The National Register.
London, England, 1814-10-09 00:00:00

WAR IN AMERICA.

What has been the result of American hostility ? As 1
long as it was carried on in disguise, it injured our trade
without affording us an opportunity of securing ourselves
by destroying the power of our enemy. Yet when it burst
forth into open acts of aggression, and our forbearance was
rewarded by a Declaration of War, there were many in this
country %eh° thought we should have submitted to greater in-
sult. rather than have incurred the perils of a contest which .
their imattination armed with unfounded terrors. What is now '
their opinion? Do they stil! fancy that our ruin will be the con-
.sequence of Mr. Madison's warlike efforts ? Or do they agree •
with the prophetic sentiments expressed three years ago on
the subject by one of our ablest Ministers, whose untimely
and cruel end still fi'ls every feeling heart with regret ? At
that tune, much to•the astonishment of certain politicians,
who did not conceive that Great Britain should ever be able
to resist the hostility of her emancipated colonies, Mr. Per-
ceval stated, " that the resources, the trade, and all that con•
stituted the greatness of America, would be annihilated by a
war with England?' This declAration was treated with
derision when it was made ; but bow has it since been
verified in ;every particular? What is become of the
rmnerces of America? They were collected for the purpose
of conquest, not defence. They formed a bolt, vainly
deemed resistless, which the President stood ready to hurl at
the Canadas to drive us from our !ast continen'al transatlantic
possessions. The bolt has been thrown, and its fury is spent.
It set a few village: in —names, but what was not expected
by the political Thunderer, it kindled a blaze of patriotism
and enthusiastic valour, which devoured all his means of
hostility, and continues to survive them. Not only are the
Canadas resetied frotn invasion and devastation, but Ame
rica herself is invaded and struck, though with softened
severity-, by the hand of retaliation. Where are the re-
sources on which she now can draw, not to renew her chi-
merical plans of foreign conquest, but to provide for lien
Vol. Fa. No. CGC.2O,

Own defence? She was building large igates and ships
of the line, ti cope with our squadrons, and es-ahlish
" her sailors' rights"' Yet, whose flag now flows nri
her waters ? Who rules Abe shorts of the Chesa-
peake? Who commands the course of her most impor-
tant rivers, and through those arteries of her states, re:tches
the walls of her most flourishing cities, and shake% over them
the brand plucked from the smoking ruins of their capital ?
Let the Map of the Seat of War which this d-ty ac-
companies our publication be consulted, and it will
be seen bow many towns now temble at our ap.

proach, how many rivers bear oar expeditions to the very
heart of the land ! Let the situation of Washington he ttaerd
through the windings of the Potowmac, about a timd, ed
miles from the mouth of that river, and the courage and
skill of the heroes who, as dauntless as irresistible. pene-
trated so far, and levelled the enemy's capital to the ground,
will shine with encreased lustre. Let the eye then filoof
the immense line of coast opened to our °petition-, and ac-
tually threatened by our arms. The immense Bey ot the
Chesapeake is now our seat of action. Filled with our
flying squadrons, now we may wreck our vengeance on New
London, which report has already placed in our power.
and in a few. hours Annapolis may yield to our summniai,
whilst some days may bring our exi:editton up the Pa•at.seo
to the very quays of Baltimore. Masters of those three cities,
and our will is now almost sufficient to give us their posses-
sion, the northern parts of the Bay cease to offer any point
of sufficient importance to repay the trouble of a visit, and
our squadrons will shape their course to the South. Heist
what a rich harvest awaits them ! I.et us hear what an A me-
'icon Senator, General German, prophetiea!ly said on ths
subject when the impolicv of the declaration of %var a.raiwt
this country was discus:ed in Congiess? Cbarleston and Nor-
folk, as well as many -other places of less consequence,
were, be maintained, exposed to marine Arai ks, and
when we reach the city of New Yo.k." he added, (the
nation's great emporium of trole) shall wp it in a
state of se,:w ity ? No : unless the gr-orlo par' f o(://
f' i4ates are stationed titer e, in ;,id of f .rtifica.

tions and gun•hows, it %sill fail a prey I) the
it can be ascaileti by a small iket with every pcos-
pect of sticresg. '111:e ori!y resistAnce it would meet
Kith, Nvotild be in passiwz Isiand, and peril:rrs
few shuts from Bedlow's and Islands. The English