The National Register. — London, England, 1812-02-16 00:00:00

THE NATVONAL REGISTER. . ' • Our litfng, Conditution, anD tabo. PRINT 1..13 AND PUBLIVIED AT NO. 5, PICKETT-STREET, STRAND, NEAR TEMPLE BAR* N° 21-6. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY .16,)812. POLTI 'CAL DISQUISITION. o. 203. CONDUCT AND POLICY OF AMERICA. The note of warlike preparation continues to resound from the shores of the Atlantic. It awakens neither terror nor despondency in our hearts. We have lnng expected the bursting out of that storm, which we saw collecting in the American sky, and clearly marked the -point on which it will wreak its rage.—Like the volcano that spreads desolation round its base, America will only call down ruin upon all her States, should her spirit of blind ness continue to prevail, and the die of war be irrevocably cast. The measures lately recommended to the adoption of Congress, and those actually adopted, seem in some degree at variance, and would induce a hope that all our differences might still be amicably settled, did not the ex perience of the past demonstrate too plainly the sovereign influence of Fiance, over the Councils of the United Sates, to render a change of policy on their part proba ble. After having long blustered and threatened, they begin to perceive their real weakness, and to grow alarmed at the lengths they have gone.—They feel that, notwithstanding their boast of annihilating our trade, in case of war, they do not possess the means of attempting to carry their menace into execution.— The Indians whom they supplied with our commodities, have exhausted the stock which had been laid in by the American merchants before the revival of the Non-Im portation Act, and now not only loudly complain of the deficiency, but in many quarters take up arms, and ravage the frontiers of the United States. To pacify these, and at the same time to recruit the resources of the country, a Bill has been proposed to gi authorise the importation of goods, wares, and merchandises, under certain circum. stances, from Great Britain, her colonies, or dependen cies." Thus, the Executive wishes to derive from Eng land herself, the means of waging an unjust war with Ivr. It is true, that this privilege will only extend to the goods, wares, Bz.c., which were purchased, or actually contracted for in Great Britain, anterior to the Ist day of Feb. 1811. But the planners of the Bill suppose that the F. ll Pply they will at once obtain by this modification of the former Act will be so considerable as to answer their immediate ends, and enable them to pursue the.hos tile course marked out by the Government, until the prowess of their land and sea heroes, and the promised assistance of the French may turn the scale of war en trely in their favour. Their hopes may, however, be de. feted, and when they so openly avow their intention of F° 4 V. No. CC I VI. PRTCE 94 appealing to the sword, as soon as they shall be ready to enter on offensive warfare against us, they arm us with the just and natural power of preventing the increase of their means, by the confiscation of their property still in our hands, and of availing ourselves of their unprepared state to strike a decisive blow. Should we, after the pro vocations which we daily receive adopt the latter course, the American Executive would soon he conscious of the ruinous impolicy of their conduct. Unable any longer to furnish the Indians with our commodities, a branch of trade which would entirely revert to our hands, and which might be carried on through Canada and the Gulph of Mexico, they would find all their land frontiers wreathed with hostile tribes, whom mutual advantage and interest would bind to our cause. Instead of marching like con querors to Quebec, they would be compelled to divide their army and militia into so mane corps, to oppose the inroads of the Indian Warriors, and defend their maritime towns against our attacks, that they would not be able to collect, at any point, an army strong enough to resist the British force, undtr the command of General Penrose, now in Canada. This extensive provipce would, therefore, not only enjoy perfect security, but would become the focus of our military strength, whence powerful expeditions might be undertaken against the territory of the United States. Reduced to act on every side on the defensive, not only their external, but their internal trade, would be destroyed. The cultivation of their lands would be greatly impeded, and amidst the desolations of war, the ill-connected links which join the different States toge. ther, might be dissevered, and the whole Commonwealth might fall into ruins. Notwithstanding the possibility, nay, the imminent probability of such dangers, the chief Orators in Con gress, and the Directors of almost every Publication, in. yoke war as a blessing. The Bill fur raising an addi tional force of '25,000 men has passed, and preparations of an hostile nature are made throughout the country. The following extract of a letter from the Hon. Geonon M. Bine, a Senator from Kentucky, to the Speaker of the Senate of that province, fully explains the design of the Executive Government, to support belligerent mea sures against this Country. " I think," says he, lam authorised to state that the measures of the Committee (of Foreign Relations) meet the approbation of the ransmeser ; that the Committee have an assurance that he will employ those means (if entrusted to him) as efficiently as they are capable of, un less Great Britain shall, in the month of April or sooner, adjust, to the satisfaction of the G?vernment of the United States, the principal matters of difference between