Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-10-06
From the Charleston (S. c. Courier.

sarily engage the public attention and deeply H..
terestt the feelings of Americans, it viii naturally
be expected thar we should say something for tie
information and satisfaction of eur readers. The
aggressions upon our shipping BY the European
beliigerent powers, has attracted the notice and
dsservediy incurred the reprobation ct all parties.
The thing is of high importance in itself, and III
lis end may involve consequences the most serious
monientous and awful. It ought therefore tobe
discussed as great general national concern, and
not be pressed into The service of party on either
siGs. II tat the whole Of the question may be
brought into the compass OF nut shell. Has
England or has France committed such or such an
aggression If they have, reparation ought
to Be demanded. AID if raparatonls not grant
d, national honor and security demand tina. the
sword should be drawn. For this may be raten
as an axiom, that the sword which is most ready
to leap from its scabboaryl sill always stand the
best chance of beng left to It's repose.
The honor of the country is deposited for safe
keeping in the hands of The Chef Executive Ma.
gisuate, and il is bis duty to watch over and
guard it with The most JEALOUS vigilance. If he
fails in this he is nnworthY OF bis situation, and
practically unfit for his Office. This language
we held IN the cas-. of the occlusion at New Or
leans this We hold now, with respect to the Bri.
fish and French aggressous; this we shall ever
hold as a general rulirg principle. Butt is TOO
son ye, to decide whether the Executive is, as he
was in Il e case ofNew Orleans, more passive,
more Negligent, more tardy, or more suPine than
he ought tobe.
The first rumours of the aggressions of the
British We did distrust. Fitsr, because along with
them cam: reports Of directly contrary complex
ion. Reports of the mostscrupulous delicacy and
honorable generosity observed by British men of
war to American vessels !; and it was fair to con.
clade as We did then, and as we still do, that it
aggressions were committed it could not be with
the priyity or by the orders, conniyance, or con-
sent of the British Admiralty since their oiders
IN such cases are uniform and would have alike
extended TO all men OF war. He that denies this
conclusion TO be correct, has neither head nor a
heart capable OF conviction, butts locked UP from
and inaccessible by reason or truth Our next
reason, though not so logically conclusive, was
yet sufficiently strong to make US at least doubt
the reality OF the rumoured agg,essions it was,
thar they came from quarters which ON many &C
counts rendered them doubtful First, their pc
neral disregard of sincerity and Truth next, their
known hatred to Great Britain, and violent at
tachnienr to France; and lastly, their actually
pedlcatnlg aggressIons before any were commit
ted: We may add too their mingliug along
with facts Of real aggression, by the way OF az
g'aya,iag aud enhancing the weight OF the Of
lei Sc and adding TO their number, circumstances
ahicfi i proved and true were not, according to
theaw ofnations, or i'll the spiit or letter of our
treaties, atall to be considered as aggressicns.
among these we reckon the bIockaling Of the
Eibe, which by being shut by France against
England became a hostile port, and was just as
sisajett as Martinique is at this moment 10 be
oiockaded by her ships Of war.
All those reasons taken together, made US
doubt the existence of any serious cause OF com.
plaint; that Entertainments might be made by
sSulklog piraticai privateers we did not doubt );
We have often observed complaints Of tiler being
made even upon British bottoms, and we were
wiling to do the justice TO Mr.. Jefferson to sup
pose That he would IN manner suited to the qua
lily OF tie ofence. seek redress from The British
government, tar il could discover and get at
tie ilrnders.
NV however it appears on in6ubitable evi.
dence, that British man of war, known to be
the Leande,, has committed most gross, foul, un-
justihabt, and the more upjustifate because use,
iess'aggress,on, upon the rights ofeur commerce
ard cltlzens. Here Is a visible, and tangible
subject for conplalnt--If the President fails to
demand satisfaction, we pronounce him lost to all
sense of his duty. If ire British government
fails to give that satisfaction willingly, literally
and amply, their weakness will be equal to their
w'ekedness and they will tarnsh the lustre of
that cause IN which they are embarked.
BUTT is, we maintain, urfair to predicate that
either the one will fail 20 demand or tbeptber re-
fuse satisfaction. When we are deduGe infer
ences from the Presidents sloYness il the affair
of New Orleans, and bringing item home to this
question, we nnst1rsake ailowapce for that par
tlality he is known to have fell for his old fra