Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-12

of obtaining a wiser anu oe'.o'
yernment. The cry has been' tilat
war is declared. and all opposition
should therefore be hushed. a sen
timent more unworthy OF a Tree
country can hardly be propaga,ed.
Ii this doctrine be admitted. rulers
have only to declare war and they
are screened at once frem scrutiny.
At the very time when they nave
armies at command, when their pa
tronase is most extended, ana tier
power most formidable, not a wof"
of warning, OF censure, OF alarm
must be heard. The press, wnlch IS
to expose inferior abuses, must not
utter Que rebuke. one indignant COM
plant, although. our best interests
and most valuable rights are put TO
hazard, by an unnecessary war. Al
NIT this doctrine. let rulers onceknow
that by placing the country in a
state of war, they place themselves
beyond the only power they dreaa'
the power Of free discussion, and we
may expect war without end. Our
peace and all our interests require,
that different sentiment prevail:
We should make oar present ana all
future rulers feel, that there is no
measure, for which they must rem
derso solemn an account to their con-
stituents, as for a declaration OF war;
that no measure Will be so freely. so
fully discussed and that no admi-
nistration can succecd.in pursuading
this people to exhaust their trea-
sure and blood in supporting war,
unless it be palpably necessary and
just. In war then, as in peace, as
sert the freedom of speech and Of
the press. Cling to this, as the bull
warA Of al your rights and priv
leges.
But, my friends. I should not be
faithful, wereI only to call yon to
hold fast this freedom. would still
more earnestly exhort you not to IT,
bnse it. Us abuse may be as fatal
to our coaatry as its REIMBURSEMENT.
Every blessing may. by perversion.
be chanSedinto a curse, and this is
peculiarly true Of the press. fun
directed. unrcstraincd by principle,
the press, instead of cnlishtenins,
tcpraves Tie public mind and. by its
RIGHTEOUSNESS. forges chains for it
self and for the community. The
right of free discussion is not the
right OF saying what We please. what
our passions prompt not the right
Of diiiusing faIsehood and evil prin-
ciples.-No,hing is to be spoken or
written but The truth. & truth is 80 to
be expressed, that the bad passions Of
the community shall not be called
forth, or at least shall not be un-
necessarily excited. From what
wretcEedness would our country be
saved, were these simple rules OBJ
served. On political subjects, there
is less regard to truth. more OF false
eolouring and exaSgeration, than Oh
any 0thcr. The influence OF the
pressis very much diminished by its
gross and frequent misrepresenta
tons. Each party listens with dis
trust to the statements of the othe"
and the consequence is, that the pro
gress Of truth is slow, aud sometimes
wholly ohsiructcd. Whilst we en-
courage the free expression Of opini-
en-, let us unite ia fixing the brand Of
infamy On faisehocd and SANDER,
wherever they originate; whatever
be the cause they are designed to
maintain.
But it is not enough that truth be
told. It should be told for a good
end: not to irritate hut to convince;
net to ini!ame the bad passions, but
to sway the Judgement and to ava
ken sentiments of patriotism. Tn
this country. political! discussion has
decidedly an unhappy influence on
the temHcr. Many talk and write
for The simple purpose of woundins
their opponents. There are, com
paratisely. few attempts to moIlify.
Those who have embraced error are
confirmed. hardened in their prinei-
pies, by tie reproachful epithets.
which are heaped upon them by
their advcisaries. LIDO rot mean by
this. that political discussion is to be
conducted with a frisid tameness,
t,l::at no sensibiiity is TO be expressed,
30 Indignation to be poured forth on
wicked men and wicked deeds. But
this L mean, that We should delihe-
rateiy inquire, whether Indignation
In J,cn.ynJ hnrnra %yo nyn,ncr II