Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1807-07-13


PROCEEDING on small tour
through he United States, have been
much affected TO hear the news from
Norfolk--and as British subject |
feel Il my duty to offer few structures
on an occurrence which has attracted
much public observation. | have no.
ticed your paper as being conducted
with temperate principles, and hope
YOU will have no objection to insert any
thing that may lead TO fair and candid
discussion on a subject of the highest
importance to two great Countries.
The Boston Gazette of the 9th inst.
gives extracts from the Norfolk Ledg.
er Of the oath pl;. and Herald of the
25th. Ithinkl can feel for The honor
of America as warmly as for that Of
Great Britain but indeed, Mr.. Editor,
it apperS to me that the people Of Nor
folk are acting under the impulse Of a
most nnjustifablc impetuositY and
want of candor. And their public pa>
pcrs, which should always be the med
orators Of mankind are rust now an.
pcaiiHs ID passion ssOt 10 reason, and
stimulating the multitude 10 acts Of
blind and infufiate violence. The
Herald introduces the circumstance by
stating the Chesapeake's arrival with.
out colours, and the officers without
arms.--Is this fair Commencement :
How came the ship to leave her colors,
and the officers their arms I Such is
not the fact. Then follows a list Of the
killed(three in number) and the wound
cd, with their places of settlement, evil
IDENTIFY for the purpose Of exciting the
people OF those settlements TO emily
and revenge. 1t is stated that one SEN
timent only appeared among tie peo-
pie +; 4" tempered however by resigna-
ton TO the will of government" The
resolutions are next inserted and in
their outset on the subject of The Justice
of foreign nations, those words are in
troduced in parenthesis est such a
sentiment as that of justice was 10 be
found among them y
The words are blended with an ar
dant inclination for the preservation Of
peace, and to secure friendly DISPOSE
ton, &c. Then--'' we behold our fell
low citizehs impressed and forced by
atyrannical and arbitrary power, to fph,
against their own soNntry, and basely
and insiduouSly murdered On our
coasts"
The terms tyrannical and arbitrary.
insiduous murderers, &c. even applied
TO an enemy's country, do rot eyince
either the valor or the liberality of the
writer--nor DO see how it is proved
that those men (eyeA supposing them
10 be Amencan) were TO fight q.
gainst their countrynen.-In the Same
strain 1t Is stated that the attack wa.
made by four British Ships. Fotu.
nately Mr.. Editor, over zeal NAV some
| times defeat mischieyous wish, unde,
the current Of such assertions however
those peaCeable citizens proceed I,
| something more than an ineirect dc
| claratlon Of war and enGeayor TO en-
snare government into participates
| Men who know the imptrious neces
sity of steady subordination, will con
slider whether general officer support
his own responsibility, and the law q
the nations. by encouraging The wan
ton act of mob, in destroying Nv,
hundred water casks, belonging 10 III
ship of nation, with whom the Amer
leans are engaged in intimate and ex
tensivc commerce.
/ New Sir, as an humble, and yer,
unworthy advocate, Will you give m
leave to stateithe British side Of III