Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-08-27


lIaCe OF brigadier gchcr,i Bi32mfsM 1u
ct ms see in what way the appointment vi
)rig .licr general ARMSTRONG has been effect
I'd /, Is, u be sure, a small affair, Dul ~.
DC productive 1T Important consequences, M
I,nIcl Is IL may afford data upon which |
presidential electors may ground their votes, |
ut the ensuing election.
Ii is well known, that after general .ArM- |
Str0ag'S return from France, it was ann4unc- |
ed that, disguised with The present adulnis
sration, IL had retired into private lire. Ii
was aGt, rward, given out, but upon what au
'h0ri.y we Cannot say, that he had written Al
philippe against Mr.. Madison. winch would
snake to its centre the popularity OF the pre-
Sdent. 1t was, indeed, sui further intimat-
d, that the book WAS actually printed, and
ready for publication, whenever the general
ngnt think it goud policy tn send it abroad.
If so, 1t has Stree been suppressed for real
,pns which ii does notrcquire the aid of witch
craft To divine.
That rumors of these things reached the
ears of Mr. Mails IN, is ccr,ain--and that they
alarmed him for the safety Of his popularity,
Knowing as he did, the vgor of the generals
pen, may be inferred from the manner in
which brigadier general Armstrong has re-
ccived his appointment.
We expressly declare, that our object i'm
stating the following facts is to convince our
readers that Mr.. Madison is destitute of the
irmnes> md energy of CHI racter essentll To
the hlci m ;gistrate of tne republic. We
believe what we assert to be true. If it is
not SO, any contradiction, from any of the
parties concerned, if couched Indecent terms,
will nc cheerful.y admitted int our columns
frr " hatever she malice of our foes may de-
wise to the contrary, truth is our guide, and
the public gnId our our aim.
We assert, then, that general Armstrong
has been appointed t. the office Of brigadier
general, upon Conditions degrading To the
administrator and which alone prove il in
Competent t. Conduct the affairs of the Uni
t d States.
In he first place, Jud e Spencer and Mr.
lehkms, our secretary 1T state, either intly
or SeveralD wrote ~ the secretary If war,
| 'egrctting, i'll strong terms, that gentleman
| vt general armstrong; well known military
talents and reputation sh aid have been -
| erlnoked 80 the great mh.tary appointments
Of the c untry. Whether they expressly re-
commanded his appointments a. maj zen
er'i, 30 not, Is imnaJeria 1t is certain.
however, thatin reply, the secretary a war
inf ed them that gene al Armstrong; uid
MT be appointed najor-geueral, but that
ne office of brigadler general nigh; De pro-
! cured f,r him, ii he would accept IL. l. this
Mr. Jenkins or j dye opencc. or D th II
them, replied, that general Armstrong would
| rece,' the appointment OF brigadier gene al.
provided certain conditions were cumpiied
with on the part OF 5he admin ,tratiun, a.
hat he should not be under the m . an
{, ar in other terms receive 0tders from. 5,
N j0r general, DuJ from the executive Or
yar Department. alone:
That he should cheese the place Of HIS
go a. AttH
Thar he chose 20 command the station at
Newly
To THESE degrading conditions, the admin
istration assented, and general .4rnsstr2ag-
received accordingly, the mmSsiom of brl-
gadier generai-and governor BLoon,feld
was sent home, {" put good face as lie
could, upon his harlequin translation from
Trenton to New York and back again
90 that miEe enemy had written book. %
wa> the ejaculation If pious ancient But
this was not the prayer OF Mr. Madison, or
general Bloomfield would still h. rom
mandod our metropolis, without disappo mt
ment or modification and we should n, t
have witnes cd the phenomenon nf military
candidate debating to the chief magistrate
of a great and powerful republic, the terms
upon which he would condescend to receive
commission in his country's service
Had the Senate of he United = ates known
of The conditions upon which general .4,D,-
string, received his nomination, would they
nave ratified it ? not we be-
lee they never would have -onsentcd t.
the appointment -. ., however ele
waited in talents and character, upon conditi
ons degrading u the executive, insulting to
the military authorities OF higher grade, pre-
vinusl, appointed, subversive OF ali military
rank and subordmation, and consequently
repugnant To every principle Of our cITiI d
military institutions.
NIB dy perhaps can justly censure gene
raj armstrong; for taking advantage of Il e
weakness. imbeciify and fcars,of ,he adol
nistration, To answer his own purppses.-
He had und ubtedly right to make the
best bargain he could for himself d We
think it probable that so much had the hHan
tom # his book distu bed the dreams IF on,
illuStrious president that any hoSt but the
cafnoL would have Bonn surrendered. soon
er than the book HSetfshould have made is |
appearance
Besides, it was thought at Washington,
that general -frmstrong would unite IN sup
porting Mr. CfatoH's election. This was ar |
other source of alarm at the catiitoi, ard we |
have no doubt facilitated an appointment, in !
the very teeth Of the constitution, the nonors |
of which are to flow spontaneously m the |
channels of virtue, worth and talents, and not |
TO be ertorted upon degrading conditions, be |
the virtue, the worth, and the talents OF the |
candidate ever 50 great But with an al. |
capable # insulting the mem |
ny of the departed CLINTON the vcpei able |
dead, at he board Of national iestivity we /
have no reason 20 be disappainted when We |
find them trucking to the i,ipg, and dispen-
sing the honors of the constitution upon terms |
ut war with every principle taa constitutes