Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-15

in his. It would have proved, that the secret
deliberations of Congress are sham, or if
they are serious, that they are the offspring Of
incHable folly or acknowledged lunacy.
We mean not to descans upon the reasons
why it has happened, that Mr.. Pearson was
permitted to proceed in his speech and mo-
lion, so CALLING to the ministerial leaders, after
Mr.. Randolph had been unconstitutionally &
inlgultously debarred the most manifest and
indispensable right of representative. twas
not because the subject of his address was less
opposed to the views of the leaders OF the ma
iority, 1t was feared, that the two frequent
exercise Of despotism in the very sanctuary
of liberty, would render the people impatient
and resolute in restoring to their representa-
tives the privileges, without which deliberatlon
would be farcical, and the form Of a free GO
vernment, nothing but the shadow of arbitra-
ry & caPrlcious power Federal Republican. !
On Friday CALEB STRONG, Governor
Of Massachusetts,, delivered his Speech to the
Senate and House of Representatives. This
Speech begins thus:
AS have not been engaged in the public
business of the State for the last five years,
and had no expectation that should again
take part IN administering the Government
Il have paid no other attention to the pro-
ceediDgs of the Legislature, or any public
transactions, than my duty as private citizen
required. | am therefore unable to lay before
you the state of our aifairs--or to suggest for
your consideration those subjects of particu-
lar interest which in other circumstances
might have occurred to me. But | have no
reason to regret this inability--sescral Of you,
gentlemen, in each House, have been many
years employed in the government, and will
readily discern what measures are necessary
for the general good"
The residue of the Speech, is or the sub
ject of the pernicious tendency of PARTY
SPIRIT, in the course Of which he observes,
The people of these States seem to have
been placed by Providence in a situation of
peculiar safety. Our territory is sufficiently
extensive either for security or convenience
We are remote from the nations Of EUROPE
who for several years have been involved in a
fatal and extensive war. AS commercial
people we have had intercourse with all Of
them, and as a neutral nation must have cx-
pected, in such mighty conflicts, to suffer in
luries from each. II, however, the merchant
finds that any branch Of trade is too hazardous
10 be pursued with advantage, his own pru-
dence will induce him to relinqnish it. But
| think we can have no reasonable motive TO
Join in this ruinous contest, and thus initiate
those Princes, who hazard all that is dear to
their subjects, merely to 9is',a' -eiI ~, -
~, o.ra.:r1 rcvcHge. We may possibly be
engaged hereafter in just and necessary wars
Of sef-defence, and we hope never to be en-
gagged in any other. Bot, SO long as the peo-
pie are united in affection, there is no danger
that any foreign power will think Of reducing
us 10 their dominion This security will be
diminished III the same proportion as the Vio-
lence of party increases--for a state with
ten millions of men may be conquered as easl-
y rs one with ten thousand, if the people are
divided, and one half are willing to assist in
subjugating the other. Such dispositions, /
presume, are not any where cherished at the
present time: But if the spirit Of discord shall
increase and become more exasperated, we
may hereafter tie as frantic with passion and
as blind to our own interest, as those nations,
whose governments have been subyered by
the violence or treachery OF their citizens"
q