The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-07

tratc an opportunity, (Which opportunity.-
TO be sure, might have been takenl to ac.
quit himself by his ozun mere denial of RE
charges, and thus iDculpate his imperial
accuser, who has officially promulgated, +
trust, an unqualified untruth, vitality affect.
ing the honor of government! This plaia
proposition presented to the minds of gen.
tlemen, could they doubt or hesitate in
their decision Forced, driven to the all
tentative of flying in the face of impe rial
ire, and the unavoidable degradation Of
submitting to an allegation of treachery to
this people by their rulers, it was but rea-
sonable to expect prompt decision in ia
vor OF the call for Information. AS much
as gentlemen might excel in the art Of
making the worse appear the better rea-
son." (and we had ABUNDANT proof that skill
tul sophists were on the foor) it was not
in the power of human ingenuity, sophistry
itself could not vary the true simple state.
ment of the case. The resolutions reject
edsor So altered as to defeat the fair pur.
pose OF their honorable mover, the cali for
particular information refused, and the in.
terence was Irresistible: the mind of man
could not resist it--a verdict of guilty
would be pronounced, against administra.
uon by the grand inquest of the nations
On the other hand, let the president con.
front his accuser, and officially deny the
official declaration of the duke of Bassano,
anu the national character would be in SO
much retrieved, the honor of administra-.
ton in so far INDICATED. For himself.
MIR ii. said, he could not help thinking, as
an american he could not help hoping, the
French minister would be convicted Of a
wanton, groundless official faisehood.-s
Guilt rested somewhere, and he himself
hoped 1t could be fastened on France.
Mr.. Hanson said, that Faber in his
sketches of the internal state Of France"
Ia book which ought to be in the hands of
every cluzen OF this and any other country
said that In France was exhibited the.
most extraordinary phenomenon, ever
| known, moral prodigy unexampled in tho
history of man kind, which was " the res
gular systematic elaborate organization oe
falsehood as the basis of the government
and the soul of all its public acts. Now.
SIT, said he, when the question is put whe.
Their this government will exhibit to the
world the evidence to sustain this declare.
ton, at least as far as ADMINISTRATION III
concerned, and so demonstrate to the world
the fraud and rank corruption Of the mill.
tary despotism so well described by thu
author mentioned, or tacitIy admit the ims
PutatIon against the president of having
| betrayed the people and truckled to tvs
| rant, there should he no division upon tho
question jealous enthusiastic rivaIre
should be displayed by the two parties in
the house In rallying round the honor OF
their own government. 1t was but reaso.
nable to expect that few, very few, would
be found hardy enough to vote in the ne.
gative.
asa fdrty man, am free to confess,
said Mr.. Hanson, it will be the cause of no
great agony of grief with me, to see the re.
solutions rejected. But love of country.
the great and sole foundation of all public
virtue, cheerfully yields the triumph, which
such vote would assure to the minority.
You, SIR, are not now to be informed thai,
thousands and hundreds of thousands Of
the free enlighted people of this republic.
Judging from the mysterious acts of admis
nistratIon, the constant and lin my Judge.
menO abominable practice of suppressinp.
Information, and curious coincidence in
our measures, and those OF a foreign power,
are firmly persuaded, if not rivetted in the
opinion, that the destinies of this nation
are directed by a distant hand. They know
that France, ever since her regicidal era,
when the mild and amiable Louis was
butchered, has afrogated and haughtily exc
ercised the iight.of superseding, by code
OF her own, all the sacred and recognized
principles OF the laws of nations--this
france that lawns over her prey, and courts
whom she designs to destroy whose an.
nails OF perhdy, usurpation and blood have
6iotted the history of man, and at last pro-
yoked the wrath of the Almighty whose
arm has been made bare to smite the mon.