Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-08

and equipped by the precarious dependence
onloans-the eastern states almost unanimous
" opposed to war-the great mass OF the poo
ME of the southern states also averse 10 IT,
their personal safety at hazard, rom causes
sufficiently obvious to every man OF reflection,
and which / forbear to express--1 cannot De-
lieye that congress will, under such clrcum-
stances, propose declaration OF war at thls
fine. Should, however, the legitimate au-
tborities of our government decide on IT. 1
hold myself bound, and pledge myself to
contribute every thing in my power towards
favorable and successful termination OF the
contest In addressing you now perhaps tor
the last time, cannot forbear to express the
uneiened sense of gratitude ! feel to those
whb have for fourteen years reposed their
confidence in me-the impression on my heart
will remain till the end OF my lite. have
aid would continue to serve them as long
IS they think proper to select me, and VIII
not retract that promise; but as have no
wish to be reelected, sincerely hope that
the people Of the district may elect some o.
her person more capable.
The communication made by Mr.. Madison
to Congress in relation to certain John Hen
nv. an agent of the British government, has
excited some interest in the public mind,
nrincipally on account Of the sum OF nifty
thousand dollars paid to him by Mr.. Madison.
The payment of that sum to Henry beng
doubted by many, deem 1t proper, In justice
to all honest men who may entertain doubt
on the subject, to assert that it is positive
fact. which could not be denied by the Secrc-
tary of State, when lately examined by COM
mittee of the Senate. 1t appears to be per-
fectly republican, now days, to condemn
whole classes of men in mass without pretend
inp to charge any specific facts, and not only
without producing the witness, but stlpulatlng
with him, that he shall not be summoned to
appear, and in fact giving him money to go
of. and providing national armed vessel 10
carry him to France at the public expense =
That the administration should affect to have
detected plot in which our own citizens are
vaguely mplicated-should by their. own act
bring into question the fidelity to the union,
of large proportion of a very large and most
important section of the empire-should then
by pre-concertion with the spy they have
bought the information from, take measures
to prevent any investigation of the matter !;
should deliberately and wilfulIy expose one
Dart Of the nation to the odium and suspicion
of the rest, and take away at the same time all
chance OF detecting guilt or establishing limo
cency; should at the very eve of a contest
which they profess design to comence, exas-
perate immeasurably and incurably those very
heart burnings, which it should be most their
interest and wish to allay--all this demon
strates degree of folly SO monstrous, that
can conceive nothing more grievous or alarm
ing. AS far as the English government is
concerned, its conduct is on exactly similar
principle with that of our own administration
in regard to East Florida-where we have
had two agents, who appear to have succeed
ed much better thansJo ohm Henry In the Eas-
tern States The ninth section OF the constl-
tuition provides that no money shall be drawn
from the treasury, but In consequence OF ap'
nropriations made by law. There is no law
which by any forced construction, can sane
ton the payment of the fifty thousand dollars
given to John Henry.
For my friends, who have so generously
supported me in times of difficulty, against
the denunciations, prescriptions and persecu
tons of certain persons Styling tbemselve:
republicans, but whose actions poiiute the
narne) shall ever entertain the warmest at
lection and regard.
Iremain. your friend, sc.
EDWIN GRAY.
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