The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1824-05-21
Drferreh.
NO Ill.

much to provo that there is no party
feeling in this country. and cites as an
instance, the circumstance OF Messrs.
Clay and Webster coinciding in opinion !!
Is this conclusive evidence that because
two great and distinguished statesmen
happened to think alike upon mere,
matter of'expedjencv,' that they equally
agree upon all points IF this isolated
case is taiY test of the non.existence of
party feeling, ask how does your sapient
| correspondent reconcile with this aver
ment, the uDdoubted fact, that every dis.
trict nomiDally federal, has uniformly
downto the present era of good feeling,
returned none bu, federal representatives?
Is il because the climate of those districts
IS not corgenialio the growth of democ>
| racy! Or is IT, that whenever and where.
ever they have the power they are sure
to exercise the right? What then does
the uniform exercise of this right argue,
ifh does not party feeling! Or why is he
] so excessively alive to the subject If
the thing did not exist, the mere declara-
ton that it did, would pass by unheeded
| and unfelt; but here it is both felt and
needed, if we Judge from his language,
which is most severe and bitter. But
we are told, that both parties now think
alike with respect TO foreign policy.
ask why The answer is obvious be-
cause there exists no possible cause of
difference. All Europe, with the OK.
| ception of the Greeks, is at peace with us
and with themselves, and our flag com
he .c iii 4,
does it follow, that because the political
horizon is now clear, that there is no
danger OF its being overcast And are
we sure, that whenever storm shall
arise, that we shall all think and act alike?
The answer is referred 10 times past :;
| and what men did yesterday, they might
and most probably would do to-day, un-
der similar excitements; for they are
pretty much the same through lie, max
ing the proper allowance for age and
local circumstances. Far be it from me,
to wish to keep up unnecessary distinc-
| tons {; and shonld sincerely lament to
see good and capable men of either
party prescribed from a fair participation
| m the ho1ors of their country but il
| must be very evident to every man, that
your correspondents, "a Virginian', has
not purged his heart Of all party rancor,
nor has he spared either labor or pains,
to create the very thing which he SO vic
lently deprecatesl Let him contrast his
borrowings and complainings with the
digDifed conduct of Messrs. Webster
and McLane, men whose virtues and
talents command the esteem and admira.
ton of all parties because strong in the
greatness OF their mental powers and
patriotism, and no less redoubta5le to
their competitors. they have nothing to
tear from any party or parties, but much
TO expect from all. The charge prefer
red against Madison and Randolph for
advocating strong measures at the for
| NATION of the federal constitution, has
certainly no connection with the present
state of things, nor does it by any means
prove, that the opinion of those gentle
men at the time was no. perfectly recon-
ciieable with their subsequent professions
and actions; for let it be remembered,
that at the time here alluded to, it was
immediately after we had secured our
rights and independence as a nation that
we had Just thrown off the yoke of a ty-
rannical and arbitrary government that
the success and stability Of a government,
founded upon principles so Purely rehu6-
hcan, and so widely different from what
we had been from our cradles accustom-
ed to, and from its duration, naturally
inclined to believe was right, might very
reasonably create doubts and fears in the
minds ofthe most enlightened and patrio-
tic, as TO its being sufficiently energetic
tor opposite extremes are not calculated
to cure an existing evil--for while tyran.
ny and cruelty produced rebellion, the
| opposite course might occasion hcentiou8
ness, and the latter was as much to be
dreaded, as the former was detesled. 1t
is true, that Mr.. Madison was for
Strengthening the federal government,
and that Patrick Henry was equally aDx-
ious to limit and restrict its powers but
no one ever thought Of condemning either
the one or the other. Il only proved,
hat men of the most enlightened minds,
may view the same subject through very
d fiereDt mediums-and here it was
strongly exemplified. But difference
Ji opinion regarding the internal struc-
'ure of the government is one thing,
while that OF advocating and justifying
he lawless aggres5ions Of foreign enc
my is another. Did they ever differ in
he latter case Let history answer the