Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-03-03
fRo,IouR CORRESPONDENT AT WASH
INGTON.
Saturday, February %, 1918.

Saturday, FEBRUARY 2S, 1918.
The House of Representatives assem-
bIed this day, being in the notion, as it
should seem, to make up tor their expen-
diture Of time in long-winded speeches,
by cranming as much business as they
possibly can into the residue of the ses-
sion. 1t might not be bad eYpedient,
as the gentlemen seem DESTROYS to hasten
home to their farms, clients, patients and
families, to appoint committee to en-
quire and report what parts OF the vast
mass Of business which remains untouch-
ed il may be eIpedient to take up first I;
and if aay parts Of the public concerns is
10 resign its post 10 the convenience aud
personal accommodation OF their indi-
yidual selves, to mack out what parts
those ought to be. For instance, the eS-
narration bill, which took up Friday and
Saturday, might advantasesusly have
yielded up its place to any other. First,
because it produced nothing; and next,
because il would be in effect, it it had
passed, to all intents and purposes, a
nullity. For, as said in my letter in
which announced Mr.. RObertson's FIRST
proposition respecting it, it could confer
no right practically which the people OF
The United States do not already, when.
ever they please, exercise without inter-
rup,ion. The measure, therefore, seems
to have originated in that appetite which
numbers among Us have, ever since the
French revolution, been teazed with, to
stand up champions Of new and untri-
ed code OF principles in direct contra
yention OF those established over the
christian world for centuries. Whether
this appetite savOurs more of Dol Qux-
otte or OF Hudibras, Of Ralpho or Sancho
Panca, l will Lot pretend to say, because
think that it sometimes smack Of one,
sometimes Of the other, and is sometimes
as mad as the one, and still more mean
and ridiculous than the other. Whether
it be conformasle to prudence, in the
situation Of our country, to be turning
out prize fighter on every occasion with
out any reasonable motive; or like Pad
dy, 10 an Irish fair, to clap our hat upon
post aud cudgel it, crying out Who
dare take tina: hats parla" by the way
OF rendering ourselves conspicuous, |
wish all when it concerns may duly con-
slider. The question OF expatriation was
contested with degree Of resolute peril.
nacity, which, if exercised in case OF
beneficial practical policy, would have
done credit to the hearts Of the gentle
men concerned, but when the house, fOs
the purpose Of getting rid Of the bill, de-
Gided b. 20 votes to So that the first sec
ton should be struck out, it was Ger.
tainly not one of those vital measures,
for the accomplishing of which it was
worth while, in sound discretion, or even
in what is called patriots 81, to subVert
the established rules Of parliamentary
conduct.
NJ, Lowudes has, by his able and sue.
cessfuI opposition to the useless, wild
and chimericaI projects Of this bill, done
himself great honor.
Mr.. Clay, in the course of the debate,
held forth anew his opinions and purpo-
ses respecting the S. American Patriots.
You know that my opinions, at least my
feelings, have gone great length in Ia
vor Of those oppressed colonists--and I
venture to affirm that, without having any
object personal to myself in view-with-
out having even an election to The once
of member Of congress to spur up the
Eanks of my patriotism, and abhorring
the whole pernicious trade OF popularity
seeking not less than ] do any other clum-
sy mode of public saud-indeed regard
Ing il as infinitely less ingenious, honora-
bic and digpi6ed than The juggling tricks
of the renowned orientalist of the theS.
tire, SENa SANa, my zeal in the cause Of
the South Americans is as warm as that