Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-12-14

| From the Louispille G Correspondent.
! Query 9. Do our present officers
trust in an arm Of flesh, or in the
God Of armies, who led the immortal
Washington ID ,istory aad military
/ (aHd we hone 70 immortaD Glory {
Did Washington profane and bias
pAeme the name Of almighty God !!
Did he lead by example his men to
the gambling tablet Was he known
in the act of iaebrity2 Did he say
by his conduct and tongue he had no
fear Of God before his eye.a Who
dare insult his peaceful dust with
such a eharsei Where then are
our officers ~ no tread in his sacred
stepss And may ne not cry out in
language similar 10 one Of old, and
ask where is the lord God of Wash
ington
Query 40. flour soldiers and par
ticutar our officers have not the
fear of God before their eyes; have
they the promise OF, Divine protec-
tion3 lfnot. can they hope on pro-
per ground fora conquest over their
enemies? sfthey cannot. do we not
at once discover tic canse why eur
armies are SO unsuccessful. Name
l., their trusting in themselves in
stead Of the living God, to whom
Wasliin. ton looked UP as bis pressr-
YER. his fore fro.t and rewarder.
Misunderstanding, Jehovah holds
the destiay OF nations in his hands:
yet lam far from believing that God
destines either tie fate OF Individu-
ais or nations, wi,hou regard TO their
obedience or disoI,ei:ieBcc; bat that
he does reward taem according to
their works. II may be said, on"
present as'versaries are equally wick
cd as ourselves. J ask, have they e.
been blessed with equal privileges
with us :? Ifnot, how can they sin
with equal agravation I What
crimes are committed in Europe, or
even in che savage nations, that are
not committed in America, and that
too by many of orr lending cllaras-
ters! How many of our magis-
trates are there who do not pro-
| fanely swear. get drank. gamble,
break the sabbath. discard divine
revelation, commit crimes that l
wonld blush TO Pen, and even de-
nv Tie e1istaGce of that God who
made them Yet strange ts Tell
these men are pun in authority TO sur
press practices of which they are the
principle ring leaders. Take view
Of ihc most efour assembIy-mcn, Our
senators, oar representatives. ia con-
gress, our chic. magistrates of states
anu OF tie United States, q ask hsw
many OF them in their individual ca
paeity look up toSSod and ask for d.
vine instruction. These, | grant are
hard saying, would to Ged could
Dip ny pen in ligilses eoiors. When
| the whale head is sick. is il any
wonder that The wiioie heart is faint
That We have teen greatly blessed
I grant, but the abuse OF those b!es-
si0gs are, | think sufficient TO pull
down the heavy judgments Of God
upsn our land. The 4th day of Ju-
ly kept in memory OF our indepen-
desee: is itkept as day Of thanks
giving to God for so great a bless
mgr Is ii not rather day Of gene
raj pollution to our land, while the
| conduct o! our citizens in general is
truly a disgrace to civilization, and
stranger no knew not the cause
of their assembling together would
| infer that they were sacrificing to
Devils instead of paying homage to
God. And yet after all our abomi-
nations, we lay claim to divine pro-
lection. t-such better might mon
guilty of high treason against eur
laws, claim protection from our 60
vernment-,yet such protection can
not he expected CONSTANT with strict
Justice, What He-ve may be pleas
ed to do for us in answer to the pray
ers OF few righteous souls, like
lot j will not pretend to predict
but this much / dare to say, however,
muc;I the virluous part Of our com
,uuany are rerifed by those who have
no sense of moral rectitudc. If it
vas not for them, like Sodom Of old,
cur land would soon be swept with
the bosom, cf destruction. For they
are the salt Of the earth to preserve
it from putriiaetiPn or destruction.
! NORFOLK, December 6.