Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-08-06
-paidin aa'aneel WEDNE Els Il r. AUGUST g. 1906

'aht Ireech to the public al this very cri
tica.! junctare.
/ Without therefore extending fur,he
these views OF colonial usurpa,;on, woul,
ask the citizens of America seriously to re
hect, thatthe maritime power Of Euelant
Could alone avert from them such evils, i
! France were dispossd TO tealise them.
Would armies be sacrificed in The
work What ,hen--Did the waste of hu.
man lie besetrernorse at St. Domingo r
The tyrsnt has besides horrible interest,
in the dreadful character of his Trans,
Atlantic enterprises.
Be II remembered that in the Europe.
an countries which he has sub;uga,ed
and in those which h. stip means 70
suodue, there arc mytiaas ofardent spirits
whom their conqueror would be happy
to dispose of in di..ant military service
Just as he basely sen, the patriot Polish
legions, To 90 his murderous work. and
perish in St. Domingo.
How copiousIy might the un,rac,ab,e
spirit OF this free country,ifit were con.
quered, add to The miserable number. of
high minded victims. Brethren of Ame.
RIGA, the idea.though strange and dread.
tul' IS not beyond the rauge of possible
events, that the volunteers of England
may be sent TO reduce The Spanish colo.
MES, aud 10 shed your kindred blood.
But America Nigh; fa'l even before
her parent. A brief period of peace
would suffice to restore The maritime
force OF Fsas'ce, enormou,ly as she has
no" extelded her means oi multiplying
ships Tor shc has found that soldiers may
soon be taught nautical skll enough 10
man her hoets, ct least as we'll as they
have been lately manned with French
and Spanish sailors, In cur own service
iandsmnn is spoD converted into an ordi
nary seaman, and there is no motive SD
strong with Bcnaparie Tor declining that
peace for which The is now brsIly angling,
as the presen, irnposs,biiis of ssnding the
soldiers 10 sea for education, without risk.
ing their captivity. and the less OF the
chips that carry them.
But for such an enterprise as the con-
quest OF the Spanish colonies, large ma.
vel force would not be wanting; armies
might be landed there without resis,ance,
iasSe enough to maintain, as well as 10
accomplish the easy work. The mother
country far from protecting, burst not en-
courage them 10 resist, and am persua-
ded that a, this moment nothing aver,s
= French yoke from the colonies both Of
Spain end Portugal, but the imperious
barrier OF our navy: nay, that nothing
suspends The fate OF those mother coun
tries themselves, but the fear that their |
colonies would be lost, from The want of
fieet to secure them.
Does Amercsthen hope that we shall sus- |
tain IN The war forever, under all the dis. !
couragements which her injurious con
duct adds 10 its other eviis---that we shall
protect her in spite OK herself, aud let her !
bear away all The best fruits of cur naval
empire, while We are al all the charge of
its defence.
Such conduct indeed, were there no
other alternative except that ofpeace with
France, al the present most dlssdvania. |
gcoua moment, might be wise and neces-
cessary. for nothing cen be more inlaili-
bly, sslfdesJruclive, than our now throw.
ing open the sea to Bonaparte.
Bot eve,y Englishman does moi concur
with the grsat majority of the nation in
this opinion.
There ave writers among US, who ne
YER seem to regard the enormous aggran-
d yemen, Of France by land, as a good ar
gument for opening TO her boundIess am
bition, and implacnbls hostility, the !
important passes Of the ocesn /; I
who even magnify our danger from
her recent territorial acquisitions, as
reasons for allowing her TO reap the foil
and immediate benefi: oftheir commerce,
and 10 combine with her former immense
resources, he new means which, they co.
pously afford for the restitution Of her ma
Wy who, because we conuot give bsck
10 the right owners, the territories she has
ravished from other nations, would adj
wise us 10 endanger our own, and who
think that as kings have been he victims
OF cur quarrel, our most honorable course
is TO raGfy without delay their consIraiD.
ed renunciations, aud shake hands with
theusurper over he ruins'of their thrones.
Such opinions too boast, though falsely I
admit, OF popularity, nay even Of minisle-
rial patronage.
Let not then America, seeing perhaps
our obvious interest better than these
Bcitish politicians, Suppose herself per.
ieGlly secure from that fatal event, spec.
dy peace betweel England aud France
4 hat let aer beware lest bv further discou.