Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-11-07
From the Lyneh6urg VirginiGn.
Ntp JDHN IAY

This venerable relic Of an old age and race
now almost gone by and extinct, furnishes iiv.
imp evidence both Of the injustice an" impolicy
of par,y violence and proscriplion-if, indeed
we were not sufficiently admonished OF this
truth py the scene. which are now daily trans
hiring within our own observation. The pa
trio,ism of Mr.. Jay in the periious times OF ouI
revolution was emiDently conspicuous. Al
advocate OF the Declaration Of Independence, he
felt the full force of the pledge he had gil en-
to sustain it, with his life and fortune. His
amor paiyis did not evaporate in idle words
out can be traced in his deeds. True it is, his
name is no where seen connected with the dar-
inc .and brilliant achievements Of war. No
victory was won by his skill in the 6cld-nor no
enemy defeated by his valor. His duties, how
ever, were not the less arduous aud important
than those OF the men whQ he AIDED e1lSu
al thfDL ouHcil board and in tie halls of legis-
latioD Abroad, his exertions were unCeasing
20 procure the recognition Of our independence
BY foreign powers, and to ob'ain loans oi mo
new, as well as the assi,aace OF fleets and armies
10 enable us to battle more successfully against
the mother county. II il was necessary to
have armies and generals, it was equally so
that means should be found TO pay, feed, and
clothe them And no one will hesitate TO say
that this task in he then state Of rhe country was
not easy to perform. When MIR. Jay embark
ed for Europe with his illustriou, companion,
Benjamin Franklin, they were no. cheered even
by me ftebiest hopr that success would crown
their Efforts But they mad taken step which
off red them no alternative. The Jude PEN
derce of the Colonies, they were aware, must
BE- acknowledged BY Great Britain aud the war
thus maze national or they must meet the
doom of rebels on the scafIold Blu, higher
considerations than any connected with their
personal interests or safety, actuated them
They were conIendiug Tor principles which
could not be surrendered without manacling
whole people in chains-for. the same act
which grew out Of the bold assumption Of the
British government, & which was no, itself OPP
pressiv~, would have operated as most griev>
Gus infiiction on the people, it, as the pecuniary
necessities OF the British Empire became more
argent, they should have extended, as thew
certainly would have done, their demands on
the purses Of the prople Of he Colonies. The
same reasoning which would have justified the
British parliament, in laying the tea tax, and
passing the stamp act, would have been equally
forcible as applied 70 every other article Of
trade or Of domestic consumption. We do
not, however, intend 10 write a dissertation on
the unjust exactions of the British government;
We have only glanced a: the subject, as Mr.. Jay
bore so cons picuons part in the events OF the
day, to show that he was animated by the no
blest motives which can inspire the patriot and
phian hropist, and that he INDUCED neither
expectation nor hope o. self agsrandlzrmen,.
Succeeding, beyond his expectations. In Tie
object Of his Mission to Europe, he remained
there, at different Courts, We believe, until The
termination Of the dictionary war by the
treaty Of IS. And here we cannot forbear
quoting an anecdote related Of Mr.. Jaw by MIR. |
Cooper, in his Notions Of he Americana |
exhibiting, at the same time, that he had no
less vigilance piotecl, than penetration to |
perceive, the true interests of his country |
The story will possess the interest Of novelty 10
most of our readers while il will serve 20 illus
traie, in some small degree, the character Of
man who IS an ornament to The American name,
but who, in an early period Of our history,
while yet his invaluable services were fresh in
the memory OF his coun'rymen, was subjected
to the same de 4cription Of abuse and denuncia.
ton which W. now see employed against the
best and greatest men Of our country. Mr..
Cooper says
"During the American war, an alliance was
formed between France and The new power