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JOHN RANDOLPH.
The conduct of this gcn'l'-man
I.a < of luff*. exfPp'l iinrqromon
a‘tr-n'i<in in thf* United States
penerallv, end this state in pirn
mlnr> As n representative from
Virginia, parliament
ary tnlcn f e of the first order, &
endowed with a mind above the
ordinary capacity nf Itumtn na
ture, h has long attracted the
notice due to hit exalted station
and superior merit. As the
ehttnaptonof our rivi! rights in
’9B, he opposed with manful per
severance, the rap'd strides for
arbitrary power, and the thirst
for blond, which marked the
annals of Mr. Adams’ administra
tion, emphatically denominated
the reign of terror. In those
days which a second time tried
the onls of Americans, Mr.
Randolph exhibited an ardor, an
enthusiasm in the cause of liber
ty and the tights of man,
becoming the representative of a
free people. He combated the j
encroachments of John Adams ,
on our rights, and successfully
shielded his country from barba
rous inroads of i deralism.
Look at the political standing !
of Mr. Randolph in 1798, and
1805 —7—wh .fa dereliction ol
principle! ‘ What a falling oil
was tlv-we, nrrv eouotrvmrn!’ —
Once tire ‘ shield and bticklei ’ of
eur national faith—he ‘s now
siink, even in the es'imation of
himself. What a con r.eu—what
it lesson does the tureer ol this
voting man afford to the youth
of our country, who may bee- ;
mulous'io tread honor’s bright
est path, in ihe acquirement ot
fame, and the applause ot pos
terity.
In 1798 Mr. Randolph was
almost idolised by Ins fellow*
citizens—for his temper had not
been soured by the corroding in
fluence of disappointed hopusr —
hts projected trip across the At
lantic, for the recovery of his
healih, by k”,i ng the s
hand , had not been frustrated by
tii President’s refusal to appoint
him minister at the court ot Loin*
dm. Phis important occurrence
in Mr, Randolph's history hsd
Hot tu'&tn piace when he uttvcod
this .e ! vjiuynt. that 4 to and nu t’
the wisdom and purity of the j jre
sent administration, was to he
its r No—this fact had >ot
taken place. Mr. Randolph I*l
too sanguiuely imagined, that it
was only necessary for him to
seek, and he should find, to tel,
and ite should receive, to knoik,
mid the door of public honor
should he opened umo him. lie
Jiule dreamt that the president
or the people wooiddtnc t< ques
tion his pretensions to any of- ,
f, fC : hut he had egrt giously de
ceived himself. His enthusiasm
and knowledge of men and man
ners in the abstract, fitted bun
for the legislature, but not ini
the cabinet. He mistook I u
talents, and imagined h nisei; a
statesman, when he nad only r.t
quired the first ruditnenuoi poli
tical science.
Rut the glittering outfits and
honors of an embassy, dazzled
his eyes and bewildered his un*
derstanding. His liiends soun
ded the administration —but the
president would not commit the
honor of his country into the
hands of a hot-headed, inexpe
rienced youth, and hence that
-flood of calumny which has pour
ed from his mouth like a tot rent,
on the pi esent administration.
‘I be public declarations of
contempt for, and want of confi
dence in Mr. Jefferson, which
have issued from this gentleman,
ore generally known, it is mi
duty to relate a sentiment con
mined in a letter to a gciuLman
of Amelia, high <n the coia
dence of his country, surpassing
in enoitmty the must enveiiouleu
detraction of <hc federal paiu
it is a sentiment to this el>.>->,
that the present adminisiiattun
igoverned by principles wuie
conupt tt.au those wtucf, acutne
the Yazoo speculators— Ucar
this isitoiv-citizens, and rn
| pare i f with the former declara
tions *( Mr Randolph: And vet
bis friends will tell von he differs
only on a fi-w unimportant points
in which the general principles
of the administt ation are not :n
----volved. We le.-.ve for the pre
sent, all further comment to the
understanding of our readers.
1\ tersburg Republican .
FROM WASHINGTON.
Thursday, February 25.
Two days have been (pent
on ihe poll office bill, to the
exciufion of the many impor
tant fubjetU which are waiting
the decision of Congress. Ihe
greater part ofthelc two days
has been devoted to difctilfions
relative to the pod road be
tween Alexandria and Dual
ities in Virginia, that is, whe
ther the mail ihall pals through
Coifhcder or through Occo
(jiiari, two village. 4 about two
miles aiunder. Mr. J. Han
dolph is the great advocate for
Colt he Her, and has delivered
fix long Ipecches on toe fub*
jed. Roa(l>, & bridges, & da
gcs<fe mails,& taverns,& coach
hoiles, anti orphan children
have been brought on the floor
of Congress, and garnished
with all the the brilliancy of
metaphoiical difilion. *ne
plallick genius of this mailer
painter has been exerted to the
turned on these lublime sub
jects. Fortifications and gun
boats, Burr and Wilkmfonare
all I'm gotten in the superior in
terest of Colcheller and Occo
quan. The victory has been
won in favor ot Colcheller,
but the conqueror, not fatisfi
cd wi h a naked victory, is now
for (ecuiing the conqued by
additional mealures ot coer
cion. When will be the end,
or what the tcfult of this hufi
nefs, it is impolliWe to lorclec.
It is beyond the power ot hu
man opitcks to ditcern the fu
ture courte of the discutfion.
Ihursdey Evening.
The Co'chelter and Occo
quan batinels has been potl
poned till to-morrow.
Friday, Februar y 27.
Yetleiday, Mr. Worthing
ton, ot the Senate, lubmutefl
the following relolutiou tor
confide:ation :
Rcfolvtd , That the fecrcta
ry of the tteafuty be directed
to report ‘o ih.e Senate, at their
next felfion, the belt informa
tion he can acquire, as to the
utefulnels, the pvafilicability, Sc
probable expenle, of the La*
nu! contemplated between the
waters ot the Chetapeake and
Delaware, from Elk river to
Chrilliana Creek, with his own
opinion and realons thereon,
and a plan or plans for the ap
plication of Inch means as may
be mod convenient to the go
vernment, and within the pow
er of Congress, to aid in car*
rying into execuuon the lame,
and whether the route adopted
bv the Chetapeake v and Dela
ware Canal Company be the
moit eligible communication
between the waters ot the two
bays, and likewise his opinion
genetaily, on the prafilicabili*
ty of an inland navigation, be*
tween the southern Ac northern
extremities of the U. States.”
Saturday, February 28.
The Houie have agteed to
adhere to the Mediteitanean
fund and fait bill. The Se
nate agree to adhere to their
amendments. The bid there
fore tails, the duty on fait is
not repealed, and the Mediter
ranean lund ends at the cioic of
this tetiion.
SLAVE TRADE.
It appears, (lays the Fede*
r-.l Gazette of Saturday latl)
that unulualw armth \vs exhih’
iied by the southern members
q.) 3 long atm violent debate
on t V.t Slave-Bill. This bill
in the preamble, disclaims all
con dilutions I authority in
Congress over the right to
(laves, and enacts, that no
thing contained in the 8-h lec
tion of the aforefaid law (hall
aided the right ot pertons to
tranfportor fell (laves not im*
ported contrary to law.
Sketch of Friday s proceedings.
Mr. Randolph observed,
that a bill had pa (fed the houte
yederday, which, whatever
might be the opinion of tome
gentlemen upon it, went to
lirike at the loot of ail proper
ty in ths southern dates. By
that law’, two men may go from
different parts of Accomac
countv (Vir.) to Norfolk, with
their (laves; and one of them
Jose his right to such fiave on
arriving at that place. He con
tended, that by depriving a
man of the right to fell his pro
perty, it ceased to be ptoperty.
This power, he laid, had been
a {fumed upon a principle tru*
ly alarming to the people of
the southern dates—upon that
(weeping, he had like to have
said detestable clause in the
conditution, that it was necef
(ary to carry the other powers
into effeti. He would alk
gentlemen from the southern
dates, whether they would
like to redthe security of their
propeity upon the two houles
of Congress, after what they
had teen in their dispoli*
don P He would not be fur
pitted, it at the next (etfion,
this entering wedge (hould be
driven further and further, un
til congress should entirely e*
mancipate Oaves. He did not
deny the right of congress to
prevent the importaiuju of
slaves —but he denied that they
had any right to deprive an
owner of his prelent right to an
existing (lave. It this law went
into operation, unless the own’
ers of slaves were a deep, pro
tefis would be sent againll it
from every ftatefouthof the
Potomac —he hoped too from
Maryland. Sir, (continued
Mr. R.) we may fay what we
please about alien laws and se
dition laws : hut this law is- in,
my opinion, the mod fright*
fill, the mod abominable, that
was ever palled. He then
moved, that leave be given to
biing in a bill to amend and
explain the law palled yeder
day, (prohibiting the imputa
tion of (laves.)
Mr. Goldsborovgh said that
he had no objection to the mo
tion. fie had not been entire
ly in favor of the principle al
luded to in committee of con
ference: but he had thought it
far better that such a proviti-
Dii should be infected in the bid,
than that the whole bill should
be lolt—The evil complained
of, which only prevents a man
from carrying bis daves in ves
sels under 40 tons, was trivial,
when put in competition with
the great objefct of preventing
the Imuggling of daves in (mall
vctlels.
Mr, Quincey enquired whe
ther the proposed measure
would be in orde.r. He
thought it would be mod nro
per to v. ait until the bill had
received the fan&ion of the
third branch of the govern
ment,
Mr. Randoph again inti (led,
that Congress had no more
right to pats such a law., than
they had to prevent slaves be
ing tent in a vvaggoi —lt it pas
sed, he said he doubted whe*
ther we fhouic ever lee another
southern delegate on that floor
—he for one, would have no
hesitation in laying, if the con
ftitudon is to be violated, if the
entering wedge is to be driven,
let ns tccede, let us go home.
Mr. Smilie. —The gentle
man from Virginia fays he
will not trull Congress, and
talks of the southern dates re
ceding from the union. If
they do not like the Union, let
them fay to—in the name of
God let them go—we can do
without them. The fubjetf of
disunion has been so much fpo.
ken of lately, that I am afraid
it may take place. He was
proceeding, when
Mr. Randolph begged leave
to explain.— He laid he ob,
fervedtwo stenographers on the
floor, but he could not fay
that he put much dependence
on either of them. The gen
tleman from Pennfyjvania had
grotsiy misrepresented him
that gentleman had only dated
a paitof what he had (aid—&
by ihe rules of evidence, a man
was required to give the whole
truth ; a pari of it only, was
contidered as equivalent to a
falfehood ; What he had said,
was that he would not tiuft
Congress with the manumilfion
ot slaves. The gentleman, he
laid, had endeavoured to make
an ungenerous ofe of what lie
had (aid about union and dis
union; lor his own part, he
looked upon union as the
means of our liberty, happiness
and fafety ; as the means and
not as the end; but if union
and die manumilfion of (laves
are to be put into the scale, let
union kick the beam ! If this
motion lhauld fail, he obterv*
cd, as a latl resort, lie fhmilrt
conceive it his duty, though be
did not know whether the o
ther southern members would
be of his opinion, to go to the
President of the United States,
Sc enter his p rote it againlt the
bill. He concluded, by ob*
serving, that there appeared to
be a portion of that houte,
small, in point of abilities, who
were opposed to the prelent
Hate of things in the southern
lUtes.
The queflion was then taken
on Mr. Randolph’s motion,
and it was can ied.
A committee of three mem
bers was appointed to bring in
a bill.
From the National Intelligencer.
The legislature of Missis
sippi territory, at a moment
when national anxiety has stamp
ed with unusual importance the
principles and feelings of this
section of the union, deem it pc.
culiarly tluir duty to proclaim to
die Congress and the whole peo
ple of confederated America.
It is therefore resolved unani
mously, by the legislavtive coun
cil and houre of representatives
of the Mississppi territory, that
they are attached in the highest
degree to the constitution of the
United States—have the utmost
confidence in the wisdom and
virtue of the chief magistrate of
the United State;—that eve
ry project of the ambitious
and enterprising, todisseverthe
union, or to usurp the preroga
tives of government, will always
excite their honest indignation.
Resolved unanimously, That
the uncommon alacrity and zeal
which the people of this territo
ty have manifest to defeat an un
principled conspiracy, and to
maintain the unity and authority
ot the American republic, place
their patriotism above suspicion,
” I
: I
attacks on i|, f . r- l: • , H
clots rot m n ,'"’ H
tioncf;hebi :i;n , h ’:;
scss.cn, nrf l( . m . lv :;;
10 bpar.i h cmc . .''H
cn. and that ‘V ■
rights aid p (t rr . c:;ii ,
ueial p; vfrnm.m, i, :'.l
hast, for ice c j ,",
the fedc.id g (ntri;nitr ‘'jW
ind will tx t-n’D.,!!. •
lighis and j>rerf. sa , i j“'“B
people in the i in „., tl , B
their territories. B
Raolved umnm v ,yU
whilst the c.la.ms o| y. ‘^fl
merchant io.-,r.(,ic,; 0 ;;8
ted on h. m in the
regions ofthe haifi; . B
50 justly < >.( itc(! (u *' t 'B
and energy c f B
not but l.elit vc thu; du'JH
poot cultivator .B|
the waters of the M (1 fl|
rescued from onprt s-.fi-B
berita committed B
their very doors, vvIII „ : fl|
a "’akr n the indignutioi. fl
maud the acute cur, fl|
govern mi nt truiy inr< l; fl
paternal. fl
Resolved /'•;a/ ) ;. s
the con inued (■hstruiiifl
the Spanish officers, fl
navigable stream ii o n P;B
ver to Georgia, the ,‘i\...fl
nial of the u-t of the guifl
ways of nat‘f *> A>u-'il
tizens, residing onthe v,B
the A1 ab i my, i on : iligljjß
bile and Faspagoß, and -fl
exactions with which, e 'B
sunning the smiling cot: fl
of peace and coucillatiouß
harrass the people of thifl
tory too severely to be I
tolerated, and that in the fl
on of this assemhlv, thefl
country, fiom Georgia fl
Pearl river, will he erfl
bandoned to Indiana and fl
ards, or that both the titsfl
bind citizens to their gfl
ment,, and the dictates ol fl
dcncc and bocirtt, vuilbcifl
ble to l cstrain the op ,rtssfl
making one last e.r.u <kfl
i no: i iu i .a uicui.c. cj
oppressors. B
Resolved unanhntv-p H
tile most ctfectu.il (via tufl
dtlul goreintiK ‘.ii to -..di'S®
count; v, is to encourage H
pula ion, and that :n wc fl
of thin assembly, u wouititfl
wise and cccnu.v. ic.fi lu ol fl
nations ol land iu iuwswfl
this teriitory. I
Resolved unaniur.wtyt H
we wiil at the fir-.tculioig®
merit, devote uttiVivrrf a fl
p.opeity to uhtaUl
the w hole terri.oiy r^ ! fl
Mississippi, which bdfflfl
treaty to the
Res alvei unaniincustyW
a copy of these resolutioj
transmitted to each h.oimß
gress, to the delegate
t.isfippi territory, &
tcrut the National b.teil'fl
JOHNELLi*
Speaker of the Hcuh'M
teniativis. I
Representative* Chri*m
Jen. vrr'r, 1307-B
JOSHLA li^l
President of tat fl
Attest, n .M
H. It. graysosl
Council Chanbcr, j a "-
Attest, . I
JOSHUA D0\ v N?.|
WASHINGTON, irc i
We learn that the ■
lately concluded and ,o fl
by the American and V
commifhoners, has aj
been received by our
ment. It is believe isl
ver, on good g rolin S 1
the instrument, in
form, presents f f,n ’ £ ) . ‘‘tl
which will requite iUfl l
gociations, in the
cable spirit which haj lb J
out pievailcd, in ° r e ■
der it acceptable !0 0 ■
verntnent. It
partituiar!y s that it I