Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-25

detailed very satisfactorily. by ;,
author. a"d on the first Of Angus, ~
lowing, tic first convention nf WV
mia Delegate, Ia, lug met at yill;,s'
burg. Mrss'rs. I'eyton RandoiDl,' y
Il. Lee, George Washington. >
rick Henry, Richard Hlaid, Ben
min Harrison and Edmund papfi
ton. we're appointed deputies to c.,
grcss. and furnished with an able .,I
spirited letter of instructions, WI
is given at large in The volume bel
Us. OF The congress itself. and IL
! part sustained in it by Mr. Il. tie :,
thor gives the following account,
SON the fourth Of September l-r
that venerable hndy, tic old cor;ip,,
tai congress of the United States q,
wards whom every American Lsas
will bow with pious homage. while d, |
name OF liberty hall be dear in ~,
land met for the FIR Il timc,at Carr
ter's Hall. in the city of philadclphi,
Peyton Randolph of Va. WAS chc,4,
President, Il the house was nrsaniz,5
FOR business, with all the soicmni:jcsr
a regular Legislature.
+ The most eminent men of the y,
rious colonies, were - for the Gr.,
time, brought togethek They Weir
known TO each other by fame, bw
they were personally strangers. II,
meeting WV awiIlly solemn. The Oh
jet which had called them togethe,
was of incalCulahle magnitude. The
liberties Of no less than three millions
Of people, with that Of all their pOs,e.
rity, Were staked Oh the wisdom and
energy their councils. No wonder
then afthc Ing and dcepsilence which
is sail to have followed npon their
organization at the anxiety with
which the members locked around
upon each other; and the reIuctanc,
which every individual felt to open a
business 50 fearlally momcntous. In
the midst Of this deep and deatbliko
silence, aud just when it was begin.
ming TO become painfL..y embarras.
slug. Mr.. Ecnry arosc slowly, as
if borne down by the weight ofthc sub.
.jcct. After faultering according to
his habit, through a most impressive
eXordium, in which he merely echo
cd bacl. the consciousness of every
other heart, in deplorins his inability
TO do justire to the occasion. he launch.
ed gradually into a recital Of tho
colonial wrongs. Rising, as he ad.
vapced, with the grandeur Of his sub
jcct, and glowing at length with all tic
majesty and expectation Of tie oCca-
sion, his speech seemed more than
that of mortal man. Even those wiIo
had heard him in all his glory, in the
house Of burgessrs Of Virginia, were
astonished at the manner in which bis
talents seemed to swell, and expand
themselves, to fill the yastcr theatre
in which he Was now placed.-Thert
was no rant-no rhapsody--no Labor
Of the URdrrs.anding-no stra:ninS Of
the voiCe-no confusion of the utter.
ancc. His countenancc was erect
his eyes stcady-his action noL!e-hi'
enunciation clear and iirm--his mint
poised OIL its centre-his views OF bis
subject comprehensive and great
and his imagination corruscatinS witt
a magnifcencc and a variety which
struck even that assembly with a
maZcment and awe. lie sat down a
midst murmrrs of establishment am
applause; and as he had been belor
proclaimed the greatest orator OF Nlr
ginia, he was now, on every hand, ad
mitted to be the first orator of Anne
RIGA"
/yt, L.,