Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-04-13
TIE NAVY.

i ma L.
us rumored that this subject has created
- deadly schism among the Great Folks
washington schism almost as bitter as
!. ..nsed BY the memorable Yazoo specula-
All the Young democratic members who
s. Oot obtained their seats by ridiculous cla-
S, against a naval establishment, tcel the
,..cs;tv for such force, and express their
..o,ents with unresewed freedom. They
% the absurdity of talking about defending
.ommerce by means CT standing armies. On
4, other hand, the Old School Republicans
,,e ashamed to give the slightest countenance
nubst they have so often declared dangerous
nEberty, aristocratic, ruinous. By such de-
Carnations, they obtained the confidence ofthe
people; and it is MOTTO be expected that pure
ustriots will change their opinions at the ha-
ssd Of their places.
Notwithstanding the f.brications of Callen-
Der and other hired writer's, the people of the
u States were never more prosperous or
more happy than they were in 1899. At that
tine the farmer was we'll paid for his produces
aadthe merchant for his enterprise. The
commerce. of our country extended to every
region, in spite of the pitiful threats of the
French government, whose vassals more than
once experienced the effects of American skill
md yalor on the ocean. The name of ali A
msrican was then Justly dear to every patriotic
bosom, and was proudly boasted of aud re-
.pected in all parts of the civilized world.
Contrast this with our present situation
Abused, insulted, plunderet, not only by the
great powers Of Europe, but even, -ajas, now
Isthe mighty fallen by the petty negro
thlsftain of St. Domingo. How could change
\ 50 disastrous have been effected,-and what
could have induced the American people to
withdraw their confidence from men under
whose superintendent their affairs were ma
tagged with such unexaupled success The
eSSerls obvious: our country unfortunately
"atalned within It's hosptable bosom a set OF
Oacc,hunters who were determined to spare
10 exertions to raise themsei, cs to lucrative
i PAGES, and enrich themselves at the eXpencc
@an unsuspicious people. For this purpose
'Ts OF all sorts were industriously circulated !;
''a the Treasury books were garbled to an
WEI the most nefarious designs. The peo-
F'Vere promised golden days, if they would
q >@NSS their oppressors. The dcmagogues
SSosth succeeded 1t was the triumph of
wv and treachery over deluded simplicity.
'usl has been the result Commerce has
~ almost annitnlated, either by extravagant
,Sa'ss or deliberate hatred; and the name
q - American, so far from being an enviable
ueaon, IS now laughingstock, re-
'SS0,a "bye-word among the nations"
'1tne year 1899, we had 42 vessels of war,
a Sun-Ooats, to creep along shore and de-
d'elr own crews,-but vessels, capable OF
4SSllng and chastising an enemy. These
! NE delight of every seaman from these
y not shrink with instructive horror, as #
J" De lncarcerated in dungeon, or as if
,,,n O'As to the grave. In that year the re-
d. amounted to Sl2,549, 5sl dollars, and
N, pen1ltnres to S lJ0o4,965. In the year
l,.', "nen Mr.. Jefferson was elevated to the
a.. tcy' we had only 20 vessels of war;
ID !, s0ue amounted to s l2.4I8,o7s dollars,
&. Apenditures to S lbs52,5S4 !; that is,
d ~. fsnaltures Of that year exceeded those
'a'er year more than half million Of