Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-06-27

Admitting then that Great Britain will
not be forced TO submit to peace, which
Is to submit to the yoke of France, from
the failure Of her finances, It remains to
enquire, how long and with what pros.
pect Of success she can pursue the war.
Il does NOT appear that she could not
prosper ineomnerce and private wealth,
il the war should last half centuryAand
those who feat the war may last foressrs
and therefore seem 70 think bad peace
ought TO be chosen now, unless some
definite time or precise object could be
proposed, as the end Of the war, It Is a
sufficient answer to say that war is ahard
condition Of national existence but pre-.
ferabie to their subjugation by France.
Base are Engiishmen, unlike their ances-
tors, hthey would Iiot sooner toll for
taxes to supply the war, or bleed on a
ships deck, than sweat under the donlin.
ion of French project. Perhaps we
may wonder at their ideas j but Engkish-
men s0iH dread ignominy niarsshaa texes
or mounds.
While the British navy continues mis-
tress Of the seas, It is scarcely possible
that BonaParte should execute his threat
ofan invasion. If then the English cam
not make war on the land, nor the French
on the sea, it would seem that military
operations and military spirit must Lam
g,rish. There is reason to fear that this
state Of defensive langour win engender
discomfort in England. But thoughthe
expenses might be diminished If Britain
had no allies, and 6ts out no expeditions,
they would still be enormous. The dis.
tant colonies of France are vulnerable
and would yield to an attack. When the
fashionable folly ofthe Volunteer army
shall be no longer in vogue, An efficient
and large regular army would enable G.
Britain to strike her enemy in many tul.
nerable points. She ought to provide
such an army, on which alone she could
depend to exPel the French, If. by chance,
they should land on the Island. The
employment Of the forces would cherish
the military spirit OF her subjects, and
eonquests are among the best expedients
to preserve harmony and union in the ma
ton.
A solicitude about the ability Of Great
Britain to resist France wiilbe understood
BY some of the weak, and will be misre-
presented by al1theb and unprincipled,
as Implying desire that the U. States,
in respect to maritime rights aud natio,
nal dignity, should lie at the mercy Of
the mistress of the ocean. On the con-
trqry let every real American patriot
insist that our government should place
the nation on its proper footing, as a ma
val power. With million tons of mer-
chant shipping, and a hundred thousand
seamen, equally brave and expert, it is
the fault, Of a poor spirited administrati-
on, that We are Insignificant and despis-
ed. It is their fault that ouir harbours
are bloekaded. by three British ships,
aud their outrages are Perpetrated with
in the waters that form part Of our iuris-
diction, such as no circumstances can
Justify. Can there exist stronger proof,
that our insigni6cance Is to be ascribed
10 bad administration, than this single
fact--with the greatest merchant marine
in the world, except one, and, of eonse-
quenes, capable of being the second ma.
val power, Gin our own seas, the first
we are utterly helpless; that in the OPT
Mon even or OUR rulers themselves, our
only modeof redress, when our COM
msrce is obstrueted, is TO DESTROY OUR
coMmERes I've have the means for
its protection, which our administration,
unhappiiy, think it would prove more
expensive to use, than its protection
would be worth. They would provide
against the violation of our territory by
tribute, and Of our commerce by Nom,
Importation. - -
while, therefore, we explicitly dis.
claim all apology, for the abuses of the
British naval power while we strongly
reprobate the cowardiee or folly, or both,
athatleayes our country defepeeless, when