Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-04-29
ALEXANDRIA:
TUESDAY, APRIL GO, 1917.

each particular religious sect impntes to-
the others, is ixToLERANcE, So very
unjust and detestabe is that vice Of our
nature, that every person, party & sect
endeayors to iasten it on their respective
adyersaries. as the most Odious of stig-
q,as. The admirers of mouarchic govern
,aeut, however, for even it has its ADM.
rers-are not SO ignorant of what passes
in republics, as not to know that they
may return the compliment 10 republics
with this truth, by way OF interest upon
il. that in the latter, intolerance is the
vice Of the whole compound population,
Sat confined, as in the former, to the CO.
ye,niug few, but ditfusiDg its corruption
through every individuals heart.-ln tais
yoaug republic they might affirm with
truth that from particular period in the
administration Of John Adams-that is tOI
say from the ninth or tenlh year of its
existence, up to the conclusion OF the late
war, a spirit Of the most unsOSernable in
tolerance has ragged, with fury unsurpass-
ed, embitteripg life, pOllutiDg morals,l
aud enyenOming the hearts Of our fellow
citizens against each other-steeling them
against every tender charity, whitening
the social affections, and nourishing in
every bosom base, dishonest se!ishness
which threatened to divide the people in
10 two distinct and hostile denominations,
and 70 make one the despotic ruler over
the other.
1t is a deplSrabe subject of reflection
that this systematic outrage upon each
others rights was continually augmented
BY opposition to it, and that every attempt
to struggle with it, produced the same
vindictive rage in the dominating power
that rebellion against the sovereign pro-
duces in monarchies ;-in word, that
nothing could procure for the vanquished
party restoration TO their dividend in
the government or their full rights as CT
tiZens, but their eeasing to insist upon
them,-Snccunb! give up your arms
aud thCh you may he restored to favor
was tire word to the Scotch rebels in l715
and Las And SO It would be here, If
certain gaping expectant! OF oGice (who,
like those half-starved ncttifoggers that
prOwi about tie seapOrts Of the old coun-
tries to promote litigation and fleece the
litisants, would fam live by the dissen-
tons Of their fellow citizeus) had the pow
sr to perpetuate those ruipous and dis
graceful divisions among our people
II is to be, hoped however, and it Is be-
Gsrei that sentiments Of different kind
aud more worthy Of the chosen chief ma
giStrate Of free and generous people,
Sow hold the binacle and direct the helm
and that the dismal night which has So
long surrounded US, will soon be succeed.
Ell by cheering day for already The
twilight Of tolerance breaks on the hori.
zon aud gives promise tnat the people OF
tis country viii, without distinction OF
pa ~ or Of sect, ak partake of the sc
rial warmth Of its rays-a blessing from
which we should be sorry to exclude even
that g Republican," who has been so an
cry with the president for taking the In
terdiction of the fcderalisis.
Intolerance has produced more error
aud more evil in the world, perhaps, than
all the other mischievous dispositions OF
our species. OF The truth of this position:
The histories OF all nations from their ear
lest records up to the present hour are
but SO many CIose-linked chains Of evil
deRce and illustration. The practical
examples Of it, afforded by the living
world, are as thickly set around us as the
'tars in the armament; we inveigh against
Il, we deplOrs it; in the enthusiasm Of
our cheap zeal We beat the air with angry
defamation against it when practised
BY others; while, among ourselves there
are not wanting those who would keep it
alive for eycr-or at least till it fully