Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-11-18
ALEXANDRIA.
MONDAY. NovnnBEn IS.

7as family of Wreagheads,-A
b,tle upwards Of sstae nty five years since
naupbIet written by Thomas Paine
Vas nubished 10 England in which the
su,h0r boldly asserted in substance, that
within tie next coming twenty years the
Relish government would become bsnk
rrnt and that a revolution would epsuel
moving the point, to the full satistac;
i;on of tbe numerous party to which he
beloneed by series Of arithmenea' cal
ulatiors.
That pamphlet, though it created I
momeptary alarm in England, did B'
durable mischief there. Batip this coun
try i was the source ofiscalculable mis
chief. which has lasted from that tine e
senup to the present day
AT that period, and for some year:
after, Thomas Paine was regarded By
not a few OF the great, as well as the Int
tie men Of America, as a political oracle
There we're some who seriously contend
ed that be mad done as much toward a
Chewing the American independence a;
General George Washington himself
that tho pen OF the former had been al
puisaat, to that effect, as the sword o.
the latter. They bitterly rcpsQachee
President Washington as cold-hearted o.
enyious, for that hs neglected to demant
Paine ofthe French government when j
held him as state prisoner and some
eight or nine years after. they loudly al,
plauded the conduct Of President 5eiie!-
soa in providing public ship to brirs
ever that exalted Character from France
to the greatFul bosom of these Unitet
States. tis
Such beilx the profound aud almost /
dolatrOus yeneratiOn. Ia which, Paine haC
been held in this country, especially a.
the time when he published the atore
mentioned pamphlet, the accomplish
ment of its JOYOUS prediction Of me spec
dy downfall of England was expected
with no less confidence than Plea
sure.
This political faith was not merely
theoretical, it has been practical, wofuli,
practical. U2n it was founded the Dis
eliminating bin of SIR. Madison, who, i,
his speech on that subject. gave strik
ING description OF the forlorn aud tot;er
ing condition of old EnsIand Il wa
soon after the appearance OF eaine's pre-
diction, that Mr.. Madison Came foywars
with his hill /; and from that period us e
the time Of Bonaparte's fail, the same
iniatuation continued 10 operate effect
dreadfully disastrous to the interests, q
this country. To pass BY many notorious
instances, WHY did Mr., Jefferson rejcct
Monroe and P;nkaey's treaty ? Because
as ne said, Efg'aaa would fail in SIX
months, OF tweiYemonth at most. Had
Ae accepted that treaty, what 40 incalcu
liable mass cflHiscbief would have been
prevented. Again, why did our govern
meet rush into war, without necessity.
w;thout preparation ? because it, was
thought to be the nick Of time for produc.
ing the great event 50 long and 50 ear.
nestly expected. The speeches and wri.
iings Of that fully justify this assertion.
Even now there remains 10 the piaas
OF these mes a ray OF hope. which. every
now aud then, expands aud sparkles. TIE
stagpatiOn Oftrade, the heawness of dcbE
aud the cry of distress, in England, leem
70 excite in them stronger emotions
Wan DO the like calamitieS at home.
Cen. CoaraRt.
Capt. Holmes, ofthe schr. MOntezuma'
fon st: Thnmas, Informs. that the Blu
eaos Ayrean Admiral Brown. whe had
put into Barbados. had, By information
othis crew, been seized. Two millions
and a halt OF property was found on board
Als vessel The crew alleged nat he had
Pundsred indiscrimnateiy whist IN The
Pacific Ocean, aad would not return 10
the River of Plate intending to apply al
LIE booty to himself.
C. II Books.
The number Of Post Offices in the U,
8. is about 2450. The mail is carried
$3.50 miles IN stages, and 6l,i71 in SUI
keys and on horse back,
The Advocate of the People, paper
pnnted at Auberh by h. G. Ssuthwick.
. A. A.