Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-27


Cav v;rfnc~ And another celebrated
historian observes, " that 1t is an immu-
,.hle law and one founded in nature,
that those who are superior in virtue,
become So likewise in power ana au'hs'
ri,y." :, ..,a.a
to religion its Just influence, dignity and
Importance; if pagans were assured OF
IT'S connection with the best interests OF
nations and individuals, should not We
who bear the stamp and image OF the
cross, who denominate ourselves cn!'s'
tians, look to this as the only genuine
and nevsr falling source of national ag
pr,ndisenent, collective and individual
Happiness ?-Yes, my Friends aud
Countrymen, that great Being by "hom
the hosts of Heaven are ruled, also
guides and directs the destlnies OF men:
If regardless Of his all seeing eye, we IN
our councils act as in6dels, as selt-cre-
ated beings, responsible to no one but
ourselves, be assured that national Gala
mites will inevitably follow when this
is the case, BE assured our liberties are
imminently, vitality endangered for
though the rose and the deadly night
shade may bloom and flourish under the
same climate, and in the same soil, the
tree of liberty must wlther * die. where
the noxious plant of infdelity dIffuses
lis deadly exhalations: they have ne
common nature, they delight in scpara-
zion. Let us then not be unmind.ul OF
of that kind s special Providence which
now presides over our destinies; OF Him
whose protecting wings lowered over US
10 the hour of great peril, who fought
our battles, broke the yoke of royalty,
and cut the cords of eur bondage, and
the wisdom and virtue Of whose tempo.
raj rulers, are but the feebly reflected
rays of his divine attributes. In our
prosperity, Fly cnuntrymen, let us be-
hold the kindness OF our heavenly Parent;
in our adversely, the merited chastise-
mcnt of our vice or our folly; let Us
build our hopes Of national prosperity
on the religion and morals of the people;
!et our maxim be, that nothing can be
durable HIGH is not erected on rhe so
lid end deeply laid foundation of virtue ="
With this maxim as our guide, we fol.
low the order of nature, we step in the
paths of WASHINGTON.
IfReligion be the main principle which
unites, upholds and energies govern
ment, especially of the republican form,
Education, il should be conceded is the
next in power and efficiency.
AS virtue imparts to the mind a dis
position to exert its energies FOR the ge-
reral good, education unioIds the means
by which this desirable end may be at
tanned, gives 10 the mental eye lucid
and comprehensive vision of all the re-
la,ions of man, and endaes it with the
faculty Of prying into the dark chaos OF
morals and prliIics, whence may be COL
leCted the elements Of governmental sci
ence, best adapted to the nature and &C.
Mus OF people.
At period when the virtuous max
ms Of ctr !orcfathers are deserted, or
their impulse but slightly felt; when
vice and corruption ere Fast attaining the
point of undisputcd domination; at time
when ignorance IS triumphansly seated
on the throne of veral power, & the snl
len sopbistry of Hobbs, the cold and RI
1iculous pyrrhonism of Hume, and the
learned nonsense Of Gallo p.Hlosopy, are
preferred 10 the sublime morality and
wholesome truths of Christianity /; when
men, crowned with their count.y's no.
nors, and eminen. in power and station,
have not blushed to enforce, both in pre-
cept and example, that dangerous and
most pHsposterous of doctrines, the dis
'iuCtian Helween moral and political vir-
tue ;sshcn this n'onater, sprung from in
adc!ity, nurtured BY state policy, and up
neld by The worst passions and preju-
dIces Of our nature. stalks forth frem the
hidden recesses Of its den. to the full
olrze of neon day, to poison apc corrupt,
we have abunda3t Cause. my country
men, to lament, bot need not be surpriz
d, that education, s. the seminaries for
me diffusion Of learning and science,
nave received bet little or no patronage,
and from some Characters, have even en-
ceuntered opposition and dcnuncia,ion.
It will not be requisite to dive into the
2rcana of political philosophy, nor need
we make laborious researches into the
history Of nations to arrive at the conclu-
sion, that The ignorance Of the people &
dcspot;su' arc nearly allied, and that in
intellectual darkness, tyranny has its best
security.
Education, as the friend of Religion,
IN dissipating the mists Of superstition.
as the fulcrum Of liberty, br enIarging
ne mind, and irnparting to US more ex
banded ideas of our dignity, more Just.
conceptions Of our rights. aud more de-
lnne opinions on the relations between