Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-05-12


as fentiment of jufice, as long as de.
teitation of fuch oale and infamous decep-
ton lhall be reprobated among men, fuch
attempts TO impofe on generous people
mutt be held in eternal execration. II
unfortunately, fir, we are to be doomed
to a renewal Of hofilities, hop. that the
object of the war will be clearly and di.
FINELY underGood. What are the fub-
jetts which may eventually lead to fuch
an unfortunate relult, Iprofeis to be to-
tally ignorant. Whether they refer TO
the poaeilion Of Malta, the evacuation of
Alexandra, or whatever other point Of
dulcuaion they insolye, l have to means
of forming an opinion. / lhall jut fay
generally, that if our national rights are
involved, if attempts have been made
TO lower that rank which we have been
accuaomed to hold among the ftates of Eu-
rope, and all attempts at amicable adult
ment have failed, then | have no difficult
ty in laying, that war undertaken under
fuch circumstances, would be juR.
Of the nsceGty and policy Of iuch war
no man can for moment doubt But fir,
I know it is faid it is necefary to hold
out to the people fcme oienGble Object of
war beyond what is the real Object ofcon-
teit-without this fort of language, the
national enthuGafm cannot be animated,
This | hold to be very faife and perni-
cious doctrine. TIA war is really. aecelary,
| am convinced that no meafure of this
fort need be reforted 10 to animate the
national fpiIit. Fal1e pretenGons and high
founding words do not appear to me TO be
likely to animate the energies of a people.
Nothing, indeed, in my conception, 70
much difpirits people called upon to
make great exerticns, as ignorance of the
preciGe Object of contels and this ignorance
was, am fully perluaded, one of the lead
ing caufcs of the evils which the late ca.
lsmitous contelt entailed on the country.
Alter the experience of thelc talamiiies,
no one would furely with TO go to war
for light object. On this poinr I ihall
ipeak in very plain terms. If war is un-
avoidablc for great NATIONAL objects, then
am convinced it will be iufained with
corresponding national energy, bat at all
events let that Object be fairly and fully
defined. Do rot Ter Us again involve the
country in the fame calamities which the
want of a fpeci6c object made Us 70 feyere,
ly experience. 1t was the want of this
fpecihc Object which made the people cold
and uninserefed through great part of
the late contelt, 70 far as events on the
continent were concerned, though leyaI
and unanimous in defence Of the country.
hope and truR then, that before mini
tiers call Oh us to be parties in another
war, they will fairly explain the circum-
itances which have given rife to it, and
he objects Tor which it is begun.
The right honorable gentleman oppo-
fife has iaid great deal of the reipondbi
lily which attaches to minifers from their
prelent conduit, and in this fully agree
with him. He laid Gomething of The re-
proach which he may have to encounter
for TOO great liberality of concelion. Ga
this point allow me juf to expreis my
confidence, that he will never be induced
by any fear OF reproach, to abandon yi-
ZEN of Cancellation, 70 long as it is con-
iaent with honor, and promiles to lead
TO an amicable lefult / will nor readily
be accufed Of endeayoring to infulncc
miniaers togo TO the ofpohte extreme. !
But while | am the advocate Of concilia
ton, lhall never be the apologia of!dil
honor. My honorable friend has fpoken
of the prefenr government as excluding |
The whole ability of the kingdom. On
this point with not at Prefent TO enter.
Blu, may be jutt permitted to fay, that
in the Profped of war, with fuch man
as earl St. Vincent at the head of the |
board of admiralty, there would be little
reafon 70 dread the want of luitable pre-