the hoary guardian OF his country's no.
nour, still assiduously watching over her well
fare, and he mind Of every tue American
caught, as by reflection, portion OF has beams.
We were taught by this ilustrious example
to regard The love Of country as something no.
bic, disinterested, understanding more
expanded than mcre sd6shnesS; that sordid
passion was lost in spectacle SO grand ana
august We looked.upon life, comfort, every
thing, as eventually subservlent to our coun-
try's glory, and it was only for that venera-
. bic character to have pronounced the word,
and all would have been cheertully surren-
dered. This was blessing too dear to last
When France, as we then believed, was enan-
cipating herself from the tyranny Of her old
masters. we felt all that enthusiasm such an
event was calculated to inspire. We partook
largely in her hopes and fears, and so lar as
sympathy extended, made common cause
in her struggle for liberty. The French be-
held in this generous and ardent partially an
engine capable Of being welded to their own
sinister purposes. Our ben9actorS were per-
pctually reminding us Of our revolutionary
obligations, and through the organs oi their
minister at this county, labouring to divide
the people from the government. Madison
thought this fit opportunity to fight under Ia
voursbe banners--he made himself the cham
pion Of this party, and drew to his own ranks
all toe discontinued, all those who envied the
byilliancy of Washington's fame, al those ho-
nest enthusiasts who thought that America
should make acommon Cause with that coun.
try in the assertion OF her liberty and indie
prudence. Still the sober good sense OF the
people, not yet tired with the blessings of Di-
vine Providence, prevailed. From that hour
to the present, has Madison latoured to link
the destinies of these two countries together
ALI his Vaccinations have tended TO this
one point--the groans OF the European con-
tinent-the cries of murdered innocence and
LOYALTY, from the Peninsula, the audacIous
robbery OF our own citizens, over whom re
is the constitutional guardlaD--the threatening
and insulting language of the very power with
whom he is how so solcitous to form this al
lance, have been seen, heard, and felt in vain.
an attempt so enormous? French policy,
French habits, French perfdy have been rem
dered so familiar to great class OF Amcri-
cans, that they haze lost their natural feeling.
They can see nothing enormous in robbery,
nothing to blush at in deception, nothing dis
graceful in fraud With what entire indlffer-
ence will member Of that party either In
Congress or out of it, state what they know
to be false; pledge their honor and character
to its truth, and then deliberately laugh at the
success Of their deceptions Other candidates
beholding the success of such receptions do
not hesitate to follow such precedents, and on
the very threshold of their career abandon
conscience and honor as impediments. From
congress this pollution desccnds IN torrents,
and is conducted in minor streams throughout
all the political aquedncts. Every little de-