Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-03
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS


terest, and again the eyes of nation, that
stretches from the Gulf Of Mexico to the Bay OF
Fundy-from Madawaska on the north eastern
frontier to the deep and dark wilderness OF the
far far west, are fixed upon its rulers. The
man from the cold and rocky north, and ne VINO
comes from the sunny south,-from the lana OF
the olive and orange, now welcome each othei,
and every mail route, pointing wherever IL
may. has brought, or is bringing hither the he
representatives. of a great people, ever "i'hess
this spectacle with delight and enthusiasm, anu
I cannot but give an utterance 10 the ieeinS',
What territory is this that our nag noatS over
IA continuous territory too, not that Oh COLO
MOS where armies are needed to keep the peo-
ME in awe, and where the moving drum and the
rrad coat remind the subject that a government
not of his creation is felt and has dominion
there. What a territory indeed. and whose
heart does not exult at the spectacle OF ITS as
sembled Observation-Disclosures they come IN from
the Missouri the Mississippi the Red river, from
the pine barren, the rich aluvial formations,
from under the moss grown trees OF the south,
the rich and wide extended praries OF the
west;-the magnificent lakes of the NORTH
from the thick, busy, humming population OF
New EnglanG-that universal yankee nation,
present every where, in quest OF every thlng,
ambitious for all purposes, and falterng at no
thing. What variety of interests and occu-
% Itions too these men must represent! Here,
from southern Louisiana comes the representa-
tive from the land Of sugar,-and there, from
the easternmost district of Maine, Is the repre-
sentative from the land of logs and lumber, and
the fisheries and though he may not boast OF
the rudy orange yet he can boast oil the ex-
cellent potatoe. Here is the representative OF
cotton, rice and tobacco, and then comes the
man from the music of the spinning jennies and
the roar efthe waterfall. Here is the man from
the land Of corn and wheat,-and there Is a
man from the land of his purchasers,-th pro-
r To- fha., xt-hn liun "
wits and ingenuity. Here is the guardian oil a
mighty commercial interest, that braves the
deep. and spreads the national flag on every
sea, and there is the son OF the hardy yeomah-
ry the men of nerve and sinew-wth IRON mus
cles-and of adventurous spirit. Almost all
the multiplied productions OF the earth are
ours so broad is our line of longitude, so varl-
ed our Iattude:-and here are their Represent
atives assembling in one Capitol, acknowledg-
ing one government, and speaking one common
language. Twenty-four States already make
up our confederacy, and yet there is ample ter
ritorv for almost as many more. The old thlr-
teen will more than see its number doubled be-
fore another census. Michigan is already
knocking at our doors, claiming as right,
what We have refused as a boon. Arkansas
has already come. Florida is coming. And
then there is the North West Territory, already
teeming with population. And then there Is the
vast Missouri to which imagination can hardly
How vast, how magniicenlly vast! What re.
sources that outrun even vivid calculation, and
astonish and mock at prudence! what rivers
that make the European smile at ms niue rlllS!
do indeed eXut as an American when wit
ness the re-assembling OF Congress,-and l
bless the destiny that made me an American
And il the people be kept intelligent,--if educa-
ton continue to win its votaries,-f free schools
but conquer prejudice, interest, and ignorance,
and more thln all, if the Union be preserved
by moderation in the general government, ana
the laws be administered for the benefit OF the
iohoie and not of part, then indeed destiny
awaits us, more exalted, more instructing, more
sublime than even that which aggrandized, and
which now throws snch lustrous cloud over
Rome the mother Of Empires.
But how much have We TO wrestle with
There is selfish and grovelling ambition that as
pires for honor but To soil and be2rim 1t. There
is the cringng, serve love OF power, that mas
dishonored the human character in all ages
There is ignorant mediocrity that has the au-
dacity to be ambitious, and there is knowledge
prostituted To pervert and abuse it, And then
there are hundreds and hundreds born TO be
tools-who love TO be tools, whom destiny seems
10 have made for tools,-who never seek Tor
any thing than being the creatures OF others,
who wear their badge bear their name, and
who. ave. if necessary, would wear their very
labelled collar. And then there is power thirst
ing for more power, and acquiring It too, and
then this serve crew applauding the aequsi-
ton, no matter whether high ambition has won
il by cunning, or overleaped the fence of the
law. Indeed have often mind, when read
history, and see what government has done,
and when now see what it is doing, to turn
Radical at once and swear the oath of Hanni-
ba-perpetual hostility to it, 1t is an ev,-but
-ssosu 81 6snOB9r SuIqo,RM I3As leulsuisu !!
10 6snoIesf 'uonsAIsssId AND 81! IoJ Al!Lnoes
,ssq eql S! !! OF psneH ,os y sHem suo!s
sgd psq mo 1ueL5 I-'UAa AIRsssosu
sary. Think, ye who doubt this, what pure,
holy, parental, government our fathers ieit US
on parchment,-our Washington, our Mad!-
sons our Hancock's, our Adam's-and here
it is-see 1.-THE government of 10000 Once
Holders,-all enemies of the people, vet GER
.tainly thousand and thousands of them as honest
men as ever lived-with the glitter of gold,
with party bull hounds, with that delusive glare
of military glory, that has blinded so many
Republics. See il, see the Kendalls, the Blairs,
triumphant,-and see,-my heart. sickens at
the sight,-a state hike old Virginia consecrat.
ed by the tombs of Washington and Jefferson,
now living on her past renown,-full Of dege-
nerate sons struggling to drive from the nation
nj councils such man as Leigh who is restor- |