Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-05-06

Mr.. Wright and Mr.. peasants opposed this
motion.
Mr. M'Kirn spoke in favor of striking out
before he had concluded his remarks it was
found there was not quorum 10 the house,
and the committee rose and the house adjourn-
ed, half past O'Clock.
It appears by an extract from London pa
per that. the celebrated philologist, john
HORNE TooKE, has paid the great debt of ma
ture. The life of this singular character has
been as strangely diversified as any lndiyldu-
AIS now living At one time ne behold him
exploring the deepest recesses of science,
with an ardour that would lead us to believe
he had devoted his life to study and retirement
at another he ningles in all the tumult Of
party contention, with the fanatacism of zeal
OF. Whether literature OF politieks was his
object, it was his constant study to overthrow
established systems. He was satisfied with
nothing. He first devoted himself to the desk;
then to the bar; Their to philology then to
wherever he went.-U. S. Gaz.
1t would seem by the late accounts from
Washington that the only thing which has pre-
vented declaration of war, since it was an
nounced III the Inteliigencer that all the ne
cessary preparation had been made, and that
it would be an idle waste of time to wait
longer for the Hornet, is the difficulty of dis
tributing III due proportions the proper guam
tum of responsibility between the president,
his secretaries, the committee of foreign re-
lations, and the presidential majority in con-
gress. 1t is really pity to keep us back from
the ",feast" or that account; for, divide it as
they will, there will be enough to sink them
all. When man is about to plunge himself
into the ocean with mill stone fastened to his
neck, why should he wait to argue with his
neighbor about the danger of adding another
pound! u. S. Gazette.
The Editor Of the National Inteligencer,
with unwonted candor and liberality, remarks,
that =" an attempt is making in the important
and patriotic stale of Massachusetts,, to pro-
duce the impression, that the embargo is not
honestly intended to be the precursor of war :
but that it is intended to be the instrument OF
destroying trade-that it ought not, therefore,
to be viewed in the light of precautionary
measure, to ensure our property In the event
Of a war; but as the fatal means of subverting
and annihilating the wealth and the happiness
Of the mercantile section of the nation."-
What ungrateful wretches the fedcralists of
Massachusetts must be after having tasted the
blessings Of president Jeferson's embargo not
to relish Mr.. Madlson's? We agree, how
ever, with the editor Of the Intelligencer, that
the state of Massachusetts since the election
OF gov. Strong, is indeed patriotic. The editor
goes on to9remark, that " the embargo had
natural tendency to impair the popularity Of
those that imposed it, and that the known and
anticipated effects Of a non-importation law
with great Britain, were the arrangement of
our fiscal affairs, and the consequent necessi-
ty of resorting to loans and new taxes " This
will serve as sort OF comment on president
Jefferson's doctrine, as avowed in one of his
messages, that a redundant and overlooking
treasury might prove temptation to war. 1t
was, we presume, to prevent this calamity,
resulting from an overlooking treasury, that
the arrangement of our fiscal affairs "was
anticipated" by our legislature, when they
passed the non-i,nportation law with Great
Britain. Ibid.
BA7Ar1A, ~. Y. .dtlril ls.