Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-08-08
REMARKS
On an ADDRESS delivered at Washing
ton, July Ith, 1921, by JOHN GUN
CY, ADAMS; Secretary Of State.
ES No HI
REMARKS

Adams there seems TO DE dangerous
contagion, which affects the judgment or
eandor of every one who attempts its VIM
aication. Its advocates, probably to illus
trate their sincerity, copy the faults which
: they eulogize, and thus defend its style
IN a language scarcely English, and are
betrayed by an admiration of its princi-
,,Ies into solecism and contradiction. In
rnleatinc the doctrines of the Secretary
with mischievous ardour, they adopt
phraseology which indicates their prom
eience in the lesson of ribaldry that he has
} taught them The critick whose fastid-
iousness shrinks from the old vocabulary
,f Diilingsgate, may be encouraged by
The nrospect of its Moderation under the
.usr;ees OF the lettered Premier of Amer
lea Malignant motives are ascribed with
every argravation of scurrilous reproach,
,oolI VINO have dared to doubt his infalli-
h;litv. and in that decent freedom of opin-
ION which it is the privilege of the hum
bIcst citizen to express, parasites have
detected a rancorous and personal hostili
~. That this disposition to caricature
rervades the many detences OF the $ Ad-
dress, which have been published, is no
less evident than it is disgustful. Some
have displayed an ability worthy ola bet.
ter object. but inadequate to prove that
the intensity of rage is the inspiration Of
eloo,ence. that violence is sincerity, or
that petulance is wit.
1t is indeed subject of curious though
not of pleasing speculation, to observe the
weakness to which bad cause sometimes
reduces its most intelligent advocate
The spostrophe to England which mas ac-
onired 50 unenviable celebrity, seemed
TO The Editors Of the National lntelligen
Ger to beseech their interference III rescu-
ing it from the ruinous zeal OF Its admi-
rers DecGning to vindicate the whole
of a paragraph. of which the statements
are nnfountiet. and the language in one
instan e. not easily Ineligible among
gentlemen, the Editor offer the mantle OF
Ero,ectioa to the passage asserting the
abundance of England in Lasciriosts ty
gieksn As the generosity of this aid is
too Quixotick to permit any exercise OF
skill. they unwariiy assume weapon
which is harmless to an enemy, useless to
their ally and possibly injurious to them
selves They defend the phrase in ques-
ton by transcribing from MIR. Moore's
yocm, some verses Insulting tothe Amer
lean character With what propriety
abusive poetry is introduced to prove the
existence OF .'lascipious tyricks," is a
point on which the public may seek in
formation from the pathological acumen
OF The inteiligencer But the demonstra-
ton is idle, for it may be admitted that
amid the mass of English poetry there
are many "iasciUiOuS tyrackS" and the
inquiry still remains, whether an invec-
tive against the Union by an individual of
another country justiteo in the Secreta-
nv OF State formal retort 1t it does
there is no reason why the President
should not retaliate on MIR Moore by a
poetical libel on England, and recite it 20
his yisters on New Years Day.
The opinion which have just consid-
cred is maintained in the Alexandria Her
aid of the seth ult bya scribbler who
calls himself w. and vainly attempts to
enforce it by citing series of insulting
positions which several British writer's
had advanced They do not affect my
vital argument, that the Secretary Of
State was not the person to inflict re-
taliation These passages had long ago
been collated in The industrious " dppear
of MIR. Walsh, and will not probably be
more operative in the retirement of an
obscure print.
By adroitly insinuating that Mr. Moore
was the sole object Of the Secretary's at
tack, the Editors of the lntelligencer
have only exchanged one difficulty for
another. The suggestion may relieve
that officer from the suspicion oflibelling
English literature generally, but it con
fesses that he accepted the challenge of
angle lampooner, and thus in the same
degree that it extenustes his extravaganza
jtexposes his imprudence. That the SLAM
ders of an migrate can excuse vindictive
and indecent requital in sn American
minister's proposition which will never
DO received until we admit that one i'm
proprietv jusnfies another But the de-
fence of even this maxim may be expected
in the progress of the new casuistry, if
we may trust the hopes arising from an ex-
hibition of metaphysical dexterity in a
recent criticism The subject is Browns
philosophy, and it is contained in Re-
view. over which the Secretary IS said to
unbend his miEd, after celebrating trea-
tises on &c Weights and Measures" and
"tfnished orations"
In asserting that under the epithets
mlasciuious" and "fIst'an" all the Bri-
ish lyrics and romances are not included,
tie Editors repel charge which was
never made. To suppose that the Secre
e..v uesnt by this ingenious description