Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-03-23

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in the current of conversation out Of doors,
reference is often made to American reyolu-
t;onary times and worthless, and lamentati-
oas uttered that the same kind of spirit and
the same sort OF men are no longer to be
found. Considerations of this sort furnish
strong argument in favor OF war; for If the
breed of great men and lofty minds be ex-
tinct, it is time to renew them by fresh con-
fiict. War tempers the human soul to firm
ness and magnanimity, and qualities il for G..
lsvated stations and great occasions.
Readers of newspapers must have obse<.-
we'd the noisy efforts of the leaders of the fe-
deral party to give eciat to certain institute
ons which they term " Hashinrton Bene-
voient .Socihies." The ostensiye object Of
these establishments is the education of poor
childoen; the real object is TO raise up &c
ration OF young men, who, feeling gratitude
to a particular political party for the instruc-
ton which they have received, it is expect
ed will adhere to and support the principles
of that party through lie. These instituti.
ons might hcreafterprove extremely danger
ous to civil liberty If it were not for the wis.,
dom of the Deity, who has So constituted hu-
man nature that wickedness is made to de-
feat its own projects or to punish its own mis-
chief Grateful, no doubt, the youth thus
educated would he, If it were possible for
them TO be so upon correct principle: But
the very education they NAV receive will
cniighten their minds, enable them to per-
ceive the blessings of freedom, and properly
appreciate those blessings. Il will also en-
able them to discern, that education bessow-
ed from a selfish political motive, cannot,
according to moral rules, operate to extort
gratitude which would go to ovcvturn repub-
lican principles of government. It is very
obvious, that there are several circumstai,-
ces connected with the mar lgement of these
Societies, which are incompatible with their
ostensive object. First Ifthey were intend
ed as Charitable Establishments, the harade
and ostentation with which they are conduct
cd are contrary to every maxim Of Charity
inculcated by Holy Writ. Secondly: The
name of Gen. Washington, although glorious
in itself, is not specially applicable to a Cha
ritable Society the attributes of the Gene
ral's character are heroic, and his name
would much better suit Military School.
Thirdly: In an Institution merely Charita-
BILE, politics have no proper place And to
these we may add, that as none but those
processing federal doctrines are admitted in
TO these Societies, they cannot be purely Cha
ritable, because Charity is certainly not con-
fined TO tederalists alone; and, to exclude
Republicans is to stint the Charity, which.
Itself, is an uncharitable thing. A more an
propriate name for these Societies would be.
we think, one which has been assumed by a
community at Salem, in Massachusetts, who,
in lately commemorating Gen. Washington's
Birth Day, drank number of vulgar toasts.
equally derogatory to the name Of that great
man and to the gentlemanly decorum of re-
verentiaI conviviality. This community style
themselves The Washington and FIamil-
ton Fire Cabs" We recommend the title
to the Washington Benevolent Societies, %
whose present incendiary spirit requires pre-
csely such name.
We have remarked the structures which
appeared in a late New-York Columbian
upon paragraph that was not long ago in
serted in the Argus, touching the lsneuage
OF the Columbian in relation to the system Of
taxes reported by Mr.. Secretary Gallatin.
il will be recollected that we said the con-
doctors OF the Columbian appeared to be as
numerous as they were 7vary. The stric-
lures OF Mr.. Holt render it proper to explain
this observation. On various. and rather
critical occasions, the style of the Columbi-
an has been altogether ambiguous: Now il
was Staunch, and now it wayered now !,
would support this man and nowit would sun.
port that man; and, like a duck with four
legs, it would walk first upon It's two proper
ones, and then turn over and walk mon the
other two There was, in fact, a fyg1f oI
HnJorm decision IF character, which rave
to the Columbian an aspect of 7varincss IN
assorted to the times and to the national in
terests. We had long marked tlfstrait, and
at length expressed it in print; and in ex-
pressing It, In order to eSculpate Mr.. Holt
from the iruputation Of cahyfciousness. we.
said that the conductors Of the Columbian
appeared to be numerous; for to what, but
60 a variety Of hedfs, could we decertly AZ
tribute such variety OF opinions and such o.
quivocal language! 1t seems, however. that
4" the Columbianis conducted by a siueIe =
ditor and proprietor" We shall not denv II
Mr. Holt has a right to speak for himself He
makes nevertheless, bad choice in diem
ma; for II he be the person that has writer,
all the opinions which, like phantoms, have
passed over his pages in quick succession for
six months past, then his mind is a cameleou
that changes its hue with the stuff il NAV
chance to feed on.
Ii Is not long since the Colombian was the
rampant advocate Of war. Nothing was toe
hot for its ardor; nothing too bloody for its
vengeance. War with Great Britain was n
be had at any price, because she had out
raged us to the last extremity. Here we
agreed with the ColumbEn. But when the
budget of taxes was announced, Mr.. Holt
said they would not answer We did not
Say they would. But we said that il war
was necessary, money was necessary
aud that whosoever agreed that war
was necessary and yet was dissatisfied
with Mr.. Gallatin's system, the person SO
agreeing and so dissatisfied, was bound to
produce better system. We hinted, at the
same time, that the Columbian might not
shiEk itself Sound to yfnd . sysfem, and