Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-30
From the Connecticut Courant.

CoBGREss.-In our democracy Tor such has
our government become, in fact, though not
in theory the first object OF the leaders is to
retain their power Hence the present popu-
lar passions and prejudices, rather than the
public good, necessarily become their guide.
The great question with them, is not what will
best promote the general interests OF the
whole community, but what will the best con-
duce to give solidity and duration to their own
power. Hence, frequently by kind of under
current, they are driven forward much further
than they themselves would wish to go
Hence also, by currents running II opposite
or oblique directions, they are tossed hither
and thither, like leaves upon the foamlng
waves of the sea- In short they not only have
their own passions and prejudices to manage,
which would be enough for them in all con-
science; but they must also take council of
the passions and prejudices of the miriads of
their followers.
The foregoing remarks may perhaps In
some measure account tor the strange pheno-
mena displayed at the city of Washington, in
the present session of the Congress. It's be-
lieved that our administration only wishes
for the continuation, the extension, and the
more rigid enforcement of the restrictive sys-
TEN, rather than for war ard this too is pro-
baby the secret wish of the majority of the
orthodox democrats. They well know that a
war with England, unprepared and vulnerable
as our country is, might, ere long PROSTATE
their party and that the restrictive system,
vigorously enforced, and eked out till per-
mission were given by France to antie the
knot,-would satisfy the French emperor, by
making his own continental system "com-
tlete," as he had peremptoriy declared it
should be, a short time before the American
embargo was laid on. 1t is very evident, that
in one particular the democrats are well o.
nited they are generally determined at any
rate 70 keep we'll with Bonaparte-so from
affection for mother France-others through
fear of the great nperor; as those thae think
it safest 10 hug up close to the heels OF a
kicking horse. In the mean while there is
division amongst them as to the means OF
accomplishing their joint purpose. There
are those who, not willing to wait the slow
operation of the restrictive system to bring
down ENGLAND, are red hot for war with her;
and how TO get along with them, is the great
point of present difficulty. They have given
no small uneasiness to the fle-leaders, as ap-
pears from one sentence in a speech of Mr..
Chairman Porter, VINO, in a moment Of pet
tishness, complained of "the AozvHngs Of the
newshahers for .var !" comparing those ex-
cellent patriots, the editors of the aforesaid
newspapers to dogs. 1t is questionable, how
ever, whether that nncourteous rebuke will be
found sufficient to stop the holdings of all of
them; soh might have been better
II hac heen the practice of orr administra
ton, for several years back, to put on the ap:
pearance of a great degree of energy in Public,
and to repress it in f'ivate thus throwing
the odium ofrejeetins energetic measures up