The gazette., 1799-03-04

n M TT-N
| ehcient end, made fecnnd effort to rsllore
peace, and paid an unufual compliment 20 the
French government, hy Tending three envoys
extraor dinary. with ample powers u her, To
explain, &c redrefs, andito bury every complaint
/ IN fair, honorable and friendly adiaR,nent.
his renewed teltinony Of our defre ior peace,
was returRed BY increafe of inlolence and af-
front.
Thus fituated, we had but to choofe between
iubmifion to the will of a foreign nation and
The maintenance Of our independence. What
American could heGtate in tn. option The
choice being made. frlf prelervation commanded
preparations for felf defence Wi h this view,
& to this end. various d.fenfive meafures were
adopted by the lalt Congrels, the mof effeetlaI
OF which were, the equipment Of The feet, the
raihng OF an army, proviion for the remov-
al OF dangerous aliens, and for the pnnilhmenr
OF feditlnus citizens. The two frft are CHARGED
with the atrocious defgn Of creating a monar-
chy On ths ruins Of our free governments, and
the two lAlt are declared to be ulurpa,ions Of
power in violation Of the Conaitution; while
all Of them are viewed as parts OF fixed fyR-
I'm, tending to the eRablifhment Of d4rpotifin.
IhIs ferrous acculation if true, commands your
eHe6tual interpoftion; if untrue, it ought TO
guard you a3ainh the warning Of thoie who
from error, OF with the mott perncions deGgn,
invite you 10 the adoption Of mezflres banefuI
to American hapPinefs, and fatal to American
liberty.
When the moG powerful nation il Europe
by Whole inidious policy and numerous armies,
PoPulous, warlike an veal hy tates nave been
overturned, Whole lul IF domnian IS iufatiable,
and Whole only rule Of conduct il her vii. has
demanded tribute ar our hands, and menaced
rs with the fate of nations conquered and de-
bfed, what means could have been adoped
more convenient or more lksly 10 fccure our
defence The equipment Of a h-ct guards the
remains OF our com rler- Z from their pr74teers,
enables Us TO incommode any oifenfYe ltenpts
~nich their enmity might dictate, and to faci-
itate our exertion. for felt defence, by aci itat-
ng the conveyance ofthe fequiite iuppIes for
mi.Itiry operations III our exteniive country.
important, already, have been The ben=fcial
consequences to our commerce, flowing from
this wife mealure, ana every benefit TO trade,
- an 'ncreaicd ratio, enlivens and inv gorates
ag iculture More important will be its ege6s
r. ieruing our protection, fhould We be forced
10 the iat appeal in defence Of oar liberty and
properly
Upon 70 folemn an occafion, what curfs
would be adequate 70 the lup.nsnefs Of our 90
vernnent, if militia were the only refort for
i@tety againf the invaGon of veteran army.
Huihed with repeated Victories, Rrong in the
'kill OF its officers, and led by diaiaguiihed
commanders Should not the Ameri an citi.
zen be prepared TO meet the eventual combat
by thoie requirements which place him on RI
equal footing in the day of battle f? Or, j. he
70 little eiteemed as TO be defgnedy fubmtted
to an unequal conAia? What more than placing
him on an equality with his foe is pr1poled by
rating an army Thus our aucettors acted ID
the revolutionary war and fufpicicns pervert.
lng their intentions, like thofe now diIeminated.
would have been treated with contempt, or
Punihed as the fchemes of men devoted to the
enemy. Where is the change in our fituation-
which authorizes denunciation cf a meafnre
now' then admitted to be wife and indlpenlable ?
Does It argue love Of country, 10 paislife
means adopted for its defence Does it demon
trare affection to our fellow citizeEs, to repro
bate endeavours which beRow upon them equa.
hty OF Kill with their antago0iRs? Does il
evince with to dTegard ana diRrua our mi
hua, when an army is formed of citizen fol-
diers for that very militia to rally around, and
hand II hand, To m arch 10 attack the foe? Can
that army be called mercenary, which is COM
poled -four brothers and our lons, levied by
law, paid BY law, and embodied to defend their
and our common rights Woult your WASH
ING TON lead mercenlry army? Is he not again
any general Why then, thel- unfounjed lJlE
Plclons, and this oppTobrious uawaTTanted cpl.
thet, bur to inhame your pat11ns, and to mfr
lead your ind cmauts'? ?-Paule, rsh-e, and Fly,
wh-tEer couni5l thus administered can have
your good for its obea and whether under
the Pretenqe Of promoting your haPpinels, il
does net lead 10 al iiLu4 dfadrous 10 Amer-a,
and calamitous to Virginia!
Alike erroneous, ana alike dedru9re Of tie
common veal, is the diaostcd conit uciion VI
the "A len ,rs caI.t-,n a.