Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-08-02


bat small exagsera ion, supposes US at
! prcsentto possess--,oi take also off our hands
this Island, which we cannot long hope
20 defend, and give us district beyond
the oiue mountains, IN exchange.
! At present we have no such distant re-
treat, as MIR. r. sPe AXIS of, from the arms
OF an invader; no alternative 10 that ma
val war. which he wisely declines.
| Surely such new and forcibis consider
atoms as tie present con- uncture affords,
cannot fail 10 hare an influence on the
minds of he hmsrican people. Ills true,
lhey might have been suggested in some
! degree, by the conduct oil France, al an
earlier period ofthc war hut,he exclusion
OF our commerce from the continent,
| though PARTIALLY and family attempted be-
. fore, IS now the first time distinctly avow.
ed by Ponsparte, as the grand offensive
PROJECT which is TO enforce our submissi.
on; and in the execution of which, neu.
trial nations, as he scrupics not TO threa-
.en vii! be constrained To concur. Nei-
liner till the detection of Prussia from the
standard OF neutrality, was the scheme SO
boldly atted On as al present, or so capa-
bic OF extensive effect.
Mr.. Randolph, in one part of his
speech, seems TO consider the excuse oe
necessity, as the chief ARGUMENT relied up
on in the pamphlet, which he does me the
honor To quote but on reference TO the
work, it will be found that this was but
one, among many foundations of right,
o" which The rule Of he war of 1856 was
placed, and TO the chief part of which no
answer has hitherto been gwen and it
will further be found that the author did
not profess 10 argue the question at large,
even III respect of the colohai trade, much
less To detiGe and defend the whole ex.
tent OF our maritime rights in the pres
sent ard unparalleled contest,
There are other views, still more com.
prehrnaiye and important, apeo which il
would &C much easier 10 Justly the sever
est war that possibly could DC wsged a.
gainst the commerce Of our enemy, AID
the rnarltime Intercourse OF his usurped
dominions, than TO excuse the Concessions
Iha; have been hitherto made in tayadr Of
Neutral trade. But neither these, nor The
considerations here briefly suggested,
have yen been submitted 10 the canoour
OF the American people.
a magDsnirnous, bat not very prudent
contempt OF the popular voice IN foreign
countries, or at least Of the fieans OK OBJ.
tanning its suffrage. has beeeD long dis.
played BY the cabinet of England. We
hight, we pay, We negotiate, but except
IN formal manifesto, we TO not reason to
The European and American public. We
abandon 10 our enemies, the influence of
eOsry foreign fress, even where lhe fear
or French arms does not preclude COM
petition.
Il IS perhaps natural, though accidens
"a! cnnSeq lsnce, of our peculiar form of
governmeut--the rights and The Interests
OF The NATION, the grounds Of us wars, and
lis treaties. are copiously discussed in Par
lament; and we forget that foreign p jli-
,ic!ans 90 no; always read our 1ebates.
The grand subject Of our maritime
rights, at least, has every where, out of
England, been left to private and self
interested peas, and these have almost
universally bee. 10 The service Of neu,eaI-
iziug traders. Our enemies therefore
, have walked over the course in America,
as well as in othsr neutral counties; and
the people hearing OF nothing BIZ, British
vio!encc and NiIstice, have cond med us
WITHOUT irlal.
ana led to thes: remarks By passage
in Mr.. RsadoIph's speech, IN which he a.
dopis OPP MON curfend, rccsiv & AIMEE
rics, thar' War in ID sguise," was written
underline eye Of Mr.. Plu. She same has
also been affirmed confidently in all the
! newspapers OF that country as known isct,
aud has 6een hitherto uncontradicled.
Let the ao'hof therefore do justice to inc
| independence and freedom or his pan, at
| The expense N the creGi, which il might
derive from the choice Of our late celebra.
ted minister. "War IN Disguise" was
not written under the eye, nor at the in.
suga'ion of Mr.. Pit, or any other mem.
Der CT administration nor was 1t hosor.
ed by his Perusal till after i, vas given to
the public. Whatever be the weakness
or the strength Of the arguments il con-
{ talns, they were spontaneous and sincere,
The resaii Of uninauenced, aud, as .beir
author believes, Of impartial opinion.
But To return from this djgression-,!f
us~ considerations Of justice now arts. 10
satisfy the people Of the United States,
| that their demands are grouudle IS IN point,
rftrlal