Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-26

merely sought popularity among my
own countrymen, l should have taken
moro direct and obvious way, by graft
flying rather than rebuking the angry
feelings that were then prevalent ..
gainst England.
And here let me acknowledge my
warm, my thankful feelings at the eff
feet produced by one Of my trivial ld-
cubrations. l allude to the essay in the
Sketch Book, on the subject of the lit
erary feuds between England and A..
merica. / cannot express the heartfelt
delight | have experienced at the un'
expected sympathy and appreciation
with which those remarks have been
received on both sides of the Atlantic.
/ speak this not from any paltry ieei-
in "a of gratified vanity, for l attribute
the effect TO nomerit of my pen. The
paper in question wasbrief and casual,
and the ideas it conveyed mere simple
and obvious. ssIt was the Cause; 1t was
the cause" alone. There was predls-
position on the part of my readers 20
be fayorably affected. My countrymen
responded in heart for the filiai feel-
ings had avowed in their name to-
wards the p.rent country, and there
was generous sympathy in every Eu-
glish bosom towards solitary individ
ual, lifting up his voice in strange
land. to vindicate the injured char
-cter of his nation. There are some
causes 50 sacred as to carry with them
an irresistible appeal for every virtu-
GUS bosom, and he needs but little
power of eloquence, who defends the
honor of bis wife, his mother or his
country.
/ hail, therefore, the success Of that
brief paper, as showing how much good
may be done by kind word, however,
feeble, wien spoken in season, -as
showing how much dormant good feel.
ings actually exists in eaehcountry to-
wards the other, which only wants the
slightest spasks to kindle it into genial
flame--as showing in fact what / have
all along believed and asserted, that
The two nations would grow together
in esteem and amity, if meddling and
malignant spirits would but throw by
their mischievous pens, and leave kind.
red hearts to the kindly impulses of ma
ture. .
/ once more assert, and l assert it
with increased conviction of its truth,
that there exists among the great ma
jority Of my countrymen, a favorable
feeling towards England. repeat this
assertion. because ] think it truth.
that cannot too often be reiterated and
because it has met with some. contra
diction. Among all the liberal and en-.
lighted minds of my countrymen,
mong all those which eventually give
tone to national opinion, there exists
cordial desire to be on terms of court
sey and friendship. But at the same
time, there exists in those very minds
distrust of reciprocal good will on the
part Of England. They have been rem
fdered morbidly sensitive by the attacks
made upon their country by the Ems.
glsh press; and their occasional irrita 4
bility on this subject has been misin-
terpretsd into settled and unnatural
hostility. 81 -
For my part, / consider this jealous
sensibility as belongingto generous ma
lures. should look upon mycountry-
men as fallen indeed from that indepen.
dence of spirit which is their birth gift;
as fallen indeed from that Of character
which they inherit from the proud ma
ton from which they sprung, could
they tamely sit down under the infiic.
tions Of contumely and insult. Indeed
the very impatience which they show
as Ito the MISREPRESENTATION ofthe press,
proves their respect for English opin.
ion, and their desire for English amity;
for there is never jealousy where there
is not strong regard.
It is easy to say that these attacks are
all the illusions of worthless scriblers,
and treated with silentcontempt by the
nation but alas the ISLANDERS Of the
scribblers travel abroad, and the silent
contempt Of tho nation is only known
at home. With England, then, it re-
mains. as I have formally asserted, to
promote q mutual Spirits &c onciliation.:
she has but TO hold theNangusge Of
friendship and respect, and she is Sc.
cure of the good will of every Ameri-
can bosom. ht F&r
In expressing these sentiments, i
would utter nothing that should COM
mit'the proper spirit Of my country.
men We seek no boon at England's
hands: we ask nothing as favour.
Her friendship is not necessary, nor.