Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-07-23
For tie 1'ercn9ria Gazette.


In the liberal distribution Of censure,
which writer in your paper, has beseow-
ed upon the Address" OF the learned
Secretary Of State; he seems to have tor
gotten that spirit of charity and good
will, which he appears so Jealous to lncui-
cate, and under which, while he pretends
to reform the abuses, he strikes at the
vital principles of benevolence. But this
is easily accounted for; this animosity
which is neither softened by justice, or up
held by truth, is too often the companion
of the devotion of few, who wish to raise
themselves into notice, by the gratifica-
ton of their own individual spleen, to
need any critical analysis. 1t is an AMI
mostly that wants no garment to hide its
defects: 1t is like volcano that RACES
with the greater bitterness the more
weight it receives upon its bosom; and
like the pious zsalots of Constantinopie'
wars against every feeling, that is repug-
nant to the principles it avows.
1.-THE dignity of the executive, or the
national honor of our country could have
been impaired by the Address" OF the
learned Secretary of State, in the house
of Representatives, why did the people
ask it? and why did not the Cabinet IN
terfere? Why should we now be told
that "the indecorum scarcely could have
been greater if the President Of the Unit
ed States, instead of the minister had Of
ficiated as the speaker?" Why should
those safeguards Of our honor and indie
pendence, have stood as unmoved specta-
tors, regardless of the stain, and indiffer-
ent to the disgrace that was attaching it
self to our infant republic? They saw
no such disgrace, they were agitated by
no such consequences The vigilance
with which they watched, and the pater-
nal zeal which they felt for the national
glory of their country, were embittered
by no such prophetic omens. They rath-
er thought the dignity of the occasion and
of the person would be enhanced, when
the first minister of the states, arrayed in
the vestments of classical pride, holding
the original of that declaration, which is
the memorial of all that we consider dear,
reminding the citizens Of free country,
of the blessings they enjoyed, and exhibit
ting spectacle Of civil liberty and patriot
ic enthusiasm, that for the purpose OF
being witnesses to satraPs would have
thrown off the ensigns of royalty and the
habiliments Of pride. The important
truths that the declaration enforces, were
never SO faithfully preserved, Or so strenu,
ousIy performed as on the last anniversa'
ry of American independence. The ak,
iom that all men arc created equal was
here set forth in its strictest sense, that
the whole sovereignty rests in the people
that whenever abuses shall have crept in
to the government, destructive of that
equality and republican state upon which
their constitution is formed, they shall
have the power to correct or establish
new one, they shall have the power OF
curbing tyranny, and Of pulling down in,
dividual pride, these are the vices which
they most abhor, for one is the attendant
on a monarchy, and the other was ensen
dered in the schools of Scandinavia.
intend not to notice with minute
scrutiny all the expressions, which the
writer of the remarks on an address Sc
has laid before the people, it would not on
ly be wasting mine, but also the time Of
the public. / shall conclude with one
more remark. He observes that by the
vindictive passions it industrious'y wa
kens, and in imparting to his auditors a
venemous hatred to now friendly peo
pie, because their ancestors once warred
with our own, the Orator has forgotten
the respect due to his government ano
himself" We have heard of the inveter
ate spirit with which English luminosity
has slandered cur country, from the
meanest subject, to their ministers Of
state, in the smallest pamphlets to their
most cun4brous folios, they have not on
l., o,, loI;o. ~o1,4:o hat