The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-28

and to the world, to stand Ey and supnort /
the executive government, to call into ae-
ton the whole force of the nation to repel |
such insults, and to assert and maintain the !
rights, the honor and the interests of the
u, So
What a mighty spirit of honor and in
dignation is here exhibited against Bril-
fish minister upon whom, by in Alteration, an
intention to insult the honor of the exccu-
tive, had been fastened. Now mark the
astonishing, the ingiorious contrast--an in
jury compared with which, the petty Of
fence OF the British minister changes its
character and becomes applause, has been
offered to our executive by the mushroom
dcspot ct France. How has il been rcceiy-
ed by the cabinet In silence, in poor,
mean spirited silence-nay, every effort has
been made to cover it from the American
people, and to conceal it from the world.
For more than one year, the executive has
thus borne the basest insult which was
ever offered to an Independent, people. In
the mean time, what has been the conduct
OF this house and CT congress! Whether
astonished at the same endurance of the
president, or resolved 10 share with him
the disgrace, | know not-they too have
been sienced.
No clustering resolutions have appeared
no expression of northumberland even
now when the minority, forced by the in
ertness OF the majority, have stepped for
ward, resolved to prcscn. the subject in its
naked truth, and 10 call on the executive
10 wipe the dishoper from his own charac-
ter, and to yindicatc the purity of this re-
public, how are they met? Every covert
obstruction is thrown in their way-and al
though the majority shrink from open re-
sistance to this honorable course, vet no eff
Fort is left untred to render it futile and
oDavaillng. Mr.. Speaker do insults and
injuries change their nature with the
change OF persons who inflict them Is
an English insult one thing, and French
insult different thing Is the one afro
cious, and to be resisted and resented
"with the whole force Of this nation" and
IL the other innocent and to be borne with
patience and submission (?
When British minis ter +" insinuates an
insult" IS this government TO kintlle a con-
Migration through this nation, threatening
10 consume not only him, but our own hap
Illness and peace; and is The same govern
fnent to bare its back to the ss scorpion
LASH of French despot, to receive with
composure and Silent submission, the pal
pablc calumnies, the barefaced insults of
his mushroom ministers
Let gentlemen examine well the ground
on which they are ,reading.
There are thousands and hundreds of
thousands Of this people, who do believe
that your councils are contaminated by the
influence and guided by the hand OF France.
For series of years they have bcheld, or
they think they have behcitl, the band OF
the despot in our affairs. They have seen,
Or they think they have seen, their o.overn
mcnt the unressting dupe of French in
trigue, the tame object of French insult
and injury If it so please YOU, call these
men tolies-call them the friends of Eng
land--call Them the victims of deiusion-
call them what you will, still, until you
'' can rail their judgments from their
minds or until your councils change, such
will continue their honest belief By re-
jecting these resolutions you fix their OPT
Mons forever. II they are deluded, YOU
establish their deluson beyond the posi-
biity Of removal. On the other hand, if
you pass these resolutions, and,if in conse
quence thereof, the president shall dis
solve the darkness, shall step forth to the
public pure and unspotted-if he shall
evince that he has felt and acted as it be-
came the chief of high minded and free
people if he has repealed and resented the
base imputation, happy beyond measure,
happy will be the consequences Of this pro-
ceeding. On my conscience, Ibclieve it
will go farther to destroy all suspicion
of French influence, it will GO farther 10
restore confidence to the executive than
any other mean that could have been select.
ed.
(Debdte TO be continued. }