Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-09-23

.he earth, rises into a nicmsrtary impor-
rance when put in comparison with a go.
vernment sill more puslllanlmous than his
own. and unable to resist the temptation
of showing that there is one power on
earth sufficiently contemplate to be spurn-
ed aad trampieG on with IMMUNITY even
bv him, he too erects his crest, affects to
play the bully seizes upon oar vessels pub
lie and private; refuses TO satisfy our
claims, which have once been acknowledge
ed as fair and valid and suffers our MI
nisters, one after another, to make him
humble court; to pray, that he will gracl-
ouslv be pleased, in his great mercy, to do
as Justice; and then to depart as they went,
leaving him hereafter either to grant or re-
iect our prayers Qor they cannot be called
demands) as humour or interest may dc
tate.
Such is the situation of our foreign re-
lations. Yet " Gallo cares for none
of these thing Our administration,
sufficiently occupied and amused about
horned frogs, salt mount aims, and prairie
dogs, leave the subordinate concerns OF
national rights TO their own course.
lii true, that during the last session of
congress the clamours of the country be-
came so great in consequence OF the lnju-
ries and insults that were heaped upon US,
10 our very harbors, that government was
at length forced TO affect some sollcltude
upon the subjecr. II then became ques-
ton what was to be done. To send and
demonstrate with those governments BY
whose subjects the ortrages were commit.
ed, demanding reparation, and at the same
time preparing BY force TO rePel future ag.
gressions if they should be found 10 be au-
thorised, would be to act just as general
Washington and Mr.. Adams had acted be-
fore; and of course would be very unphl.
losophical and anti republican. After much
deliberation aud consultation, law was IL
naly passed JUST at the close of The session,
entitled Z" Az act for the more efectual
preservation of peace in the ports and har- (.
bours of the United States, and IN the wa
tiers uuder their jurisdiction" This law
eracts, that foreigners, in armed vessels,
shall not commit insults and oulrages in our
ports and harbors and if they do, that our
marshals, and constabies, and militia men
shall go and take them out OF their ships OF
war and have them before our justices, by
whom they shall be fined and imprisoned
and sent OUT Of the country, and that they
shall never come here again
II any thing was hefort wanting to rem
der us completely ridiculous as well as con. |
temp,ibie in the eyes of foreign nations, it |
was JUST such law; law, which was in.
tended merely TO be talked OF, and to ena-
BILE the friends Of the administration TO say
that something had been done tor the vlndi- !
c4tion Of onr national rights md sovereign
~ a law which at the time of its passage
we predicted would never be carried into
execution; because, paitry and Inadequate
as il is, we knew that the administration
would never have the courage to execute
II.
The event has verified the prediction.
Those very humilia,ing insuls which that
law was TO prevent and punish, have been !
daily increasing /; there is now scarcely a |
port OF any consequence in the u States
which is not blockaded in form by armed
vessels of some foreign power, and scarce
ly a mail arrives that does not bring intelIl |
gence OF some violence committed upon (
the persons or the property of the citizens
of this " free, sovereign, and independent
nation" Where then is this formidable I
law which was to arm Mr.. Jefferson with |
power to oyerawe the nations of Europe
and compel them 10 observe the laws of
nations and respect the rights of neutrali.
~? Is it totally inadequate TO the object,
thai it hould sleepin perfect inactivity at
such time as thiss!! If SO, the more shame
TO those who made it and those who praise
it, when they ought to have been doing
something that would be efficient tor our
protection aud forthe preservation ofpeace