Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-01
ALEXANDRIA,:
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT AT wAsHINGToN
MONDAY, FEBRIs4RY !, 1918.

Saturday, January 90.
Mr.. IIopkinson, yesterday, delivered a
speech upon the Seminole question, in the
house OF representatives, OF the excellence
of which, and the effects it produced upon
my mind and feelings, it might perhaps be
enough to say that it atoned TO both for the
weary waste through which | have been o.
bIigei to drag along my heavy steps, in
company with pressing and spcuting and
defamation run mad. PoAiterers have
way of pairing chickens fat one and
lean one together. to make them go ihe far
ther,--and shoeld have no objection to
purchase some such speeches as have
heard on this point this session--HuPkin-
sons, Ciay's, Storrs's, MERGERS and Bar
bour's, for instance-if there were only in
the, proportion one lean to one fat one OF
them-but confess that when there are
two or three poor TO one plump, | would
prefer de clining the purchase, as being IA
tAer BAD bargain.
But " bile lthus praise the speech of Mr..
Hupkins0n,I doubt whether would moi act
more pradently to Say nothing about it,
than excite curiosity which it is impossi-.
Die for me to satisfy, and to sharpen your
readers appetites, when have not the
power 10 a!lay them for 10 report SPEECH
of four hours, all composed of facts and
weighty matter, of which, to convey just
idea, one must give the whole, is an effort,
you know, quite out of the compass of my
power, and of course of my promise-for |
Go not often promise without performing.
He took grounds different from the others,
and emmirently dIspassionate---in some
things differing from, in other' partly agree
ing with gentlemen on both sides. He eau
Toned the house against suffering their ge-
nereus feelings for any individual, to carry
them away from strict adherence to the
constitution. Against all offences which
came under the denomination OF military,
he said, they ought, above all others, to be
on theirguard, anu 20 check them as spec
Oily as possible; for all nations have too
much Of a military propensity land he fear
ed that there was not little of that spirit
creeping in among ourselves, which might
be useful, if kept within proper bounds, but
otherwise would be mischievous. Genius
was in none dangerous but in military
commanders. The genius OF Newton which
enabled him to travel among the stars, and
almost 10 have converse with his God, never
gave pain. Stupendous and mighty as was
the genius of Shakespeare it never brought
tears into the world, save those that were
shed over fictitious woe. Military genius
alone was nourshed by blood. Let the
country then take care and secure them
selves against its being turned upon them.
Mr. II. admitted the great services OF
gen. Jackson, but he hoped they would ne
yer be made stepping stone to others be-
yond the bounds OF prudence.-He then
went at large into discussion OF the whole
case, in which be argued that We were JUS
ti6ed in entering Florida by the conduct OF
the Spanish government. in refusing pas
sage up the river Escambia, for provisions
for OUT troops, who were almost furnishing
with want, an act so unfriendly and hostile
as to justify our entering, inasmuch as no