Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-04-28

+ Mr.. Harper. It was written TO an
: old friend of Mr.. II. member OF
Congress, at the late session. and a
gentleman who is friendly to the pre-
sent administration.
ASNApoLIs, Jan. Is, lslA.
I received by the last mail, at this
place, my dearssir, your kind letter OF
the ,2th, snclosing your address, which
Jhave read With very particular satistac-
tion. It expresses the sentiments OF a
candid, ienlig htened and patriotic mind,
and is precisely what should have Wish
ed myself to say, had / entertained the
same view Of pablic affairs with you.
/, gives me great pleasure however,
TO End thar our views do not mech adii.
fer. Your; sentiments, except IN the
angle point ofapproving the declaration
Z Of war, completely accord with mine,
aud belong wholly to that Political sys.
rem which we dsnomiuate "federalism,
rs understood by its most enlightened
and distinguished adherents. I'll con-
Cured with yoa in believing that the
war was properly declared, shsnid
think with you that the administration
ought to be supported in II, whatever
might be their mode Of carrying IL on !;
until at least il should become manifest,
that they were incapable of conducting
il or determined not TO put an end to 1t
till compelled. On these two last
points am already satisfied. But l
give you year longer to reflect on them.
Ifyou DO not then agree with me In o.
pinion, must give you another year.
When ] say, however, that DO not
approve the declaration of war, | do not
by any means intend to say, that 1t was
undertaken from corrupt motives. Far
from il. never have doubted that the
great mass of authors and supporters
were actuated by public motives, and be-
lieve themselves to be consulting the
public interest. In this number i tree
iy class Mr.. Madison, and even MIR: JET
ferson, of whom / have much worse
opinion, and whom consider as the
: author Of the war system. But L DO
most 6rmly believe, that the motives
which actuated those gentlemen and
their principal associates, were never
such as they have avowed: that they
never cared two pence about free trade
and sailors rights, which were mere
pretexts that the war was resolved on
IN 1905 or 1906 and that its real OBJ
iects were to assist France, in breaking
/, down the maritime power Of England
which those gentlemea had brought
themselves to consider as conducive to
the tsae interests ofthis country. Had
thew freely ayoweI their motives, !
should have considered and treated them
as honorable and patriotic men, who
had honestly adopted an erroneous sys-
TEN in politics. They would have had
my opposition and my respect. My re-
sentiment and adherence towards them
is founded on the conviction, produced
by, long and minute attention to their
political conduct, that they have cheat
ed the patton under false pretences In,
TO war, to which it would never have
submitted, had the real motives been a
vowed or understood.
As to Mr.. Madison, Iadmit this o.
pinion slowly, and reluctantly. ! I'M
bibed an early respect for his character
founded on his public conduct, before
ever saw him. also partook largely
of the admiration which his talents In
early life Inspired. Soon after my en-
trance into public life, l changed my o.
,pinion Of him as politician. still adj
m;r;nr hi, intellectual powers and at
tainmeots and respecting highly his per-
.onaI character, / found or thought /
found him to be visionary theorist.
qualified to shine in the speculasiens OF
IN. closet. but the slave of passion pre-
;vdice and party spirit, and totally unit
torthe admini stration ofaDy government.
An nv subsequent knowledge OF him
confirmed this opinion. Still knew
him to be an amisble snd upright man
in private life, and believed HIM to be
honorable and sincere, though visionary,
feeble and narrow sighted, in his pollsl.
cal character. This opinion, to Which
strongly adhered, has been gradually
giving ground since the year 1893. Il
1,. very much weakened befsree ne re-
;ec,ed the .rmistice offered by the Bril-
t;shfeoyernment on the repeal OF the
orders i, council. That event totally
changed it; and every pubic act Oh mr'
Maidstone since has added force 20 sne
new opinion Of him, which Then reiac-
t.n,ly adopted: Had he accepted that
armis.ice, and made peace, as ! have no
doubt that be might have done, on terms
not only safe aud honorable, but sasisiac'
tory TO the nation, ] should have pardon-
ed bis former errors. and done all IN my
bower, to bring ray friends into the sup
port Of his administration.
The opposite course which be then
!. took, convinced me that the real objects
of the var, however patriotic they might
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