Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-09-08
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WAR VITA BRITAIN.
No.rIT


No.-II.
s Ma. EBvFpn,
HAVING: In my last paper taken general
view Of our condition and ability, 70 sustain
Warsuith . great maritime power, and OF inc
peculiar and unavoidable caiAnlties, winch
--wosssd Cow FROM contest With Britain, now
proceed cussorily, to- examine what are cur
re Al md effective means of annoyance. be-
fore we engage in war, purely fer the purpose
OF Furnishing an oppressor, we sougnt a. FEAST ss
10 be assured, that It IS in our power % lhnict
more injury than we shallsuter land that we
have fsro5a6ly the means of compelling the e.
nrmy at last, to make peace with US ga termS
not less consistentwith our honor and safety,
than those upon which We now may ENJOY It.
To me, then it appears, land acknowledge It
with pain and hunaihationl thatsby all classes
of politicians, our means, Of annoyance have
been most extr,ayagantiys overrated--and !
think avery slight degree of reflection will
suffice to convince us, that even at the expence
.,of all our prosperity, we shall not finally OBJ
tain the qualification of wounding either the
.h1adr or sssentio interests of the British natl
on, ~ e
The only means which have yet been sug-
geaed, as enabling Us In war, to yindicate our
rights or to punish, for the wrongs We have
suffered, are, the Lapassoa q Ca1ada; P,7ua-
seersag the co1.fscations Of debts due TO British
su6ieets; a SUSPENSION of Intercourse Min me
sBntish est- Isdia colonies, and he 'nttrdactf-
on Of fy1ae spitd, and etf,ae use and aurchaseef,
she naaanfasfures Of their mother esaafry.
TIE Lsuasinn at &C anada- Anticipating for a
moment the successful inyaslcn and rapid con-
quest oftsIis province, what will Britain lose!
a cold, inhospitable, dreary re gion, unProduc-
tive TO her commerce, useless to her arms;
and which, except so far as It .Hords protectl-
ON to her navai togce, is not worth the expence
Gifts protection ard government. What shall
we gain! An aceeieration OF the period OF
disunion, by increasing our already TOO wide
misunderstanding, a lazy andsissnorant po-
pulasion, IL abide TO the original settlers who
neverwil add TO the strength or resources OF
this country !; but will, on the contrary, weak
en- it BY multiplying the points Gifts defence;
: whose IDEAS of government vary essentially
: from curs-who, if incorporated as new
: member of tie republic, will be a perennial
spring Of embarrassment to our counsels las
: has already been the case with louisiana and
who, if kept in subsection, will probably b..
disconnected and rebsllieus. But what reason
: have wesso confidently to believe the invasion
: would be Successful ? 1t has been once at
*eteflpted and faited, when indeed our means
of attack were less vigorous: but when also
the British means of resistance were far less
powerful but few regular troops were
maintained in that parteft the continent-when
the Invasion was unexpected and unprepared
{ for; and when both, among the French and
British inhabitants, discomfort was universally
preyalent--Ifat that time oar troops were less
numerous, and orr resources less prolific
our discipline was more exact, and our en-
thusiasn not less ardent than at present. It
is>netoricus that large bodies irregular and
; we'll ,dsseipi lined troops, are now maintained
in Canada; and there is no demonstration on
the part OF Its Inhabitants, either oil attach
-snent to US, or OF hostility to their govern
ment. From the nature too of their climate,
and the vast extent OF the country, the difi-
Guilty and expeuce of conquest without a fuil
cooperation on the part of the people, would
far. exceed any ordinary calculation nor
would an unorganised and insubordinate mill
tia, readily encounter the dangers and priva-
tons of a war carried beyond the limits OF re-
sistaace at hometo the enemy--Whcther then
Great-Britain In the event of war would lose
Canada is doubtful--and If she We're to do So
the loss would be triaing to her, and the ac-
QUESTION useless, perhaps pernicious,,to us.
PriUdteeriag This, 10 the minds oil
slarge portion Of our citizens, is most
potent engine of mischief to the enemy.
Il is said with 90 small plausibiiisy, thai
cur position enables us with ease, TO EN-
.barrass the whole trade Of Great Britain
with kes colonies; that our seanen are
peculiarly well qualified forlhis species Of
,warfare; and that IN ,herevolu,ionary- con.
Jest We did ina,ct severe INJURY upon the