Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-02-25


pence, required an immediate and avigor-
Gus exertion, have gone in crippled,
hobbling gait, scarcely marked with one
progressive step towards their object; hold
ing up our administration, that thing OF
shreds and patches to the contempt of A.
frca, the ridicule of Europe, and the in.
dignation of America.
When it became necessary, Tor the pre-
servaton of our natural right freely to ma.
vigate the Mediterranean as we'll as every
other sea, to curb the insolence OF Iripo-
Ii, or to pay tribute to her, what was the
language of government? it was lofty and
austere it brea.hed the independent spi-
rit of free state, which disdained to be
tributary for that which it could command
as its own; and it resolved to assert its
privilege by force. These were glorious
times and the fawning language of polti-
cal sycophancy Immediately invested Mr..
Jefferson with the exIraneous hablllments
of hero; but when he was required to
act, he soon demonstrated that he was a
hero IN words only; t energies of the ma
ten dwndlcd in his feeble grasp; he re-
coiled with terror "even I'm the sounds
himself had made;" and at tine close of
four belligerent years, what is it that he has
, gained to his country in return for the
blood and treasure he has wasted?
AS respects the object of the war we
are precisely where he found US. As re-
spects the injury done and sustained, we
are not SO. We have taken few neutral
vessels, one small corsair, and one or two
gun-boats we have lost one of our best
| frigates, and consigned perhaps to pcrpe.
+! taal slavery hundreds of our brave and
| enterprising fvlow-citizens we have
| made what are called foHr assaults on the
town of T.ipoii, frightened some Of the
eunuchs and women of the seraglios, da-
mayed some of their vessels, los: some OF
! our own, and sacrificed the lives of several
! of Our gallant officers and seamen, in aa
attempt as exiravagant in conception as
unsuccessful in result, and which, we are
told by the administration itself, is aban-
eooed as for the present impra cticable.
Who must bear the blame of this fa.
lure Not the brave Preble: not the small
but distinguished number of heroes who
fought under his command. They doubt
less executed their orders with the zeal
! and spirit which should mark the character
| of their country; and were successful as
far as the means put into their power could
| entltle them 10 succeed. The blame be.
! longs to those who, without regard either
| to the lives of their countrymsn or the no
nor of their country, could sit down and
| make calculations upon the least possible
force" at time when all the force they
could command should have been employ.
ed, as well to insure favorable issue, as
TO save the waste of treasure, and prevent
he -fl SIGN Of blood.
We are fully warranted in all that we
| have said, or can say, in censure ct
| this miserable war, by the communication
| which was made, bat a few days ago, By
| Mr.. Jefferson TO congress. 1t is not al
| ways that the effect can be taken as a jus,
criterion Of the cause which produced it ;
| sometimes events of the greatest mscn-
| tude are produced by means in every re
spect to human Judgment inadequate, and
Sometimes also the best concerted uea-
sures a.. rendered useless by unforeseen
occurrences. But we apprehend such a
plea cannot be I'D in favor Of our exc
cutive and marine departments.
We will NOT repeat what 80 have for.
merry said On the subject of the w>ste Of
| time and monry occasioned BY the mode Of
equpp;ng he squadron of commodore
Barron. The letter Of Mr.. O'Brien is a
very Sufficient commend upon it. Alter
squanderas tic money Ct tbs public in
cor duc;irg negative hostilities against Tri-
| poll for t'rce years, it was a; last deter
| mined 10 10 srmetaing; and for that pur.
pose five fr,ea.es were pu, in commission,
but their departure SO long delayed, that
| they could not reach tie pla2s of action
until the season Of action had passed by,
when they might IS we'll be ir the dry dock
! a, Washington. THIS reminds Us of a
| quaint distich-
| Great B,uniwc.s Duke with forty t,oufaud
Mea,
Marched into France, ard then marched GU,