Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-12

shaken the dust rom his feet, prcEOun- I
ced our administration pusillanimous, and |
departed from Gu: shores. What security |
had we that after every concession on our |
part he would have made PREPARATION at all !! |
Were we 10 rely on the promise of Britain !
Were we 10 confide in the faith of her en- |
voy !--IIer diplomatic history too well in-
forms us of her treachery 20 induce any re-
hance on her professions.
But the proclamation must be revoked.
And wherefore was cur government TO play
SO puerile part! That proclamation had
been rendered necessary ny other acts than
the outrage on the Chesapeake: 1t had be-
come requisite to make the regulations
which il ordains in order to save our har-
bours from pollution by the detcstable acts
of British ships of war. The bloody deed
| of Whitby, the insolenCe OF Love, no less
than the abominable proceeding of Hum
phreys, called loudly for decisive step on
our part to preserve the purity of our Wa
tcrs and the neutrality of our juriscictlcn.-
| And this proclamation must be recalled
We must kneci to receive even a common
PREPARATION acknowledged to be due. The
6foSv which we had sustained was TO be more
deeply Redeemed before it was obliterated
we were told that repatriation was offered !;
but we were never informed what thac re-
| paration was to be it was not visible, nor
tang ib.e, nor audible; we could neither see
lit, nor touch il, nor hear it. But it was
offered! Where was it offered. Hon. was it
offered offered! No! 1t was refused.
What did the British envoy propose L
Come, said he to offer you PREPARATION: But
his cffer was in his words alone, and re-
CURED freUi5us concession OIL our fart.
He could not be misunderstood What would
ne himself have thought of us FIVE had been
serviie enough to accept his proposition !?
And what would the world have said if we
had been TIE dupe of an atonement prece-
lded by disgrace, or the victims Of 4 rcpa-
ration marked by infamy?
The case is decided. We must 10 longer
look 20 Europe for redress, nor to the pratt
Ting other wrangling politicians for fortu-
nate issue to our cause. In our own energy,
IN our own patinence, IN our own courage, W
must seek for redress and for preservation,
We must do shat from vrtuous conviction
which the sUbjectso Of despots do from com
lPulsion. We must bear the inevitable ills of
our condition with manliness & resignation
condition to which we have been reduced
by the vices and crimes of foreign powers
The man that fibches now, is a coward The
lperson that rcpines at the cherries blank
before us, is the diciple of avarice, and
observes to be slave; OF is he creature
lof mOping melancholy, and commands our
Ipity. We owe to Heaven alteration, and
to our country constancy and frmness in the
time of adversely and danger. The duty of
every. citizen is plain to his view ard the
path which leads to it direct and obviou.
as q sun beam. Before us is the temple o;
glory or the tomb of everlasting honor
Behind us the gloomy abode of humiliation
and perpetual disgrace. Let US, then, stand
firm at our posts. IF we are not successful,
I've shall ut least nor he depraT,sd and doe
pissed.
Cok1i,r,s Ryeek,i Ren.ister