Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

Washington, July 18.

The Baltimore American is proceeding in the reply to the Intelligencer's Review. These Essays are attributed to Robert Smith. He contends that Mr. Madison had no authority under the law of Congress, to issue his Proclamation but upon satisfactory evidence of the fact that the revocation had actually taken place. This, he says, was the letter and spirit of the law; yet Mr. Madison acted in direct opposition to it: and what is still more surprizing, the Non-Intercourse law, afterwards passed, was bottomed on the Proclamation! Here is management and folly, with a vengeance! What sort of an opinion must be entertained of the American Congress?--And although, continues this writer, "Mr. Madison had solemnly declared to the French government and to the world, that "a satisfactory provision for restoring the property lately surprized and seized by order or at the instance of the French government must be combined with a repeal of the French edicts, with a view to a non-intercourse with Great-Britain." Yet without any such provision--nay, without even a promise or assurance of any provision whatever of the kind, Mr. Madison did, by a formal message, deliberately recommend, and with effect, the passing of a law "with a view to a non-intercourse with Great-Britain." If any man wants further proof of the President's consistency and impartiality, he must be sceptical indeed!

One of Robert Smith's defenders in the Baltimore Whig proposes an amendment to the constitution providing that no man shall be elected President for two terms in succession. This is always the case with inconsiderate politicians: they either cannot or will not distinguish between a defective constitution and a bad administration; and the faults of the one are attributed to the other. The constitution has been sufficiently tampered with already. Our great desideratum is, a set of enlightened and patriotic men to administer the government.