Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-07-24
From THE PORT FOLIO.

From THE PORT FOLIO.
The period has q. length arrived when
il mus, he decided, whether the Amsrican
government is worthy of the support oil
the people, anc whether the Americas
people deserve the.name Of an Independent,
patton. If the lives OF our citizens may
be ass2ilcd and destroy ed ia sigh, Of our
harbors, if the protection of government
cannot reach and cover them within ten
miles Of our shore, il is time for Us 10
give up the farce Of empire, and imp.ore
the protection Of some power able TO af.
ford US security sgainst murderous out
rage. Was case ike this ever before
heard of? The. foe siaughters our CHI.
zens, and then, in cool contempt returns
70 his anchorage in Our harbor.
fus this eseaf, degrading and painful as
isis. may bs the fore runner Of the mos.
splenild aad useful consequences. I, is
40 event which, sinking all party feusls
aud local divisions, will blend Us together
as ore people, and unit. ns in one ezer
ton. While we de9lore the loss of those
Cit gems who have been sacrificed BY this
unparalleled violence, aud lament with
those wiio suffer, We should not look on
the occurrence as a calamity-lu a na,
focal .iew there is nothing TO regret in It,.
For fourteen years we have been The foo..
ball OF European arrogance and iniastice.
Plundered, beaten aud mu, dared 10 eve, y
sea. by every power, we were rapidly
plungns SO deep ie contempt, tina. in a
lil:ie while II would have besn impossib e
to insult US. Eagerly pursuing the atqa;-
siiiSn Of wealth, enveIopsd IN conmereisl
enterprises and stock bb'ng speculation,
m ne; has become the god ef our id ll,ry,
and every noble passion of the soul is los.
II Is. That high minded patriotism which
gives dignity TO our nature, aud character
TO cur country; that lof y honor AID Jus,
Jealousy OF ourrigh,s, which mske PEG
pie respected and admired. are almost
sno'hered and extnguished uuder heaps
Of III gottee geld, and rrama If f, auduiens
per. Sons hing was uecessaey TO rouse
US from ,Eia supine state of disnpnor, AID
thar something has occurred-she la,s us
spark is. awAksned-,he fame spreads from
hsart TO heari, aud the American people J,
shaking EFF he le,hargy of twenty years,
are rising 70 THAR jass s:a.ion in the void,
with an i.nMo.eakte determine alton to n ain.
tain It a. al! hazards. Tell us not of the
dangers and priva.ions Of war; Of the
mil'cEs ssoas which will be loas /; of a
crippled commerce ard embarrassed reve.
nac. These are temporary evils-sATIos.
AL DISGRACE IS AN ETERNAL CINE. The
vlgor OF our youth will aeon re:,air the
one, bat the other will grow and strengthen
with our age. This is no time for calcu'a-
tiens---for stating 40 account Of profit aud
loss. There are periods 10 the existence
of nations, as well as OF men, when every
thing mus. be hszarded, and every ,hiog
en<ared-this hour 10 ccaae upon us,
and we have no choice unless we are de.
graded enough TO hesitate between base
admission and honorable resistance. even
II i were ten TINES more perilous than e
is- The esentfal blow IS s,ruck---the
nations honor is stained, most foullv stain. :
ed-,he blood of the innscent, which we
had sworn to protect, has been shed. base.
" shed, an' cries 10 heaven for vsu pssnce:
and ifi, be not avenged may ,h4. Heaven
strike rs from the li.t nasioas, aud the
name OF an American Be forever linked
with infamy.
his IS not time for Ell rtprcacsl, l,u,
las rshssslos eaaass as sapPrs.seJ, INA, if
E&- /!