Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-07-01

a regiment in this state, to be communities
ted by him in such manner as ne may an
prove, to those under his command
6. ResOtUed unanimously, That the
thanks of this meeting be returned to the
chairman, for the able and Impartial
manner in which hs has discharged the
duties of his Office.
Signed on behalf of the meeting,
Testc, -.
SPENCER ROANE, Chairman.
h 4 THOMAS RIrCHE, Secretary.
10 THE PRESIDENT OF 7un UNITED
SIR, s ,r~
WE, the Citizens of RICHMOND,
MANCHESTER and their VGcGN1TIEs, and
OF many other persons from d slant places,
who have assembled to take under considc-
ration, the late hostile ATTACK upon the
trsate Chesapeake, by British Ship of
war, and the murder of number Of Anne
r'can Seamcn in time OF peace, are inn
PEELED by the strongest motives to e5nrpss
those sentiments Of inlgnat OH which the
occasion must naturally inspire. When
we reflect upon the uniform course Of paci-
nc conduct which has hecn observed by
the government of the United States, to-
wards all foreign nations when we recb,-
iect, on the other hand, the nnumcrable
insults ani aggressions winch Great Bri-
tam has inflicted on our Just and lawful
comnerce; we can only discover in this
recent act Of violence, the contamination
OF system which has for its object the
prostratlon ofneutral rights, at the feet OF
naughty and ambitious power. The
door of negotiation is finally closed the
flrst blow of war has been struck; and the
people OF America are called upon to de-
eide, whether they Will rally around the
( standard OF the constitution, or resign at
once that glorious Independence which was
purchased by the valor of their fathers.
and cemented with their blood. At A nc
ROD of.such magnitude as the present. il is
peculiarly necessary thai the Peohke of
america should display to the world the
devotion which they feel to the free. mild
and beneEcent government under which
they live, and their invinciblc determine
tlon to r siSt to the utm st extremity, eve
nv outrage On their rights from whatever.
quarter IT NAV proceed The persons who
now address you, speak not only for them
selves, but tor their country they feelthat
they denver the sentiments OF the nation
ana they are confident that they will find
corresponding emotion in the bosom of
the Chet Magistrate or the Union.
When All act ofunequivocaI hostility has
been perpetrated; when our armed yes
sells are not permitted to leave our own
ports with IMMUNITY; when British com
mander gives the signal from our very har-
DORIS tor the capture of our Ships it be-
comes question not of reason, but of G,rl-
WS Whatever may be the grounds OF the
contest IN which we are engaged, we are
competed 10 close IN that appeal to arms
which has been made by our adversary.
1t is impossible to pursue n temporisinr
conduct, without engraving an indelible
stain on our national character. The re-
putatlon OF our country is at stake. and il
must now be decided whether we soali as
sumo the dignified attitude of an indepen-
deht state, or meanly crouch under the
lash OF an insolent foe.
NO nation upon earth has so many cogent
reasons Tor maintaining a friendly inter-
course with the rest of the world, as the
United States. Far removed from that
bloody scene of ambition, which Europe
mas eXh1blted for centuries pursuing the
even tenor of honest industry regardless
OF that illasive glory which is only to be
obtained at the expense ofhappincss apx-
ious only TOR that solid renown, which
springs from an undertaking course of JUS
ice and virtue (; too simple for the insid
Gus arcs OF courtly intrigues, and too rcfin-
ed tor the eXeTtion of lawlcss power; they
might have iiattered themselves with the
nope, that they should escape the ravagcs
OF those conflicts which have desolated the
old continent America has every thing to
nope from peace, and every thing 10 dcprc-
cate from war. But her growing COM
merce and rising prosperity, cherished by
inc genial warmth of freedom, were OBJ
Jects too tempting to the rapacious eve of
power who arrogates to herself the ex
elusive dominion of the seas. From the
moment when our independence was esta-
biished, Great Britain regarded with ma
iignant jealousy, the progress Of a nation
whom she had once held in bondage From
that moment until the present, she has
Waged an open or concealed war against
our indisputabie rights. II would be SUI
periiuous to dwell on the various crimes
which she has committed against the law
OF nations but it may not I've improper to
enumerate, a few more prominent tlIan the
rest, which marks the spiritwhich has per-
vaded her whole conduct. She has occu-
pied posts within our territory which oupht
TO have been surrendered by treat She
has enlarged the law of cOntraband, be-
yond the most liberal construction of tho
law OF nations she has seized our vessels
laden with provisions she has invented
new system of blockade, which extends not
merely TO single ports actually invested.
but TO whole countries with whom she
might be at war; she has modified. re-
strained and enlarged the rights of neut,.Is