Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-04
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
fiehmoad, .Nore@Bsr 4. 1915.
For rnE vlneIS1A Ansus.
TIE CEMso on. No. Q

ing on in the full tide of successful experiment
We have had thirty gears of pcacc to mature o,,r
political systems, and TO instruct the people in the
principles of civil liberty Yet the mass of' the
people, tho they talk aboat federalism and re.
pubhcapis,n, constitutonality and unconst;tut;on
atty, expediency and nexpediency of measures
have never. read the history of their own country
nor single line of the state orfcderal constit,,,
tion They are content to enjoy their present
blessings without Knowing how they were deriv-
ed, upon whas principles they were founded. bv
what means they exist or how they are 20 be pre-
s server ana haaded down to pcsterity The po-
ltical light shed by our statesmen OF, f7z6 ,;s
becoming dim: and the rising galaxy is but faint
ly seen through the thickenine. dark. Our mara,
condition is not worthy of our soAtical condition
And although we have some wise, brave and patri
o'ic men, IT appears to me that 4 majority of us
are pursuing the road to Pliarsalia, without go
ing by Rome and stunning Athens and ,,,ar3a
are taking short cut by Chcronea. l am co;nr,
70 say that Notwithstanding all our experience and
advantages, ifw We're now situated as the French
We're, surrounded by legisina,e potentates making
war upon us to force us to change our Govern
Inent and rulers, believe We should not take SO
many years as they did, to arrive at military.
Sovernmenf, the end ofcivil liberty. So degene-
rate did our late enemy think we had already be-
come, that am CONVINCED, they had it at one
time, IN view, to impose rulers upon us. For if
we had changed our rulers at their instance. they
would next, have chosen rulers for US and by
ana oye' would give us the blessings of a iesi.i-
,-afe government. Nay, so far had the idea Ia.
A ~, root mere among the cnemy's friends, that
Az; .S enelly World wage war against Us until we
DID change our rulers, that I saw raraoranb
gong the rounds of certain newspapers. express.
ing dlsappointtnents at the conclusion of peace
without Et3aaNs our rulers and stating that the
enemy had eviaced disposition to commune Them b,
p0Ieer, 1y mosing JpeGce Nth them.
vars and circumstances of danger, are some
times necessary, even to republic' to elicit To-
Tents aud patriotism and like the thundey-etorr,
10 clear the political atmosphere, which in mild
weather, SOON becomes staenant and corrupt -
Eut frequent, or long continued wars can po+
ial, ultimately, to change form of government
peter calculated to maintain peace and liberty.
'liah 70 maze war. Iacknowledge that like ma.
~ - o,'S's, had without due consideration, made
up an opinion that the French were incanable of
supporting mid government; and I am ;ndebt-
ed TO me lefrospect of the learned Editor of the
Ccmpiler, for having weighed the subject more
maturely. 'iO's
At the Tina when Napoleon seized upon the
heir OF state, the republican ship was in danger
~ lo.iiIerng upon the rock which has proven so
dangerous TO allrepublics the unwise selection
o. public servants. Representative government
Is preascat ed upon the de@e6cat principle that
INC people having the right of suffrage VIII he.
STOW their sltiroges upon The most virt,ious wise
ana patriotic citizens, Would the people al
WAYS Practice tins principle, the wolli itself
Touiu hot oI'tiiye our republic. When the REQ.
PIE 10 not dcf upon this principle renresenta,;,,e
government is worse than a hereditary one. for
no people were ever governed so br,Itallv aud 10
'anncaily as the Romans were bv Enn,s or, 81 =.
ftelr o1Ofi CHOICE How Offended the C,,eeI,s sca
hoinans endanger their states by MAKING choice
oilSnofant or vicious civil rulers, or military
coinihanaers IL was the ignorance and incapa
n l-Vc4 IL 90 Tho Az
lost the liberties ofGreece at the Rattle of,rb..
ronea, when the bravery of the Greeks had mn
victory ~ his power. BY such conduct the
french had brought themselves 10 the mi - 6
rum, when Bonaparte returning from Eprvpt and
al circumstances conspirng to favor his des;en
saVsd ,pe state, but overturned the republic with
MS power, and not with the consent of The
tfelleh nation Hadh he been honest, like Wash.
iiigton, had his ambition been of Wasb;nrtor,.
noble KIND, had he been content to sape. and not
destroy, he might have been called erooJ 81
might have attained the greatest homo. MN
earth, TO be called after Cicero and NVasb;no-so
The father Of his Coimty Butt is not INV nnr,
pose to say much of him at present. shall
speak more Of him when come to 1neas,,re tbo
distance which the virtues and the s,Inerio. ' 10.
Tents Gas shall hereafter 'prove) of Washington.
have placed HIM above the French Chieftain.-
Butte the French Republic.
There were, no doubt, mary Cs.sars Robes
p'errss Cromwels & Burfs, in France as there now
are and always have been IN all republics. watch.
ing opportunities to make themselves sovereiens
m reality, 1T not IN name. Such characters AIDED
mintentionaily the foreign enemies OF Fence 40
bring about that Internal confusion and d;strac
ton which favored both internal and external
designs against the republic. Such was the con.
dition OF France, invaded by her enemies without
and distracted within; various connections In.
u1guing tor sovereign power, and each thinking
II almost within his gfasp; when BonaDarte. more
cunning and more popular than the rest stepped
~, dashed the bowl from their lips, and under
pretence OF restoring order, sJUcl7eff The coasfi-
SYho't Americans, let usbe upon our guard a.
galnst men who endeavor to produce confits;on
and characterization AS in France ard tbe AN
cent fepnblics, so with US internal distraction
IS the nigh road to despotism. When va see
men gong this fosd, consider we'll whittier tIev
are gong and what is their object MANY wears
before julius Caesar overturned the Roman Com
lnonwea.tl, he favored te mad designs of Cato.
line, with view 20 bring about such state of
things rs would favor his own future elevation =,
the Imperial power. It is highly necessary, that
t''e people OF tiie only remaining republic should
weigh well The causes which made the completeness
republics TO be once free, great and powcrG,i
and by what political diseases or accidents the,
have become weak aud enslaved and have beer
finally carried 70 the grave With this object
10 view, have spoken Of France and French az
fairs but discard all intentions 10 tneddle h,
my writings, with European politics. have mo
own country solely in view and altboug am