Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-02-27

an exposition OF THIS SOFT Has
..ted mare widely the two par.
= This eountry, than all the 0.
@ 'ostensive topics Of discussion
4 q, .o,,M the interests OF the tiller of
~ IN and the carrier and com
ar Of is commodities. De by any
p '..sss completely disjoined, there
4 . s arise repulsion between
t. . beyOnd all the skill Of policy
\ ! reconcile. .
Tie eastern states Oh tire COME
4 tracy, from the genius of their peO-
!, and the character of their conn
I. disest q great portion of their po
s.j,stion intS the ehanoel of CONNER
III and nautical enterprise the in
q ss.bitants of the south. drawing more
Their subsistence fsGm the soil,
s.,e neither a community of pursuit,
~ experience, 10 the event OF TO
A;ga conflict, an equal sacrifice OF
;,,prest. When 10 these sources OF
enlargement We AID the violent dis
.0rdapee in character andspirit, be-
,ssss a society OF traders. and a
l,oded aristocraey, We should neither
vopder az past animosities. nor be
nuguine OF the future !; were there
~ evident indieationsin the cireum
dances of this people OF tie triumph
II cOmmeree. and a consequent as
dmilation OF ayOeaiioDs and interests.
IfrrpubIics, as we are told, tend
by Natural and necessary gradations
70 decay, ii is at least possible tode-
fer the period OF extinction. The
s;fasion af the commercial spirit
and habits may seem therefore the
policy. as it is obviously the destiny
ofihe nation If sRch habits pre-.
yeat not that excessive and unequal
accumulation of wealth so hostile to
republican institutions, they destroy
aat dependence which, in states an
sddiatei! to traffic, converts the te
nant into The yassal of wealthy pro.
prietors If they do not obYiate the
indigenee and eorraptioU Of the pO-
palace, they drain abroad into the
fleets Of the merchant, and the navy
Of tue state, the dregs which were
useless or miscellaneous at home ;
while they give to enterprise and
ambition. By tiiyerting thea into the
same ehannel, direction least dan
gerOus 10 public repose.
Letn MOI be imagined, with a false
and arrogant prejudice, that such a
people are. of necessity sordid or ser.
vile.-that there is Among them any
lack Of generous spirit. or any re
pugnaaee to liberal knowledge -
English freedom dates its stability
from the extension of English com
ntrre and arts and literature. on
their revival. found in the opulent
merchants OF the Italian republics
Geir most generous patrons. and OF
ten their most SD eessful cultiva-
brs,
There are circumstances, it is
true, under which the spirit oftraf
lie nay rcprcss. for a time. that lite
rary genius whieh it is eyeniuallydes
daed to foster and diffuse. The al
luSsmsu;s 10 trade are sufficiently
potent 10 our own country 20 attract
mos Of It's taIeni and enterprise !;
snIie these commercial advantages
sfe oil too raeeat existence, {, have
Seated az yet very frequent or ex-
Saordinary opulenee. Elegant Ii
efsiuFe is not the growth of this
%ason u sotiety. Whatever excep
ions may be found in the history
M'ettefs. 4 hoeever hostile the sen
snest q repue!ieaa feeling. genius
Vas aon'isaed, for he most part, ID
Se ElsAs aad fryid atmosphere Of
'sSafy ,len supely. in the first
pace, tpyiFreai or imaginary wants.
s'u thea SEEK relief f,Vm safety in
as reharmca: of the sciences, and
~e eiesap,'i Of the arts.
'1der '''is y'eN il may occur as
'p'oolfn' % poliiics. how far litera !
gslOrl Is 80 object of national dc
we what Substantial benefit would
,s'alt TO ourselves, eOnid our home