Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-26

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ths most sedulou. assidaity; as the
means Of making men forge.tal 0! .Ihsl'
rue interests. and obedient 10 their en-
pioyers !. in spite of their na'usa
iudices, and inclinations. ~,
II is natural to enquire, what are tne
projects connected with cabinet mus
composed, and to what ends II Is az
yancipg. 10 answer this question u IS
necessary to look into the nature anu .s
lations Of things. Here the troe ' n
rions of Judgment are to be found. ,. rso'
LESSONS are always plausible. WHY Wy
sir, Bonaparte himself, is the very mllk
of human kindness; he is the greatest
lover of his species in the world ne
would not hurt sparrow, II you .ahe
bis own account Of the matter. What,
then, do nature, and the relations OF
things teach They teach this, that the
great hazard, in a government where
the chief magistracy is elective IS ITO"
the local ambition If states ana inc per-
sonak ambition Of indtoiduais. 1t Is no
reflection upon any state to say, that "
is ambitious. According to their op'
portunities and temptations, all states
are ambitious. This quality is as much
practicable OF states, as of individuals -
Indeed state ambition has its root in the
same passions of human nature, and de-
rives it's strength from the same nutrl'
ment as personal ambition. All history
shews that such passions always exist
among states, combined in confedeFa-
cies. To deny it is to deceive ourselves.
1t ha. existed, it does exist, and always
must exist. IN our political relations
as in our personal, we then walk most
safely, when VIC walk with reference to
the actual existence of things; admit
the weakness, and do not hide from our
selves the danger to which our nature is
exposed. Whatever is true, let US con-
fess. Nations, as we'll as individuals,
are only safe, in proportion as they at
tain sef.kn0svledge and regulate thelr
conduct by it.
What Tact, upon this point. does our
own experience present It presents
this striking one-that, taking the years,
for which the Presidential chair is alrea-
dy filled, into the account, out oftwe"fy-
eight years. since our eonstifutton vas
established, the singie state Of Virginia
has furnished the President, .jor twenty.
four years. And, farther, it is now as
distinctly known, & Familiarity talked a.
bout in this city and vicinity, who is the
destined successor Of the present Presl-
dent, after the expiration Of his ensuing
term, and known that he too is TO be
Viryinian. as it was known and familiar.
ly talked about, during the Presidency
of Mr.. Jefferson, that the present Presi.
dent was to be his successor. And the
former was, and the latter is, a subject
Of as much netoriety, and to human APP
pearance Of as mach certainty too, as
who will DC the successor to the British
crown is matter of notoriety IN that
country. Re secure this succession and
keep it in the destined line, has been, is,
and will continue to be, the main object
of the policy of the men. This is The
hoint on which .hc projects Of The cabinet
for the three years fast haze been 6ro't
to bear-that James The first should be
made to continue four years longer. ind
This is the hoint on 'shlch The frgeefs Of
the cabinet will be brought TO 5earfor the
three vears 10 come-that Jumes The &C.
cond shall be made 10 succeed, according
to the fundamentnlreserit Of the Msn-
tceNian dynasty.
11r. Quincy was, here, again called to
order. The Speaker said that, really,
the gentleman laid his premises so re-
mote from his conclusions, that he could
not see how his observations applied to
the bill.
Mr.. Quincy proceeded. On the con.
;rary, sir, l maintain that both my pre-
misses and conclusions, are very proxi-
mate to each other and intimately con-
nected with the bill on the table; and
with the welfare of this people.
Is it not within the scope of just de-
bate to shsw, that the general policy of
the cabinet, and that also this particular
project have for their object the asgran-
dizement of the cabinet themselves or
some member of it (? If this be the oh.
Iect Of the bill, is it not proper to be ex.
hibited The topic may be of a nature,
high and critical, but no man can deny,
that it is both important and relevant
To secure the power thsy at present
possess, to perpetuate it in their own
'ands, and to transfer it to their select
cd iavorltes, is the great pro ect Of the
policy the members of our cabinet
IL would be easy to trace to this master I
passion, the declaration Of war, at the
Tine, and under the circumstances, IT,
which it occurred. Antecedent to the |
&c