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


the surreptitious means Of which they
have availed themselves to get into pow
er, none was managed with more sue.
cessful dexterity than the imputed pro-
digalitv of the Federal Administration.
On this subject they had committed
themselves and when they got the pow
er into their own han;ls they were sensi-
bic that, to maintain the posse ssion OF it,
it was necessary either to act, or to seem
to act, upon the saving plans which they
had held out to the peoples view as not
only necessary but practicable. Every
art of deception has been coaseqaen tly
practised; and the result has been, that
those fairs which, in order to save ex-
Pense, required an immediate and vi
gorous exertion, have gone on in Grip
led, holding gait, scarcely marked with
One progressive step towards their OBJ
ject; holding up our. administration, that
: thing of shreds and patches, to the
contempt of Africa, the ridicule Of Eu.
rope, and the indignation of America.
When it became necessary, for the
preservation Of our natural right freely to
navigate the Mediterranean as well as
every other sea, to curb the insolence Of
Tripoli, or to pay tribute TO her, what
was the language Of government! twas
lofty and austere it breathed the indie
pendent spirit of a free state, which dis
dained to be tributary for that which it
.~.,fJ i md -
solved to assert its privilege BY force.
These were glorious times; and the
fawning language of political sycophan-
cy Immediately invested Mr.. Jefferson
with the extraneous habilcments OF he.
70 but when he was required to act, he
soon demonstrated that he was hero in
words only the energies of the nation
dwindIed in his feeble grasp; he recoil-
CD with terror even from the sounds
himself had made" and at the close Of
four btlIigerent 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 foundu US. Asre-
sPects the injury done and sustained, we
are not So. We have taken a few neu-
trail vessels, one small corsair, and one
or two gun boats we have lost one of
our best frigates, and consigned perhaps
toperpetual slavery hundreds OF our brave
and enterprising frllow-cinzens; we
have made what are called four assaults
on the town of Tripoli, frightened some
Of the eGnuch: and wouen of the sersg-
lios, damaged some of their vessels, lost
some ofour own, and sacrificed the lives
ofseveral Of our gallant officers and sea-
men, in an attempt as extraVagant in
conception as unsuccessful in result, and
which, we are told by the administration
itself, is abandoned as for the present
impracticablc. = a
W., Who must bear the blaine Of this fai-
lure ? Not the brave Preble not the
email but distinguished number of he
roes who fought under his command.
They doubtless 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 .entitle them TO
succeed. The blame belongs to those
who, without regard either to the lives
of their countrymeG or the honour of
thsir country, could sit down and mako
calculations upon :" the least, possible
force at a time when all the force they
could command should have been elm
ployed, as well to insure favourable IS
sue, as to save the waste Of treasure, and
prevent the eausiQu of blood.
We arc fully warranted IN all that We
have said, or can say, in eensure Of this
miserable war, by the communication
which was made, but few days ago, by
Mr.. IeiFsrsonto Congress. Tits not al
ways that the effect can he taken as just.
criterion Of the cause which produ eed it;
sometimes events Of the greatest magni-
tude are produced by. means in every
= l.