Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1807-08-17

our mechanics who in fuch an event
will be inltantly ftrippad, and all
other descriptions Of men, young and
old, who have either property or
hopes, to PARE, and conGder the
caufes for which a zU0v (if any is to
be undertaken, our means, the courfe,
effects, and probable ifuc Of fuch
war.
In dilcuGing this ngf important
q0Cf,n, | prepofe to do it feriou1y
and difPafionately, not by afumed
facts, and pomPous destinations as
has been done BY the Editor of the
Intclt9cnrer, but by cool examina-
! ton Of the principles upon which a
war is to be undertaken, and an &C
curate comParilon of our power and
means with thofc Of our proPoied en-
envy, in doing which, | fhaIl attempt
to thew, thar the events Of our aft
war bear no analogy 70 the exiting
cafe, and are no rational foundation
for hope Of future fucceEs.
The fubje6s may be divided into
the following queilions-
lf!y. Is there any thing in the general con-
duet Of Great Britain towards US, (fnce we en-
tered into treaty Of amity with her, which
merged all jorwe, caufes OF conplaint,,) which
would julhfy, or would render il eEpedent to
60 TO war with her
2dIy. Is the cafe of the attack on the Chef
sPeake a juftifable caufe Of war, let the cir
oumltanCes Of il be what they mays
3S!y. What are our means and refources for
carrying on wa! What will be- its effects
on our government and people ? What are,
or what will be It's Object? What will be its
probable ifue!
As to the Grf quelron, whether
prior to the attack on the Che(apeake
we had any jultihable caule Of war
againft Great Britain f? Ifhcu.d not
think it necehary to difcufs il, if it
were not to be earneitly dchred, that
the cafe of the Chefapeake might
itand alone, unmixeo with any for
mer caules Of irritation. 1t is i'm
Poill5lc to examine fairly 4ueffion
of that delicate nature, if we fufFer
to enter into it, the hatred and pre-
JUDGES which we may have permit
ted to grow up, or which we may
have cultivated againit the nation
with whom the queftion exits. !.
is alto important to conGder this point
frit, becaule the PRECEDENT hiaielf,
and many of the refolutions adopted
by differnt cities, allude to the for
mer caufes of complaint againit
Great Britain, as tending 70 aggra-
vate the inful and injury in the cafe
of the Chefapeakc.
What then were our caufes OF com-
plant againtt Great Britain prior to
this la:e event, and how food het
dnpofitlon 70 do u juitice
Our complaints were | believe on
Iy 'hetc Y:
a. Re n'orcing her doctrine Of the illegal
ity Of The colonial trade,
252y. Her impreiImeuts of her o7Ua feanen
on board our merchant veheIs and as necel-
AIRY confe,uence, the taking our own coca
honaly. " zen delntu'e Of projections
Sdly The killing Of John Pierce.
1t viii b prrctived, that ] lay en-
tirely out Of the cafe, the vexations
often complained Of, Of having our
vefcs boarded, fearched, and fome
Zines fent into port without juf
caufc, becaufe fuch things nee fairly
reiult from fate Of war and the
exerciie Of undoubted belIigcrent
rights :-Becau(e the Britiih Admi-
rally courts are better than thofe Of
any other nation except our own
-Becau(e the marine officers of all
nations often exercile thele acts Of in.
dividual injuftice, and it is believed
thoic Of Great Britain, lefs than any
others, and it is not confdered a
caufe even of complaint, if the gov
eminent inftitutes fair tribunals for
the trial Of the clufes which occur !;
and becaufe every man acquainted
with our cum war knows, that no ma
ton ever took in more neutrals for
examination, nor made greater exer-
ton TOR the condemnation Of them
than the Americans did.
1T. As to the queilion of the
Colonial 1radf.-Many impartial men
even N our own country, have
thought Great Britain right upon
this point. 1t is certain that fhe