Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-04-16
!" Wasl.aet,s cs.1, Ts{4 .sc3
SIR.

In compliance with a rcqneN ct the
houir Of fepreEnta,ives of the q. States,
as we'll as with fsnie cf what is uecstla.
~, ] take the liberty Of u.gias on 700
che importance and iodifputsble neceaity
OF vigorous exerfions, on the part OF the
fate governments, TO carry into effect
The militia fyfem adopted by the national
legiilatore, sgreeably 10 the power re-
ferved TO the easas respectively, by the
contribution Of the United States, and il
manner tie heft calculated to infare fact
q degree Of military difcirline and know
ledge of tactics, as will, under the auipices
of beings Providence, reader the militia
iure and permanent balwa1k Of national
defence.
None but an armed nation can difpente
with fanding army. To keep ours
armed and diic,plined is, therefore, at all
times importani--but Especially 70
at moment when rights the noft eacn-
tial 70 or welfare have been violated,
and an infraetion Of treaty committed
without colour or rretext: End although
we are willing to believe that this has
been the aa OF a fu5crdina,c agent only,
yet, as it's wife to prepare for the poG-
bility thar it may have been the leading
mealare of iyeen while, therefore, we
are endeavoring. and with conhderable
degreee Of confidence, to obtain by friend
" negotiation, peaceable redrsis Of tie
injury, and efs6ual providon againa its
repetition, let US array the ftrength of the
nation, ard be ready 20 do with promp-
tiludc ard effect, whatever a regard TO
jufice and our future iecurity may re-
quire.
Accept sGurance Of my high conflera-
ton and relped.
tSigned}
TIL: JEFFERSON.
To his Exeellery tbs Goveraoy
effbe State gin. Tux.
Ga this letter, written from fenfe
of what 10 neceOary" urging an 6 indif-
pcnGblc n.csDFty" the Editor of the
United States Gazette thus remarks -
The reader will preceivc that one part
of this presidential letter is arrant non.
fenfe. The fentence beginning, /" And
aAboagh zoe are zvillug 10 beklVe" &c.
is incomplete. Whether the fault
lies with the writer or the printer, VIC
know not.
One or two of the fentiments in this
letter deierves to be noticed. 1t is ex-
prefsly admitted, that " rights tb<mqF
e0sntial ts arr 7veJtare bave been vi0-
lated, ard an infrat7ion Of treaty commit
ted qvifb0ut eolor ar p,ltesf." It the pre-
Gdent had added, that two million, of
dollars have been lecretly APPROPRIATED and
tent t.. France, and between two and three
thouiand more to New Orleans, for the
purpoie Of getting the broken treaty mend
cd, and thcfe violated rights reftored,
we humbly conceive that the picture here
drawn would have been more complete.
We know not exactly what are MIR.
Jefsrion's notions of the law Of nations.
We fhould fuppoie, from the expenion
here ufed, that he 6 IS zuiAing 10 belirve"
that private indi. idual OF a nation is
capable Of infringing public treaty !;
for if the infraeiion came from an author
lied and accredited officer of the Spanifn
or French government, it IS the act OF the
government.
II is a little extraordinary that language
of this kind hould, at this period, be
found in an official communication from the
PRECEDENT. When Mr.. Grilwold propoied
in Congrefs refolution to call upon the
prehdent for for fuch documents as he
might think proper TO communicate rcla.
tive 10 the ceiiion of Louiiana to France,
the democrats with one voice cried cut.
tina. Spain would be offended, becauie
H. . 1oot;o, &c tha ra( ,l,t:o, ,-,o,,IJ -,