Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-09-28
fao~ The .M1rlosAl IxrxlL1essexs.

uCe Oh our readers, that notwithstanding
the loud and incessaat denunciatons o
the administration for not adequately pro
/ tecting the commetce OF the country, mea
Snrss have no sooner been taken with thi
view, thao they have met with the ridicul,
and condemnation of those who were pre-
viously the most ciamorous for them.
Some time since, it was determined by
the administration 10 make an expsrimcn
OF the efficacy of Gun Boats. The expo
sishce Of older nations had siiewn them tc
be of much use, and circumstances pecu
listiy applicable TO the u. States seemed
TO recommend thera to MS. A small APP
preparation was Accordingly made for thu
purpose, and a number OF gun boats bull
on approved models.
| Tile professsd friends of commerce ant
! avo"ed enemies OF the administration. de
/ ncunced the measure as weak aud ridicu
ious. They denied the elficacy of gur
boats, and ridiculed the plan on which
they were built. The administration, or
their part, made no boasts. They ac.
knowledged thatthey were making an ex-
pertinent, which might disappoint their
hopes. This. il might have been expect
ed, would have been feir by their oppo.
nenfs as a generous appeal to their candor.
Il might have been presumed that before
the experiment was made, they would Dot
have irnpeached the motives la which it
originated. II might have been presum.
ed that they would have suspended their
DECISION, or at least have wi s,Ieid their
csamGurs, for few months, thai fair op-
portunity might be afforded TO toe friends
OF the mcasare to disclose their plan. No
si;ch torbearance was, however, manifest
Ell. Unqualified condemnation and ser-
easm overwhelmed tue measure and its
projectors. The e.rciisiDe friends of COM
nlerce, jealous, as it were, of receiving a.
Dy eRectual protection from those whom
their prejudices had converted .ato enc
mics, could see in the measure noihing
but settled hostility to commerce, de-
hberate purpose, under the pretext of aid
ing, 20 cra,np commercial enterprise, and
10 prevent any eEeetual protection being
given TO it.
II 80 happtniDg, that tlS> Chief Magis-
trale was a man of pt.ilosophic reseaScn,
and of course less habitualed TO seryile mi.
tation, than TO the adoption of whatever
appeared on reflection NEST advisable, the
models en which The boats were CONSTRUCT
ed were represented by those who were
supremacy ignorant OF the common prin-
ciplcs Of mechanism, as totally inadeoua. c
and impre cticabie, The lowest species
OF art, Characterised by mean and indie
cent ailasiob, was resorted to. WHY |.
Because the approved model did not pre-
cisely correspond with that of English
gun boats. For it must have been re.
marked that on most occasions, the pro-
fesssd friends of commerce have allowed
all the credit TO Great Britain which they
have denied to their own country.
Well, the administration, amidst Tie in
cessant FIRE of the enemy, advanced TO
their objecs without returning the charge.
They thought that the measure would
speak for itself; or if it did not, nothing
which they could pFematorely say would
justify 1t. The gun boats were buil,, and
the experiment tried. A number of the m
have crossed the ocean, and although they
have encountered ternpestuous weather,
they have arrived AT their destined stati-
COS. In connection with the larger YES.
sells, they have struck terror into the
breasts OF the enemy, have commanded
peace, and have eFfe eled the liberation of
our citizens. And, what is still more won.
derlul, such is their construction that e.
yen Englishmen are the first to approve
and acknowledge them to be models of i
imitation, as well as greatly superior tc
their own gun boats. Blush, Amerioa rs
at being surpassed in csndor to your owl
government, by nation, once your enc
my and still your rival, by a nation Who's,
arrogance rarsly condescends 10 acknoW
ledge equality, much less superiority il
any one.
Here then is the just revenge ofou ad
ninistration, revenge The more honora
BILE, because unsUlli.d by the indulgence
Of angry or vindielive feelings. As far as
time aud occasion have allowed, the iri
umph is complete.
OF The uo,oward spirit Of the enernisl
of the administration, We have another no
less conspicuous proof. IL Consequence;
d Of the deptedations committed on OF
trade, and The insults and outrages offer
ed 10, or near our harturs, aGd ofthe ioUC
complaints Of our merchants, several al
med vessels have been Stationed on til,