Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-09-20

the Biography Of these two eminent pa'
tr;ots 10 whm the nation is under such
lasting obligations. IT these political
worthless could behold the features OF the'p
own characters in glass, as they do the
features oftheir faces, they would de-
clare themselves as we'll satisfied as the
honest Irishman was, who, when eSa
mining his on portrait, exclaimed, by my
shout honey,I don't know which Is the
original, and which is the picture.
MONROE.
From Duane's .Aurora.
The silence which prevails throughout
the United States relative to the lmpor-
tant election of president, now near a.
hand. whilst il strikes awe into the minds
of many true friends Of civil liberty, is
impudently asserted by the false probes
sors Of democracy to be sure intlmatlon
of unanimous concurrence in opinion IN
favour of particular persqn. with as
much eroprety might it be alleged that
the silence Of the French or Irish, indl,
Gates attachment to the bayoEets thai
surrounded them. There Is, indeed,
universal silence, but is it the effect 81
love for Mr.. Monroe /? ask the large MI
nority of republicans who upheld Mr.
Crawtord-is it the effect OF the sincere
confidence of Mr.. Madison Il his friends
ask those, who, by proclaming Mr.. Mon,
roe to the nation as one who had degraded
his country by an isnominious, treaty put
MIR. Madison ia the presidents chair is
the effect of warm attachment on the part
OF the people themselves ! ask the IS
members OF the caucus.
No! if Mr.. Monroe was the choice Of
the nation, if the people would have elect.
ed him, if no other man was as tit and
popular, why were not the people trusted
with the choice why was the question
decided by mute balloting in caucus :
why was it necessary Would all this
intrigue {, be necessary Tor man general
" beloved or con6ded in ? Did " ashing-
ton or Jefferson stand thus before the peo-
ple /! No, not is because the people
are not unanimous for Mr.. Monroe, that
their right to choose was rendered nuga'
tory in caucusses 1t is because the sys-
teni Of corruption combined between the
general and state governments Is so com,
p,ete as to supercede public opinion; il
IS because the holders of Offices feared the
elevation by the people of some other
man, that they have managea'to paFalyZe
the mass of the newspapers.
All this is in the fortieth year OF The
repubIic-& under a republican admials.
tration But-says somebody -our affairs
go on well we are free: yes truly, oul
affairs 60 ON well at Washington, at the
treasury and the post-ofice--we haye a
buudance of bank paper, and we are go
ing to have as much more, in express
violation of the constitut on; our member.
of congress too go on we'll, they are de-
termined to have their share of what is
doing; our public officers too are going on
well, they are determined to hold theic
places for liIe--but, still, we are free .,
certainly we are free, provided we do as
We arc desired, like good children; we
are free to write, provided we say moth
ing about abuses, and we are free to speak
provided we say nothing about the open
lnsolence Of Office holders, and we are
free to vote, provided it's fer men fixed
upon in a caucus :-surely this is freedom!
who can doubt about the matter but whe-
Their it is exactly such freedom as the he
roes and founders OF the republic, intend
ed to transmit to their posterlty is ano-
Their question. Fer my part. | think this
Doasted freedom OF ours is much like thel
freedom of the French, when they were
asked to electa first consul and emperor i
they all voted to be sure, butt was tor a
person previously elected in Paris ; they
voted, but it was in the sight of creatures
Of government sand they all voted Tor the
same man, because corruption had siepc
ed every voice that might De raised IN ia
vor Of another.
DALLAS.
Iteiyes us pleasure to be able to record
even one single act Of self-deVotion and
nodesty on the part of persons never be-
fore supposed to be capable OF the like.
The secretary OF the treasury of the VI
States, having understood that the people
Of this district, were exceedingly anxiousI
that he shouldfor the first time submit
himself to the order Of an election, au-
thorised his particular and confidential
friend the publisher of the Press in this
city, to announce his high sense OF the
honor intended him, and to assure them