Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-30

leratcd in England, then, as the Ordinary
period OF human;iife is TO four years,.so
muck stronger would be the reasons IN
that country for acquiescing lmplic3iy
in the measures of the administration
But the truth is, no man has bad the
| hardwood to breathe such sentiments In
that country. 1t has been reserved LOT
men calling themselves republicans I'D
the last asylum of civil liberty, 70 re-
vive and propagate the exploded doc-
trine. of passive obedience and nom
resistance. In Great. Britain foreign
war, instead Of bunting, frequently
/ ,sharpens the edge of opposltion' no
| people of this state were certainly
| dissatisfied with Mr.. Madison Previ-
| Gus to the declaration of war, and they
manifested this dissatisfaction by hold.
ing up another candidate. Now, II war
| is to silence all discussion, to extin-
| guish all opposition, and to remove we'll
| founded objections, then all that is ne,
cessary for president to do dSslrous OF
a reelection, is, so to conduct our TO-
reign negotiation as to bring about a
war. Is not this doctrine heldlng out
premium for turpituGe, and opening
| flood-gale for the introduction OF all pos
| sible calamties. And here permit usto
remark. that the President has always an
ample opportunity Of exasperating our
| differences, and embltterlng eur amino
sites with foreign nations. He may, by
dexterous management involve rs IN
war, almost at any period of his adml
| nistration; andthis extensive and almost
unlimited power over our foreign nego-
| cations, we are induced to consider as
one of the vulnerable parts OF our con-
stitution. Bot why should war deprive
us of the full exercise of our elective
franchise Ofall events it is the most
interesting to individuals and to nstions
II brings in its train such multitude ct
evils, and is the prolific parent Ut 50 ma
nv crimes and eslamities, that OF all hu-
man concerns it is the most important.
If il is to be referred to the foreign GO
yernment with whom we are IN hostility,
it is also to be referred to ourselves; 1t
has an inferior as well as an exterior
bearing. We are not to be deluded by
the ar,i6ce SO continually practised, ct
confounding the government OF coun-
try with the administration OF that 60
! vernnent. The government ought at
all times TO be supported; and the admi
nist-stier only when they act right. The
government is the social compact, the
charter of our liberties, the palladium OF
eur safety. The Naturalization are the
rulers selected by the people in the ex-
erciss Of their elective franchise fer
definite period; and they must be kept
| within the paths ofduty by the multita-
rious checks engrafted in every free con-
stitution.-They are to be checked by
the coordinate branches OF the govern
ment, by the people At elections, and by
the sovereign control of public opinion,
enlicited by freedom of discussion and
investigation"
=" When the people are aggrieved by
the misconduct of their rulers, the only
legitimate remedy is to be sought in the
ballot boxes, and if they fail in one g.
lection, i. Is their duty to persist in other
succeeding elections until redress is OBJ
tanned The choice Of . President does
not necessarily determine the future
conduct Of the administration. Con-
gress are independent of his control, and
| the state Authorities move in another or
biz. A strong expression Of public o.
pnion at elections, whether 1t operates
directly BY the removal ofthe unworthy
ruler, or indirectly by the displacement
OF his supporters, is the best corrective
| Of public men, and the only constitution
al safeguard of the rights and interests |
of the people. Mr.. Madison's power !
to inure the country may be effectuallv |
confronted by the choice OF patriotic * !
enlightened men in congress and the !
several state governments, who will ar.
rest him in his career of error, and COM
pei him to devote the functions OF his |
Office to the good Of his country"
1t concludes in the following animated
manner:
In case so simple and clear, and
when we are called upon to decide, whe-
Their we shall obey the rescripts issued
from Washington, or the solemn injunc-
tons Of patriotism; whether we shall
follow the light of our own understand
ings or pursue the stimulated veice OF
our party, We shall not hesitate as to
our line of conduct. We shall not sup
port the election of DANIEL d TOM
KINs and JOHN TAYLOR, because they
are brought forward and recommended
as the partisans Of the cabinet at WASH
ington becanse it would give the lie to
all our past professions, and dishonor US
in our own eatimatieA and in the opinion
of mankind bscaase at the lass presi-
dental election, they evinced cold
neutrality, or an insidious hostility, in
defiance of the almost unanimous sense