Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-10-26
TO WILSON c. NICHOLAS, Esq:
LETTER Iv.
SIR,

British had harraSSed our CoihhiS'e ~ ny.
than in the execution of their nominal biock-
ades upon this point we demanded, and
had a riphtto expect redress: Did the treaty.
o;ve + 70 ms 20 We have heard much OF
these nominal blockades. The French hrst
raised the outcry, and we have Thousand
times re-echoed the strain. Not only SO
all the atrocities the French have commit
ted nnon us, have been traced to this pre-
tended source, and consequently the whole
burden of the ills we endure has been charg-
ed unon Great Britain. But, sir, where
are the proofs of these nominal blockades !!
Shew your evidence, and # 1t be good, then
shall we be convinced. You cannot 90 thls'
You will tell us chat the French and MI II
Madison say so; but their saying so VIII
not do. Let them indicate the facts which
90 TO proye their assertions. Let counter
evidence be admitted, and then, and not
ere then, can an impartial Judgment DC
formed. The French, and we have an IN
tcrest to promote in asserting the tact the
British have an interest IN denying It. +" no
are we to believe? Neither. NO, ASSET
lions. in such cases, go for nothing; facts,
well sllbstantiated facts, are alone conclu-
sive.
Rnt let as see whether by a>candld eonsl-
deration Of circumstances, some approaches
NAV not be made towards probaoie proof, on
this important point. suppose II VIII DC
granted, that Great Britain has from seven
hundred TO a thousand vessels OF war a1ioat,
chat these vessels are almost altogether en-
p.oyed in blockading the more Important
harbors of her enemies; yet, with sucn a
force, SO employed, can 1t be beileved that
) her blockades are made like Frsnch block
AIDES, only by proclamatons II So now
comes it that her enemies keep so -tioso ~
- r1or ~,,r...- otlr vessels TO be captured
by mere proelamations IS it by some
strange spell, some devellsh incarnation,
some fascinating power, that these procla-
nations are enabled to charm osli vessels IN
to captivity
What constitutes blockade? Having.
such force before the blockaded port, as
renders the entrance therein n a liteslly la
zardous.n This is all and is this So difficult
q matter to people possessing seven hun
dred ships of war; Is it, with such force
a difficult thing to render the entrance into
twenty, thirty, or hundred ports, "mani-
festlv hazardous :" But / may be told,
that some of those ports, said be blockad-
ed, have beenentered by our vessels WITHOUT
any blockading squadron beng seen. his
may have happened. A strong gale will
sometimes drive ship before it, some from
ard sometimes on shore. When such events
happen, a neutral, or an enemy may sip IN;
but does the occurrence OF such events rem
der the blockade merely. nominal, not only
at that precise moment, but at all other
times prior, and posterior thereto!
Assure yourself that this story OF nomi-
nal blockades will never go down with any
man of candor possessing grainof common
sense. and common information. 1t is, how
ever, well calculated to crafty the feelings
and preiud;ces of some; and well flied to
raise or keep up in the minds ofthe ignorant,
that hatred of Great Britain, which toiaspire,
i and to cherish seems, unhapPily, to be ia
vorite object with a great proportion OF the
leaders Of the people.
1t was, | fear, in pursuance OF this holy
purpose, that you considered it your duty
to state explicitly, that you do not believe it
was the intention of Great Britain to give
US satisfaction on this point. The affair OF
the Chesapeake, "you add that she only
wished for time toput her colonies in state
of defence ! In state OF defence against
what AGAINST gun boats without crews,
and militia without arms? Can you be-
lieve, sir, that Great Britain was Ignorant
of our military, or rather un-military situa-
ton THAT our militia, tho composed Of
as brave men as other men, were In no state
to be led to attack IN no state to face regu-
lars, or storm fortresses Such was our
situation, what was that Of Great Britain !?
need only say, armed at every point