Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-02-20

4
Fl" rni,our members to act upon very enlarg-
:" ed view OF thiugs we shah at length iu-
" faihbly degrade our national representati-
" on into a confused and scuffling hustle of To-
" cal agency."--if "tae popular member"
be "narrowed in his IDEAS, and rendered IL
mid his acknowledgement should
choose their servants on the principles Of
mere obscqulonsness, and Feasibility, and
:" total vacancy or indifference of opinion, on
all public uiattcrs then no part of the state
"will be sound, and it will be in vain TO think
" OF saving it.
what, gentlemen, was I not to foresee,
or foresceing, was not to endeavor TO save
''you from all those multiplied mischiefs and
disgracess Would the little, silly, canvass
prattle OF obeying Instructions, and having
I" no opinion but yours, and such idle sense
=" less tales, which amuse the Vacant ears of
Z" unthinllng men, have saved you from " the
peitings OF that pitiless Storm" to which
the loose improvidence. the cowardly rash
ness OF those who dare not look danger in
the face, so as to provide against it in time
have exposed this degraded nation, beat
down and PROSTATE on the earth, unshel-
tered, unarmed, unresistingl
Instead OF requiring it fromme, as n point
'" ot duty TO kindle with your passions, had
+" you all been as COOL as was, you would
have been saved disgraces and tlistresses
=" thae-are unutterable--It is not your fond
desires or mine, that can alter the nature
=" OF things; by contendng against which,
" whathave we got, or shall ever get, but
Z" defeat and shame did not obey your in
% stractionsl No, conformed to the instruc-
lions of truth and nature, and maintained
your interest against your opinions, with a
constdncy that became inc. A represen-
tatiye, worthy OF you, ought to be person
OF stability am tolook, Indeed, to your
opinions; but to such opinions as you, and
must have five years hence. was not
tolook to the fash of the day. knew that
" you chose me, in my place along with o.
thers to be pillar Of the state, and not a
weathercock on the top of the edice, ex-
" aited for my levity and versatility, and of
-" no use, but.to indicate the shiftings of eve
ry fashionable gale"
Towards the Conclusion of this speech, a.
gain, adYerting to the charge of having DISC
beyed Instructions, he says, GAS to the opini-
:" on OF the people, which sumo think, in such
cases, is to be implicitly obeyed, near two
years OF tranquility, which followed the act"
lreaning the act for the relief ofthe Roman
Cafheiics9 land its instant imitation in Ire
" land, proved abundantly, that the late hor-
rible spirit, was, in a great measure, the
effect OF insidious art, perverse Industry,
and gross misrepresentation But suppose
" that the dislike had been much more gene
raj than am persuaded it was, 7vhen 4ve
" k71oSv thRf the opinions, even of the great
" est multitudes are the standard of rectitude,
shall think myself obliged to make those
opinions, the standard of my conscience
he, anticipates with hrmness, an unfavor-
able. event of the depending election. Allud-
ing.to the threat of the day, he adds" But
' III possess all this polite stubbornness,, /
may chance never 70 be elected into parli-
ament 1t is certainly not pleasing to be
: put cut OF the public service. But i wish
TO be member of parliament to have my
share, or doing good, and resisting evil. 1t
would, therefore, be absurd to renounce nv
objects, IL order to retain my seat. de- 1
:" ce1ve myself, indeed, most grosslJ if had
" not much rather pass the remainder of my
iie,' III the hidden recesses of the deepest
: obscurlty, feeding my miEd even with the vi
y sions and imaginations of such things, than
to6e tantalize6 with denial IF the prac-
tlce OF all which can make the greatest ST.
tuatlon any other than a curse"
II is,lndeed, true thathe was not reelected.
lie had alarmed the commercial jealousy of
city near the shore of the Irish channel, by
extending, to bordering oppressed Kingdom,
commercial privileges, which had been long
most unlustly withheld; he had extended to
the Persecuted Catholics some relief from the
intolerance of the Church of England, and a.
harmed the pride and offended the bigotry of
high toned Churchmen. He had done more
thap all; he had offended the pride of opini-
On.
(To be Contnued.)