Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1808-04-01

have been exhibited to Congress? The
Constitution which requires the Presi-
dent "to give to Congress information
of the state Of the union," certainly
meant, not partial, but complete infor-
nation on the subject ofacommunication,
so far as he possessed it. And when it
enioins him "to recommend to their
consideration such measures as he should
Judge necessary and expedient," it as
certainly intended that those recommen-
dations should be bottomed on infarma-
ton communicated, not IN facts rVithheA,
and locked up in the Executive cabinet.
Had The public safety been at stake, or
nygreat puhlie good been presshted to
our view, but which would be lost BY a
moments delay ; there would have been
some apology for dispotch, though none
for acting 1oithout due Information. In
truth, the measure appeared to me then,
as it still does, and as it appears to the
public, without a sufficient motive, with.
out u legitimate Object. Hence the &c.
neral inquiry" For what Is the Embar.
60 laid !" And I challenge any man not
in the secrets Of the Executive to tell.
I know, Sir, that the President said the
papers aforementioned showed that
great and ~increasing dangers threatened
our vessels, our seamen, and our mer-
:chandize )" but I also know that they ex
hibited no nrw dangers; none Of which
our merchants and seatnen had not been
well apprized. The British proclama.
ton had many days before been; publish.
ed in the ne wspapers 1.-THE copy laid be.
fore Us by the President had been cut out
Of a newspaper and so had the sub.
stance, Inot the words'of Regnier'slet
tey.. Yet they had r%xcitsdlittle concern
among merchants and seamen, the pre-.
servation of whose persons and property
was the brefessed object Of the Presidents
Recommendation of the Embargo. The
merchants and seamen could accurately
estimate the dangers of continuing their
commercial operations of which dam
gers, indeed, the actual premiums Of
insurance were a satisfactory guage.-
Those premiums had very little increas4
ed by the British proclamation not a
cent and by the French decree so little
as not to stop commercial enterprises.
The great numbers of vessels loading or
loaded, and prepared for sea the exer-
tons every where made, on the FIRST ri.
mour OF the E mtargo, to dispatch them ;
demonstrate the Presidents dangers to
be imapindvy-to have been assumed.-
Or if great and real dangers, unknown
to commercial men, were impending,
or sure to fall, how desirable was it to
have had them oEciaRy declared and
published! This would have produced
a voluntary embargo, and prevented e
very COMPLAINT. Besides, the dangers
clearly defined and understood, the pub
lie mind would not have been disquieted
with imaginary fears, the more tormen-
ting, because uncertain.
It is true that a considerable number Of
vessels were collected in our ports, aud
many held in suspense not however,
from any new dangers which appeared,
but from the mysterious conduct of our
officers, after the attack on the Chesa-
peakc ; and from the painful a~Pprehen-
sion that the course the president was
pursuing would terminate in war. The
National Intelligence Casually consider.
ed a. the executive newspaper) gave the
alarm ; and itWas echoed through the
United States. War-probable or inc.
vitable war, was the constant theme OF
the newspapers, and of the eoRyersa-
tioas. a. was reported, OF persons sup,
posed to be best informed Of executive
designs. Yet amid this din of war, no
adequate preparations were seen making
to meet il. The orderto detach 4 hun.
dred thousand militia to fight the British
navy (for there was no appearance Of an
enemy in any other shaPe) was~so com.
pletely absurd, as to excite with men Of
common sense no other emotion than
ridicule. Not the shadow of a reason,
that could operate on the mind Of man
o fcommon understanding, can be offer
e.. in its justification. The refusal al