Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-05-11

III luC lSISTal InCWDSIS, SOICurrlnS Ill ali
he measures of defence, and voting for the
large disbursements they involv
ed. We did hope, from these symptoms,
that returning harmony was about to cheer
our hearts, and that like band of brothers
we were with one mind about to rally round
the ark OF our safety. War, with all it's e.
wills, under such circumstances, would have
no terrors to people strong in their resour
Ces and conscious of their viruc.
This hope has not abandoned us, although
there have recently occurred some local in
dications of an unpropitious aspect, which it
may be useful cursorily to notice.
Too many of our public prints have been
embarked in SO steady and vehement an ot,-
position to the measures of the general go
vernment, that it could not perhaps be rati
onally expected from them at once, in any
event, to support measures that emanated
from a source to which their hostility had
been SO uninterrupted and of course we find
some of these prints at this very moment,
when we are on the eve of war teeming with
the most scurrilous effusions of faction. We
may be in error, but nothing short of damn
ing facts shall convince us that these vehicles
speak the language of any considerable por-
tons of the people, much less the language
of any state in the Union. We are led to
estimate their influence very lightly, when
we contemplate the pitiful strain in which
most of their libels are couched, which are
generally as destitute of decency as of truth.
What, for instance, shall we say, to the base
epithet of Conscrittion, applied to the con-
stItutional body of militia, directed to be or
ganised by the government, body provided
by the constitution itself for the sacred ends
of maintaining the empire of the laws, sup
nrPcSinp tInnS Xy r.opel1ipor
What shall we say to- the unprincipled SANDER
cast on our Chief Magistrateby denominating
him Cohenhagen Madison! And what con-
tempt can be too poignant for the ribaldry,
which after inveighing against subscribing
to the loan authorised by Congress, exclaims
Let every highwayman find his own pis-
tolls pa
Can the miscreant pen that INDUCES in
such low insolenCe either represent or infiu-
ence the opinions or feelings of any repecta-
BILE Americans Were this possible, we
should indeed blush for the American Cha
racter. The writer's of such articles can on
ly be compared to those reptiles, whose ex-
istence depends on their habitual emission
of venom. For the honor of human nature
they are few and insignificant, and SO far
from promoting the ends for which their
pens are daily dipped in gall, they often serve
luS uSCiul puGpOSc vi DSdCOuS u nOleSl UlSn
of their own sect, to avoid the criminal
lengths to which unbridled faction would
carry them. Yes, such effusions are the rank
offspring of faction, which, unfortunately for
poor human nature, will exist in some de-
gree in every community. However solid
the generalhappiness, howeverpre-eminent-
ly comfortable the lot of almost every citi-
zen, there are some men whom disappoint-
| ment, revenge, envy, & other low & grovel-
ling passions, will always dispose to sicken
at the general prosperity, because they do
not enjoy power or place, or distinction or
money, which they foolishly consider as their
dues. With such men the people are a
Golden Calf, which they are ready to wor-
| ship, so long as they find them aninexhaus-
| tible mine for the qualification of their am
bitten or avarice; but as soon as their drafts
| are dishonored, their masks fall, and no
| mark of detestation can be too strong for
the recent object of their idolatry. A go
vernment OF people that could permit them
selves to be influenced by sIch men could
not fail to receive the contempt that Will
| otherwise sooner or later overake their
slanderers. Nat. Int