Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-04-14
Mr. wEBsTER's SPEECH.
On che RlI for refeaiiaS the km6arSo
and Nom mtorsafion Zefs.

- 4.
On enc RiH for reheaiias the Embargo:
aud .Non-ImtOrsaricn Zefs.
Mn. CHAIRMAN,
ara happy to be present at the Of
&ce now to be performed, and to act
part in the funeral ceremonies OF what
has usually been called the restrictive
system.
The occasion, I think, will justify
tsmpera,e aud moderate exuitalion, On
the part of those who have constantly
opposed this system Of politics, and unl-
formly foretold its miserable end.
congratulate my friends On This triumph
OF their principles. So
Thsy have eot lahored altogether IN
rain. The vote new to be gisso is
high tribute to the ccrrec,nsks OF their
opinions and the consistency q Their
condact. Ar the same time / would
not refuse condSlence Ia the ley sur
wing friends, to whcSe affections the
deceased was precious, who afs over
whelmed with ailliction at its sudden DIS
soIutinn, and who sorrow, most Ell ai',
that they shsil Gee it's face no mere.
The svNem, siT, y hIch ae are now a.
bsu, 70 explode, is likely 10 make no IN
scossideFsbie figure ~ eur his,o'F. IL
constitutes an era watch Will &C memo
rabie. and / know no gentlemen Who
1Das Indulge stronger hopes e' being re-
Numbered by posIer,y than those whose
names have heeD associated with us 'h-
trsducti,n and support. it was oslgl-
naliy offered 10 the people OF this cuah-
try as o kind OF political faith. 1t WAS
90 be believed, not examIned--lhey
we're to act upon it, not resacn about II.
To deliberate was to- doubt, and 10 doubt
was beretical. 1t stood upon the trust
repossd in its authors, not upon any me
rit which could be discovered ia itself.
; Il Was to be our political salvation no
body knew exactly how, aud any depar'
ture from it would lead TO political rum,
no body could tell exactly why: All
tha, the eye can discern 10 1t, appeared
70 be absurd and preposteTous; but
there was supposed hidden character,
An efficacy unrcvcslcd to vulgar sight,
by which it would answer ali the great
ends propose d By it, and maudsS, its su-
reriority over those other political sys-
TENS, which tbs or any country had al
any time adopted. Having assumed the
paturs OF party superstition, 1t set oil
reasoning at defiance, and held the
minds OF vast portion OF the eommanl
~ In chains difficult TO be broken The
more so, becaass 1t was attended with
seyere and e(hcacioos discipline, by
which those no went sstray we're 10 be
= brought 70 repensance.9 No SAINT In the
Calendap ever had set offollowers less
a, liberty, or less disposed TO indulge
trouble some en1oiry, than some, at least
of those ON whom this system depended
for support.
Bet, as in other cases, there were
those who we're above this ssperstiuon,
and who directed and controlled 1t. They
had their objects and 1t those Objects
have not been obtained, the reason Is
correctly assigned in the message before
u.s." the extensive changes wnich have
recently taken place" The true cha
rac,er Of this sys,em, and OF the purpo.
.es intended to be effected by II, will
hereafter be MISUNDERSTOOD. The pas
sionate excitement, created BY opposi-
tion 70. il. so long as it remained the la
vorite measure of predominant party
will cease, now that IL is passing on WIN
general consent, and the sense -ot the
eo,nmunity, at liberty at last 10 exercise
itself. will be able 10 see 1t In the true
r;cht. and will not be restrained from
pronouncipg decisive sentence oil con-
aemnation.
The opponents of these restrictive
measures have uniformly commended, not
only that they we're ruinous to ourselves
and almost wholly imperative on others
>Sat that they did not spring frem
pa.ely American policy. This was the
great ssoupa of their opposition. They
+ regarded HE restrictive system OF the
u. States as ahumble limitation OF the
coptinen,al system, Of France, AID -
measure of co.operstion with her go
y yernment, in It's confice>witk E.aFlapd.
I, was easy they Thought, for these
who had not yielded taeir reason
to the dominion Of parry feeling, to see
that such mas its true character. DID
not intend, on tbis occasion 10 take
view ostho.e historical condolences be
twsep French and American measures
which have been so often traced Inc
commencement Of the continental sys'
ten, after ,hs subiugaiion OF Prussia x
the humiliation OF Russia, was lmmedi'
ately followed By the American en'ear'
90 Of 1907 and if one we.e TO ask wea
this government eoHta have CONTRIBUTED
more than i, hus contributed, towards
rendering that system effectual, 1t woo'e
be difficult TO find a. answer. From
the nature of things, these restrictive
measures would have noimportant cffec