Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-07-15


This discovers ! spirit becoming "A injur-l
Cd people and il the language held by
All a. The late musters IL was with re.
sluctanee the Militia retired 50 their peacea.
Bile homes towait the sysnsof further Or
'dsrs.
July 10.
On Wednesday evening two OF the Bri-.
tish ships Che Triumph and the Melann.s
pus) left Hampton Roads. and went down
Is The Capes the Bellona and the Leopard
remain as before.
We have nots understood that the procla.
a a.on Of the President has been officially
communicated: 10 the commander Of the
Rsisish ships, although We believe that he
is informed oft. but most probably waits
an otsieial notification before he departs. if
he nssans 20. depart. This nosi6ca.ion will
psobebiy be given this day.
II is very evident from subsequent E.
vents, that com nodore Douglas repenss
tie letter which he addressed 70 the May.
OF he may have further and more serious
cause to regret on this subject We were
neyer more disappointed 10 the result Of
aay Affair." than We wefe 10 the present case.
The spirited, and at the. same t,mr discicet
answer returned by the Mayor placed the
british commander ia situation The ttaost
stward thascan be supposed He did not
appear TO be sensible at 6rst of the high and
responsible ground which he was sbeu. 70
ASSUME. To blockade port If neutral
ndsfrtendly power, aud TO detsia its yes
ssls going out or coming 10, would be no
less an &C, of hostility, than if force had
been Landed, and for. or posi- retained.
Neutrals submi, with much reluctance to
the exclusion ofthcir commerce to beliIge.
reos ports by blockade ;.force and aos right
to- often settles the question. The bsi.
.tish commander from his acknowledgement
to Mr. TgzsweIl, had no orders to commit
acts Of hostikty, but ia defence Of his BAG;
he therefore could not execute what he
menaced 10 his letter Of the 50, without do
ing what he was not authorized he did
not appear when he wrote torecollect that
the act was an act of hostility. Sensible
now Of his error. he wishes to give an ex-
-plSnation 10 his letter. which il is not sus.
.ceptibte OF. No one can mistake its mean.
ing, and it was 10 this way that VIC were
mistaken, for when We read his letter we
concluded that hostilties were to follow.
The Limitation Of hostiay prescribed in
the letter, had no weigh, with Us, for when.
hostility begins, it is uos for one party to,
determine lis limits.
I, however is evident. from The result,
tina. commodore Douglass has conducted
himself upon this occasion without any
credisto himself, or honor 20 his country.
To threaten with view to iptimidate,
does not furnish the evidence Of under.
standing or courage. IF ,ais affair con
seerued the future fate and reputation Of.
captain Douglass only, We should not per-,
shsps hayo noticed tin this way: but there
is some reparation 10 be made for the in
suit. and for the consequences which have
fNowrd. The executive Of tie state con
sicered from the letter Of commodore
Douglass, tina, hos,ilisies would commence:
Immediately, and accordingly ordered a,
military force To repair to this place and
Hampton, the public expense, the incon I
venirncc TO citizens, macy Of them en-.
gagged 10 Important and useful avocations,
brought upwards of enc hundred miles-
from their places of residence. and the par.
ticular injury done to this place in various
ways, slldemand repara,ion.
It is some consolation to reject, that the
conduc. Of our msgistracy upon this &C
casion, has been marked with 50 much
prudence and 6rmnrss.
In the narrative which we published the
oath cflast month, it might be inferred that
the gnen taken from the Chesapeake had de-