Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-04-14
ALEXANDRIA,:
.uONDAY, ,aPRIL IA, 1917.

The incense OF fiattery has been SO
,Ong and SO necessarily burned under the
pOstrils of the American people BY party
,rrriguers aod :heiy upprincipled servitors|
Of lie press, that man who sincerely
tenders the real welfare ofhis fellow Cit
c,r, aud the future prosperity of bis
country, must be angered and disguised
% see the shameless prodigality with
which that pernicious JUNCTION is, day af-
ter day, daubed upon every thing pre-
sented to the public, and the indefatiga-
DIe complacency with which it is accept
cd. Ihave ever abhOrred it and con-
sder it SO di:graceiul to the giyer, and
30 mischievous to those who receive it,
that | often feel a reluctance to avow even
what | think would be warranted by
truth. ia speaking of the United States.
trust, however,tha as party craft,which
was the root of it, decays, this di-efu!
iruit vii! drop off and perish, aud that an
honest man who loves the country and
makes true estimate Of its value, may
icon speak his mind without iufaming
canity on the one hand, or on the other
mourning the suspicion of lukc-warmness
10 its interests, because he will not, like a
parrOt in cage,din every by with
the fulsOme self adulatory repetition OF
rTatty, pretty POH, or Overwhelm the cOur-
,yy with storm Of hyperbO,es, vhen the
best praise that can be bestowed upon il
Is the truth.
Hin any thing that l have TO offer, |
speak to the advantage of this country,
lei It be understood that speak it from
conviction, not for the purposes OF de-
ceits. artfulness Or impostGre, as has for
so many wears been unfortunately the
practice, but merely TO investigate truth,
andin doing soto admOnish the people in
iliridually to regard the situation o. the
country aad state Of things in which they
are happily placed, NOT as personal
merit OF which they ought to be vain, but
as boon fer which they ought to be
grateful.
Having entered this protest, / hope |
may without the least apprehension OF be-
ing misunderstood, or OF creating an un-
dee personal elation in the bosom Of any
individual, express. not M pride, but
my gratitude, that it has pleased tue
Almighty disposer to appoint my LOT
IN commonwealth, the advantages Of
which are every day thrown into holder
relief BY tn cOntrasted situation of other
countries. To feel thus is Datural-at
the same time / most sincerely regret
that tae aspect presented by this country
IS heightened b, circumstances involving
SO mach misery to so large a portion Of
our fellow beings America has too many
positive intrinsic fslicities Of her own, tC
reQuie any set-Off from the misfortune;
of surrounding world. ! hope all my
fellow citizens-I am sure that ever'
one of them who deserves the blessing
he enjoys, will concur with me in this
sentiment.
But while we deplore the calamities q
Europe, II is aot forbidden to US to prof.
BY the many instructive lessons they pre-
sent to us, OF to take warning from tn,
SUI; rings brought upon people OF thai
quarter Of the world by their misuse o.
the bouhties of Providence. They once
had their advantages az wellas ourselves
though not exactly of the same kind; and
we too. as we'll as they, areliable to dan
gers ard reverses, though not perhaps il
he same degree, nor altogether from the
same proximate causes. Our political
circumstances are at present so entirely
different from those Of the old nations al
every period Of their existence, thai
We may perhaps think ourselves secure
on that side Of their dangers but Let il
DC remembered that the pOlitica. Senti
uents Of every society grow out of 1T
moral habitudes, and are ultimately In
Hpenred and controuledb v them: and thai