Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-01-11
RoR 7gs YlacIxIA .4RcUs.
TO THE PEOPLE OF HANOVER.
(" .HDDRESS'' or 2iR. NORRIS.
IN APPEAL FROM THE

Ho9kOw Citizens,
I Pardon me, if should seem too bold. II
prGsuming to address you. ever have been
so!citous for the people Of Hanover. but q
late eventh has made me most fearfuliy alive
, to their welfare, gor--uh the honor of my
country is the pride Of NY heart. AS am A
rpcrican can but feel for the interests q:
| ny conntry: As a Nirginan. veioice at the
I character my state has 50 long maintained
| and It's present rank and pTe-eniaence; but
! rs q citizen 1f Hanover, shan never &c asc
! 60 coil Tor its prosperity. ~ iu e'.entfui pe-
l Rod, when the feelings Of the nation were
! high, and wnen every Patriot sh ,uld nave
| stepped out, leRgued in the s.ue destinies
! with his country and It's liberties, YOU were
called upon "by Friend tn tue People, -
! 20 act that part, which only could have
Seen expected from YOU. II is most me
! lancholy reelection, thai no call was heard,
40 duty was performed. ! you'd wish 10
! forget, that WHEN so mitch demanded,
g21sye so much co be wished for, that there,
no Patriots appeared, no volunteers came
forward IN the cause of America. ., /
would wish to forget that bright era IN our
! History, when 1t was glorious to die in the
defence Of Independence, and when Hano-
Yer was in the vanguard of is champions.
had hoped that we should have preserved
the name We Inherit unsuliied, nor permit
ted our zeal and patriotism to DC arraigncd.
! J had thought that there was within us q
genius siuinberinF. not dead, which would
have prompted Us to deeds marked with the
stamp of freedom. But where are our he
rocs? While SO many are rallying around
the 40 flag of the Union" contcn,iiag Tor hn-
nor and glory; it would be most delightful,
If we 100 could commission little band Of
| warriors. Where Is that public spirit, hich
in tines like these, should beat IN unison
with che general pnlsc, scernnS the apos-
tate that would murmur disccrtent. " secms
thas we are divided amoUs ourselves, split
upon the rock of d'ssention; for an oppHsi-
tion ticket (unmcaning in itseiD has been
cNun' enanced, and an luveterate tederaist
an enemy to our administ, alton, and now
dares to solicit q scar in the national legs
lature. | do hope that there is redeemIng
spirit which, in this last trial, viii make Il
mends for the past, AND promise much Tor
the future--tOat Hanover, firm in the re
publican principles Of liberty viii never
swerve from her course, nor give its sane
| tion to Il Federal candidate.
Like some able advocate, versed in the
hackneye art Of deception, Mr. Morris nas
commenced his career with an address, the
product 4fa fertile mind, supported WITH a
boidnsss OF confession, uiilke duPiicity, ;t1d
enriched with an expression, happily Caicu-
lated TO please and 10 engage. And yet he
Will not do. What were the motives that
induced MIR. Morris to take this step / will
not suspect. / sincerely wish it May not
have been ambition, for If nee this monster
rears its crest, our misfortunes are then
complete. 1 pray ,hatlt may not be spi-
rit of opposition, sweeping Throughout the
range Of invention to devise some scheme To
thwart our views; for alas opposition is
| our bane But be his purposes wicked, or
be they charitable, let rs be upon our guard,
| lest we fall unwary dupes to his craft and
| ingenuity. | am opposed 10 Mr.. MOrTls, be-
cause he is AN invincible federalist, and his
| principles consequently, fundamentally rot
ten, l would damp che political ardor of
! MIR. Morris, because, if empowered, he viii
! try 10 purchase peaceby receding from the
| high grounds we have assumed and because
! since now we are engaged in war, each
honest patriot should give it his support,
! and concentrate, not distract the energies Of
the nation But my hostility is founded up
on many and weighty considerations. Let
a stranger read his address, and he would
! not know the man. tie would think him
| some animated orator, pleading the ijured
cause of his country--he would imagine
some high toned republican, so patriotic, as
I not not TO impede his county's course--sC
| noble as not Co SINK into a contemplate mi
nority, when right is The question--whea
war is declared, and the people have will
| ed it So" But trust me, fellow citizens, MIR
! Morris is not what he seems. He wears 8
c., CRADLE garb re cones among as vol
| clothed in the shepherds garment; he vii
impose upon credulity and spoil our hopes
! why is he so artful! Why wander from
/ the principles now in dispute, and shuB the
! points on which he must decide 10 unequivo-
| cal terms? Why beat around the BUSH
and talk pf constitutional principles, but dis
| gtiise himself On the topics OF the day?
/ hate the man who is not brave and indie
/ pendent iH his sentiments, and who will not
/ avow them, though it should blast him
! Why is freedom preciousp Why is a re
/ publican government 50 fondy cherished
+" But for the indeI Evidence ofthe soul"
Were the genius Of Mr.. Morris as sub
! lime as Olympus, and his mind 40 profound
/ as the deep yet should he practise quite he
! never should have my voice. Behold hi,
! cunnirg. lie says he Is pleased that all
Legitimate power should spring from TIC
! " people az large--hc adiuires that princl
80 pie which has placed the legislative, the
" executive and judicial powers iMdIicreui
! " hauds-he ycneratcs the prinGG2les which
| Z" creates responsibility ia oar sery'D;s--he
+" is friend Othc rights OF conscience, and
| rcjoices that our government Is divided
Z" between state and federal authorities"
! But these arc not the questions. Act him
! Come 20 the pOint. We arc dcsirous 70 Un-
| dorstand MS aristocratic doctrines, and why
he rs not a republican; why he deprccatci