Virginia Argus

FROM THE AURORA.

"LOOK OUT FOR BREAKERS."

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in the City of Washington, dated 15th July, to his friend here.

"At this critical period, when the nation is again threatened with an attack from our deadly and inveterate foe—I presume you have no objections to receive occasionally, a letter from your old friend, containing some information of what is going on at the seat of government. Our last news from the southward, states the sailing of the piratical fleet immediately after they had received the President's proclamation.—They felt no inclination to taste some of the Norfolk red hot forced meat balls, thanks to the spirit of '76, which continues to animate the sons of patriotic sires.—I am firmly settled in my opinion, that the state of things in which we are at present placed, has been produced by the leading federal and Burr partisans. They have not ceased to represent in the miserable prints devoted to their use, that we are a divided and discontented people, that the executive of the United States is at the head of a desperate party, despised by the great body of our citizens, that he possesses no energy, that he is willing at all times to offer up the sacrifice of national character and interest, for the preservation of the presidential chair, and his own personal ease and emolument, and that our next national existence depends upon a close union with Great Britain. Such have been the disgraceful sentiments uttered by men who are enjoying the blessings of liberty and ease, under the only free government on the face of the earth—and such are the sentiments re-echoed within the walls of Congress, by some men calling themselves the representatives of the people—Calculating upon this information, Britain has made the experiment. She will be convinced of her error. After such characters have brought us to this situation—it might have been supposed, that a conscious sense of their own traitorous conduct, would have induced them to retire before the frowns of an indignant and insulted people. But no! we find those political weathercocks can, at all times, accommodate themselves to a leading wind They are now the most forward in proclaiming their attachment to the administration! They can pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor, with as much facility and ease as they formerly could drag from his family a poor democratic printer at Reading, and inflict a murderous punishment upon him at the public market place: with as much facility and ease, as thirty armed ruffians commenced the attack upon Wm Duane, and left him almost lifeless weltering in his blood : with as much facility and ease, as an acquitted murderer could discharge the contents of a pistol into the breast of an innocent and amiable youth, in the face of noonday: with as much facility and ease, as they could force maniacs and murderers into the loathsome cell of a persecuted patriot.

"I wish it to be understood, that I do not mean to apply the observations I have made to the mass of federalists—a vast majority of these deluded people, have been led astray by the arts and designs of the imposing few—and are fast returning to a sense of duty to themselves, and their country. I cannot sufficiently admire and applaud the patriotism of our fellow-citizens in forming military associations for the protection of our country.

"But I wish them to appoint for their leaders, men who are known for their un-deviating attachment to the present administration. & not those who deserted them in the hour of danger— but can you my republican friend, for a moment suppose, that some of those would-be-leaders here, some of those who are now the most boisterous in their expression of patriotism. declared a very short time since that Burr was an innocent man, a persecuted character, and expressed hopes that the citizens at the seat of government, would shew their attachment to him by a public dinner ! Among these is a choice spirit of the best blood, under whose kind and hospitable roof treasons were hatched, the bosom friend of Dayton and the devoted tool of the profligate and abandoned traitor Burr—a smiting cringing sycophant—yet such is the fact more of this hereafter.

" At some of the meetings that have been held at this city for the purpose of raising volunteer corps many of the most inveterate enemies of the present administration & the advocates and devoted tools of Aaron Burr. have endeavored to force themselves forward. Doubts are therefore naturally entertained as to their object, whether they wish to release their quondam emperor from the penitentiary, or as they now profess, to march against our deadly enemies whom they have hitherto exalted to the skies for their magnanimity and justice towards our much injured country."