Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-06-17
Dmainia Nrnue.
r C H NJ Q N D:
FRIDAY, JUNE II, 1908.


The news of Gen. Armstrong; having
Lett Paris, and Of the confiscation ut Ham
burg of certain property said TO be .fmeri-
can, are supposed to Indicate a hostile dis
position on the part of the Emperor Napo-
leon towards she United States. This NAV
be the case: but, until the circumstances
attendant on both those events are better
understood, we think it proper to suspend
out opinions concerning them.
Ii is a little remarkable that the same
conveyance, which brought the intelligence
that Gen. Armstrong had left Paris, did
not also bring an account of the reason OF
his doing so; since one could have been
procured as easily as the other, il it had
arisen from an open breach between the
two Governments. The Federal editors,
who always eXult in every thing which
threatens evil to their country, would no
doubt have eagerly caught hold of, and I'M
mediately published the glad tidings of
rupture with France. Their failing to do
this-their being on the contrary entirely
silent as 10 the motives of gsn Armstrong;
journey, is enough to satisfy our mind
> that no important conclusions ought TO b.
drawn from it. Besides, il should be re
collected that Bonaparte had himself de
parted from Paris, on his way to Spain,
before this removal (whether temporary ~
permanent) of our Ambassador took plac,
and it is not probable that, in the Empo
ror's absence, any of MS Minister'S won d
OF their own authority, have ordered o.
the Representative of the United States.
AS to the affair at Hamburg, 1t has
still more dubious aspect. Before we Ca
form decisive opinion on the subject, W
should wish tn know whether the propert)
seized was certainly OF the growth or pro
duCe OF .3DicricQ, or whether ii consisted
of British Manufactures imported int
Hamburg in American vessels contrary to
Bonaparte's DEGREES. If the latter was the
case, the confscation was no more than
might have been expected, and not, GER
tam sigu of hostility towards the United
S ates.
Farther information hereafter will pro-
badly explain these transactions more sa-
tisfactorily than we can at present. But,
If In fact, Bonaparte has determined to de-
clare war against us, TO shew his vexati
on at the injury sustained by his subjects
in consequence of our Embargo,) we would
ask Mr.. Timothy Pickering and his Essex
Junto. how it comes to pass that an EN-
barge, which they say was laid under
French influence, should SO highly be re-
sented by France
The reign of the Federalists in Massa-
chusetts, is going on as might have been ex-
pected They seem resolved to give the
world sufficient evidence of the eXtrava-
gance. absurdity and 7oryism of their par
ty; that every body may know what sort
Of an administration the General GOUern-
n,ent would have under Federal PreSf-
dent and Federal Congress. From the
sample of their principles afforded by the
late Resolutions of the Massachusetts Lee
gislature, there cannot be question but
that if the interests of the Union were at
present in the power of the same party,
they would submit TO every thing demand
ed by the British, and even formally con-
sent 10 their impressing our seamen, and
taxing the cargoes of those few vessels of
ours, which they would mercifully permit
to escape total condemnation War
with France, aud an alliance offensive and
defensive with Great-Britain, would then
be the order of the day, the consequence
of which would be, in a short time, and by
a regular progression, the certain destTuc-
ton of the liberties of the people of the u.
States. The ensuing election of Pres-
dent is therefore of vast importance, and
requires the Jealous and active co-opera-
ton of all the Republicans to defeat the
Vaccinations of their enemies and ensure
a favorable result. But let them be uigi.
liant, firm, and united, and ALL WILL
BE WELL,