Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-09
From the Boston Patriot.
Offhe Coon and the Evil Spirit, Or tie
TopAz ami EBONY.
Austin Smith, Secretary.

ToPAz anil EBONY.
An Infinite deal of nonsense has been utter.
ed in certain opposition papers concer"lng The
Presidents neat toast gwen al Baifimore at The
dinner the Cincinnati. We mean that Of The
EBONY and TOPAZ as emb!ems Of Good and Eel
Let the gainsayers bray as long and as loud as
they can, we stand ready 10 defend the patriot
ISM. dignity. and classical elegance OF the SEN
timen in question Whatever the little nib
bIrrs NAV say in New York, or our more silly
ones here, we sand ready 10 maintain, not On
" The business and humanity Of the principle Of
but the correctness Of the typical designation,
abusive picture or symboliZation Of The ideas.
We know that the sentiment will stand the test
Of the closes, criticism, and sci ridicule at de
hancc: and we challenge the whole drove 10
the contest.
Le,rs glance al he occasion which gave birth
10 il. and its ciycuD,si1niiGiS The President had
been invited by some Of the principal American
officers most active on the in' asion oil BaLt-
more by large land and naval force conduct
ed by the BRITISH General Ross, the inocndlary,
or lc8alized iirebrand who burnt the supeib-ca>
ptol navy yard, and national Library and records
Of the CITY Of Uashngio', and had approached
the rich city Of BA1ri MORE 10 ?lnnder and des-
troy i, also. The President had been shcwn ne
harbor and the forrs that brasely repulsed
the i itiah men Of war; and he spot where
Ross landea, the course o! the enemv'S march,
The position Of our own Iroops-the battle
ground, and the place where the English Gen
eral, IN his E5on Car of war, met he reward
OF his rashness, from Topaz directed rifle in
the hands Of an obscure militia man. which IA
tai shot, with wonder be il spnkrnD put an
end q. once 10 The invasion, by dIsconcering
The commander in chief, occasioning the as
sailing army suddenly TO retrace their steps,
and crowd IN haste TO their ships, and direct
ly after to qn, the coast OF Maryland forever.
Ii was, take il altogether most striking e.
vent in military history; rather more exraor-
binary than the prccipItate II ght of his Royal
Highness the Duke Of York from the coast of
Holland; and the several flights Of the British
in their attempts on the coast Of France. The
incident was Truly marvellous. in our eyes that
single bullet should instantly occasion the total
reEnqmshmeni Of formidable enterprise against
rich city, the disconcerlion Of a well appoint.
ed army, conducted, IS some believed, by able
officers. We in New-EngIand viewed it, as
doubtless did the PresidrnI, a singular evenl
from the hands of merciful PROVIDENCE, who
thus saved the lives Of thousands, as well as the
city and all its wealth, by the sacrifice Of the
life of ONE man! Is there another instance on
record whrre the death Of an ndi,idua effectu-
a,ed SO much?-or gave occasion for so much
rational JOY, Thanksgiving and national con-
grAtulations? If there be, let the Drawing and
barking tribes, the revilers Of the President,
point it our. But,-'Ah' says the New York
Tory editor-the PosT wiz, his thick skull.cap.
the man who is FOR reducing every thing to his
own idras,-that standard Of liuleness-that
mint of falsity-'Ah. but the lamen,ed victim
was BRITISH General YOUNG British General,
of a most respectable character and family in
England SPIRITS Of The New York prison ships
Ghost Of HAMS, and Of HUDDY come forth. in
in all your black marked agonies af ufFoc alton
and stare these wretches in the face! these |
creeping things, in whom the lack of strength |
is made up in yenom;-miscre proving
about our dwellings, and skulking in the dark
ness Of night, to attack the honest and the hon
orable, should the needed repose OF wearied |
natur' ever put them, for moment, off their
guard.
But, to return to The terided emblems. A
more natural, more humane, more Chris
nin-hke sentiment could not have arisen in he
EAST Of patriotism and philanthropy, than that
which tended to celebrate the preservation Of
thousands from death, wounds, and captivity by
he sacrifice of only ONE officer, unless The aris-
orcr4ticaly tinged editor Of certain paper
equally considers the life of British General
# more value than the lives, limbs and liberty
1t thousand red coais' on one side, and as
many Americans on the other.
Had single Rnssion soldier, from before the
alls OF Moscow, sped ball thro' the heart Of
'apoteon, a d thereby saved that rio and VEN
ra5le city from destruction, and his own fell
ow-soldlers from death, wounds and CAPTIVITY,
you'd not his Emperor alexander have loaded
he patriotic soldier with riches, and covered
Inn and his family forever with honours?-Yel
hail the Chief Magistrate of the Union be
cofFed at for expressing similar sentiment,
mixed with the religious idea of a guardian {
AS fell General Wolfe, near Quebec. See Captain 5
noA's history of the British Campaign in Canada.