Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-02-15
MIR. burgess SPEECH.

Extracts from Mr.. burges opeech one We HuS-
sian Mission andm reply to Nj. Csmbrelsng.
These gentlemen have said less to support this
appropriation, than to impugn the motives OF
those who oppose it. With my motives the gen
tlemen are welcome to amuse themselves. The
storm of their abuse past over me, as the winter
storms of my native New England have often
passed over the humble dwelling OF my boyhood'
without shaking stone from the chimney, or
starting shngie on the roof. | have too mnch
respect for myself to believe that they have abus-
ed me from the wanto mess Of malice, but do
believe it was done simply because they could
find nothing to say more appropriate to the ques-
ton.
This motion has been made to protect the rights
of the Nation against the encroachments OF pow
or. Those who resist such Entertainments and
assaults of power. must always expect to encoun-
ter vociferous, if not Infatuated adversaries. |
have not entered this warfare without counting
the cost" A school of high authority taught me
that, in a war of aggression, ''He who takes the
sword shall perish by the sword''-but in war
of defence let him who has no sword sell his
coat and buy one
How then has our defence been met and an
swered? How by the gentleman OF Virginia!
MIR. BARBOUR. First of all | am accused of
directing to this appropriation, because it is Tor
the use of Virginian. In this the gentleman
is utterly mistaken. l Informed HIM of this err
ror in few moments after he had taken his seat.
tie has, Notwithstanding, chosen to put this err
ror in print. Suffer me, sir, in my place, and
before this House, to protest against this proce-
dure. The gentleman who heard me then, and
who dc me the honor to hear me now, call to
witness, that said no such thing; and should
have nothing to regret. could my protestatlon be
made the printed companion of the gentleman's
allegation against me, and travel side by side
with it under the eye of the nation. This,
know, cannot be done; and / must suffer the
imputation, wherever his speech is read with"at
my correction Gifts errors. Be it so; but believe
there is too much good sense, and too much mo-
raj sentiment in Virginia. to set down one OF their
fellow men as quite SO stupid, or quite SO male
VIOLENT
The gentleman alleges that considered this
mission as a bride offered to Virginia. This
might have been said by me, because ! believed
II to be true IL said, was it said or could 1t be
intended in derosation of Virginia? Is Virsl-
MIA dIshonored by this attempt of the willy Score
tary? did not, and man will intimate that
Virginia had even looked with favorable eye
on this bride, this splendid bestowment. Not
those who hear, but those who listen to the song
of the Syren, and are alured by the enchant-
ment, become debased by the temptation. Sir,
temptations are spread over the whole path OF our
lives, from the cradle to the grave. The entce-
ments of pleasure beset our youth; the tolls OF
ambition are spread for our vigorous manhood;
and in old age, the honest amor abeadi, when all
other loves are frozen in tEeheart, allures the
dim eve to gaze at, and the surd ear to listen to,
the gii,tering beauties and golden melodies OF
ayaricc Are we dishonored, because in the lam
ruace of Sir VIM. Jones, "vice is permitted to
spread her snares around us, that the triumph of
virtue NAV be more conspicuous" The ermine
of the Judge is not furnished because some un-
principled litisant has craftily Profered bride
TO the court. The name of the insulted Lucre
tia has arrived to US after journey OF more than
2OG0 wears. Is il soled by time, or by the breath
Of any one of the millions of millions who have
pronounced il? That name, sir, like the Alps
of her own Italy, whose tops nearest to heaven,
are covered with eternal snow, is the monument
Of imperishable purity-while the name of the
treacherous and cowardly Tarquin, SCARED with
infamy. will be, as it has been, throughout all
time, the name Of whatever is most vile and obi
Gus. Sir, Virginia, is not dishonored; the temp
ter, and not the tempted, will suffer the lnfamy
Of the deed.
The gentleman from Virginia mir. Barbour
would overthrow our objections to this apprOpri-
alton bv eulogising the man sent on the Mission.
He alludes to the monuments of Mr.. Randolph's
fame: and lest men might call on him to sbew
where they are, he has placed them in the hearts
of his colntrymen, where no being but g the
searcher OF hearts" could discover their existence.
What indication has Virginia given that those
monuments are where the gentleman has located
tbems He has long been Representative in
Congress from that State. This Is something In
his favor; but IRON state so long separated into
districts, il is not conclusive. 1t is confined to
his constituents, and only proves, what the
gentleman himself has often asserted ON this
foor. =. that never had man such constituents"
He represented the whole State in the Senate
true; but this was for the fragment only OF term.
WHY was he not re-appointed! The interests.
the honor. and high dignity Of Virginia had been
placed under his guardianship. How did he
perform the offices created by these trustss His
conduct as Senator from Virginia was brought
before the legislature Of that State, on aques-