Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-06-13
From TIE .Ann Democrat.

IS mace qucNlOn OF ITO isdii III
portance whether the ceflion of Louitiana
10 our government, by fale, would be OF
equal advantage to this country, as the
poGeiIion ard ufe of the enormous fum OF
money which it is faid may be, or has
been, demanded by Bonspartc for the tie
fmple. The furrender Of all claims tor
fpoiiations on our commerce, and the pay
msnt of three millions of dollars, making
In the whole fun of not lefs than thlr-
teen or fourteen millions, when viewed In
the aggregate, make no contemplate
counterpoile to the navigation of the Mil
fifliyp, and the depoGte of the port OF
New Orleans !; for as to territory we
want it not, or we want it only as fe-
curiry TO what we already podels. But
the iubjeH, as Rated & contended for by
the democratic writers, is not whether
the territory would be ufeful 10 US, but
whether it is not better TO pay, or give
away this FUN for that which is already
our own, than making noble fand, COM
pei thofe who encroach upon our rights,
to acknowledge and refpcd them. The
right 10 the Mifihippi is ours. This
right has been invaded and we fend
our humble petition to the Great Ufurp
er, that he would be GRACEFULLY pleafed
TO withdraw his claim, and give US back
our own; and for this courteiy we'll
give you 70 much monies.
TIE organ Of the public viii, who has
been for iome time paR rather tongue tied
has come forward lately TO alert thar al
this is no more than lcheme OF the isde
raj merchants, TO get the United States
as fecurity for debts, due by the Frenh
nation for contracts and foforth !; for, II
she executive and congrels tchgn all claim
Of individuals againf the French govern
mens, certainly thoie arifng from breach
of contract mutt form part Of that relin
1uilhment.
|, It will readily be admitted, / uppof
by every one, that there are no certain
proofs of fuch demand having been made
or if made, that this country, even as
now reprelented, would comply with it.
But there is every fair reaGon to believe
fuch TO be the object of the two millions
OF dollars, voted for the exigenoies of TO-
reign intercourse : there is every realon
TO believe that fomething more than COM
mon mutt have induceced the milton OF
Mr.. Monroe; fometh;ng which Mr.. Ii
vingfon. who uied TO be one of their ale
leaders in congrefs, was incapable of con-
ueting TO lis proper iliue.
In The Aurora Of the 9th infant Mr..
Duane on this fubjeet, after throwing, as
is ufual, all the blame upon the late ad
miniitration, ftates the following tederaD
argument, in order that he may intro
duce his elegant democratic refutatlon.
But it will be faid again, according
to the republican 10y which he now mean
what few years ago he would bave cal
led aritocratic, and what by Others are
called federal doctrines that the acts Of
the iersants fhould not operate sgaina The
people, their acts lhould not prevent.
remuneration from the public for property
iurrendered by thoie lervarts.'
Upon which he has the following pun
gent remark.
To this we reply, that the public are
not liable for she rebuilding Of houfes OF
the reftitution of property deRroyed by
fire, or other accidents
This of courfe refers to the dcfruefion
of the war Office by fire, and for which
the public were held not liable, ii being
an att of God according TO the legal In
depreciation. But are the cafes at all pa
rallel Is there any affinity between the
oon-obligation of tenant to rebuild
houle in bis occupancy deRroyed BY an
inevitable accident, and the obligation of
government to make good to the people,
any claim againR a foreign country, az
fer, by public act, depriving them of
the ri9ht of demandinp IL were nrioinaI-