Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

Americans used to call England their mother country. Before the period of our revolution the era there has been as little of filial as of maternal affection between the two countries, yet the daughter has copied after the ill example of the mother in several deplorable respects, and perhaps in nothing more deplorable than in plunging, like her, into an ocean of debt.

At the time of the revolution in Britain (1688) the capital of the British debt was only six hundred and sixty four thousand two hundred and sixty three pounds sterling. That debt was funded in 1699.

King William reigned thirteen years, that is from 1688 to 1700. He being a mighty warrior, the English got a deal of glory during his reign, but increased their debt by the amount of more than fifteen millions and a half.

Queen Anne, the successor of William, reigned also thirteen years. Hers was the reign of glory indeed. Her great Marlborough, by his chivalrous deeds upon the continent, exalted the military fame of England, at the expense, however, of the increase of the public debt to the full amount of thirty seven million seven hundred and forty thousand pounds.

At the accession of George I, in 1714 the debt amounted to somewhat more than fifty four millions sterling. A debt of that magnitude was found to be a very convenient engine in the hands of government; and, as such, it began at that time to be employed. Walpole the prime minister, chiefly, if not altogether by means of the public debt and taxes, has organized and carried into operation a deep laid system of corruption which has pervaded the government from that day to the present. As some bridges are the more strengthened, the greater is the weight that is put upon them; so it is found out that governments of a free cast may be made stronger (that is, despotic) by means of a great public debt and enormous public taxes. If Sir Robert Walpole had the merit of being the first inventor, there have been others since, as well Americans as Englishmen, who have improved upon this invention very ingeniously.

Not to give a farther narration of the increase of the British debt from period to period; suffice it to say that in the year 1810 that debt was accumulated to upwards of eight hundred and eleven millions pounds sterling; and that the government itself was manifest more energetic in 1810, than in 1699 when the debt was fourteen hundred times less-- so far forth clearly proving that a public debt is a public blessing, at least to men in public office.

Such has been the example of the mother, which the daughter has not merely copied after, but for her age and circumstances has far, very far exceeded. During only four years of the administration of Mr. Madison, the American debt has been increased well toward as much as the British debt was increased during the 26 years of the reigns of William and Anne, although those reigns were attended with almost perpetual foreign wars: Nor is it unworthy of serious notice and remark, that the administration of Mr. Madison has been the era of commencement of a systematic corruption exceeding in profligacy the genius of Walpole himself. The existence and fearful extent of abominable corruption in the fiscal affairs of the nation has been acknowledged by congressmen of all parties; though, strange to tell! it seems to be the prevailing opinion that the way to cure it is to feed it.

Connecticut Courant.