Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-29

are far from being SO sanguine of their
superiority as the wise person alluded
to-far, indeed, from thisking that the
fact of legislators being NEW HANDS is a
promise Of the excellence Of their work.
Making all due allowance for Their pro-
bable moral and intellectual powers, and
supposing them to be on level with the
general run of their fellow citizens in
good sense and integrity, they must still
be inferior in capacity for public business,
by just SO much practical knowledge as
the members OF the late congress had ac-
quired by the discharge of their congress
sional duty during the time they were
members knowledge which, as We
have before observed, is not to be caught
by inspiration, nor acquired, even in a
very Limited degree, without studious at.
teGtion and industrious application to the
business Of the house for several sessions.
And here is one Of the disadvantages
which we are condemned by the very
nature Of our constitution to pay az the
price Of the unrestrained freedom Of cleo
ton. The people, who are not always
capable of exactly discriminating between
an act ultimately beneficial and enc u!ti-
nateIy injurious to the public, seldom
make account Of the relative competency
of two candidates; but put in and put
on. just as suits their patty or their per-
sonal predictions, their hamor or their
anger. From long practice and Official
advantages, Mr.. Macon and Mr.. Clay
must necessarily be better furnished with
congressional Knowledge than other Aem-
bers Of equal Intellect; and yet we will
venture to affirm that, did they not hap
pen TO be party favorItcs, their superior
knowledge would never carry Their, into
the House Of Representatives against any
ignorant, plausible, impudent, brawiing
stump orator of popularity who would set
up against hem.
VIII any gentleman of honor and We
racity, Who recolec,s the disgracefol up
roar raised all over the union, about the
Compensation Law, and the still more
disgracetul sequel 10 it, lay his hard upon
his heart, ara declare upon his sacred
homer that he thiuks this country can ever
erjoy tie benefits Of great, an efficient,
and a disniied because experienced Ie-
| gislature, while the judgment Of the mul-
titade, which is generally weak....tbeir
passions, which axe always oug...and
their presumption, which is often ailiuI
and bliad...are, without their knowing it,
subservicnt to the influence of unpriEci-
| pied partizans, broush t to bear upon them
in every shape which pract,sed dena.
gogues know how to assume, whether Of
newspaper essay or paragraph, or OF ora
lion from the buslinss, the oak stump.
the courthouse, the church, or the tavern
meeting. We shall, therefore, continue
to entertain, till we are convinced of it.
error, better opinion Of the cid mem
bers, whom we know. THAN Of the new, O,
whose merits we have no other evidence
than their being elected by a people Ia
boring under a political PHRENIrIs. and
linfamed beyond the use Of their sober
discretion, by what Dr.. Johnson calls a
calenture of the brain, brought upon
them by the malignant stimulaDts Of the
newspapers devoted to different factions.
The mischief resulting from that mea-
sureiess erreF, will be ielt longer :han the
people IN general are aware cf-and it is
no small motive with US for Withholding
as yet our favorable opinion Of the ap-
preaching congress, that they are sus-
pected OF being a,erse to repair saat
mischief.
! We think too that The country will not
only have ample cause to rejoice, but
some little reason 70 be surprised if the
new Congress shall be found to equal, or
even to approach to an equality with the