Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1805-02-01

LltC tuSSLCSt va N'oS
with some address, in Palming upon the
public for splendid victories, what in e.
feet will be found to have been defeats.
Awaiting themselves Of the enthusiasm
Of the people, whose judgment was lost
| or suspended in admiration Of the brave.
ny Of their ccuntrymen, the editors of
those papers have had the art to delay
the investigation Of subject, which,
we're it closely examined, would consi-
derably augme mt the mass Of disgrace that
already loads our deleterious administra-
ton.
The war With Tripoli is coeval with
the administration of Mr.. Jefferson
and has been SO conducted, as, in PEE
Rod of nearly four years, to afford no
one solitary instance of advantage no
single circumstance to console the nation
for the immense expense it has occasi-
oned unless we find it in the pride
which warns every American bosom
when reading the relation of the indivi-
dual gallantry displayed by his fellow.ei-
tizens, wherever it has had an opportu-
nifty ct bring exhibited; a gallantrv
which proves what might have been acc
complished had it been allowed proper
latitude, were it not eurbed 3ndrepress-
ed by the pusillanimous auspices under
which it is condo mned to act; a gallant
~ which gives the assurance that the A.
merican name is yet destined to appear
with lustre in naval history, maugre all
the philosophical whims, of trembling
spectators, who would supply our hands
with no other weapons than the hoe and
the plough share who would annihilats
our commerce and its defence; and con-
vert US into dwelling nation of culti-
VatorS. >. =
1t IS now clearly ascertained that there
has been no want Of talents or of courage
; in those who command and man our lit
! tie fleets; and ifnothing has been hither-
! to effected, we are obliged to conclude
that the fault is in those who, at home,
! rendered all their taleuts and their tou-
rage useless both to themselves and 20
! their country; whose ambition might
desire to obtain the end, but whose mig.
, gardly and contemplate economy deni-
cd the efficient means.
The force originally sent into the Me-
diterranean was adequate to no other OBJ.
| ject than that Of exciting the jealousy,
contempt, and derision Of the Barbary
powers but was altogether Insufficient.
to Prodace respe ctful impress sion OF
our strength: while 10 its physical inn,
| beeility was added a moral weakness, in:
the silly instructions which restrained
Commodore Dale from making any 4.
SAUL upon Tripoli, or from capturing =.
ny Of her cruizers, unless in actual de.
fence of the American trade. Th;. we
believe isPretty nearly the amour, ofhii
orders: from which If those Of ComYno.
dore Morris differed, it was only in this,
, that they gave him the authority, but
! not the power Of doing much iRiury. OF
this the administration were sensible.
when to protect their own reputation,
they base ly sacrificed his. :,
One OF two conclusions must have
been adopted by the piratical pc wers up-
on the arrival Of such Acct as was hrst
dispatched from the United States. and
IT'S Immediate conduct-either tha, the
government was incapable OF any great
eHsrtlon, or unwilling, on account of
the expense, to employ greater force.
Either ofthose conclusions must have
produced the same effect. Perhaps the
latterreason would not have suggested
itself to them, although the true one. The
force we know was within controul. bur
the expense was the bugbear that pre- clu-
ded its being resorted to. No one can
, approve Of prodigalay in the disburse.
ment of the public treasure >, but, there
Is a Kind ct unsystematie and Psaurioas
economy which is Infinitely more DIES.
tuctive, andis Away sattended With dis
grace because its origin is 40 error or
faction, and it's progress unifor M mean
ness and deception. SStaeh is lhe species
/ ht L., Il :, q