Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1808-03-11


point Of view. -
The period for el.eting a president Of
the United States approaches-he may
wish to pr,,pitia,e the democratic party
in America, aud to prevail upon them
to re-eiec, him to the presidential chair.
He may also have directed all his indig.
nation against this country, andkept en-.
tirely out of,view the conduct OF France,
from a belief that France may at last O.:
sblig- us 70 surrender part flour maritime
rights. But has this sApient president
no approximations that the experiment
might be fatal to the interests and indie.
.pentenee Of his own country, and that
should France finally prevail over Eng
land, the liberty Of America would not
long survive! There is another circum-
stance Of which we should suppose Mr..
Jefferson cannot be ignorant ; that wal
with this country must be a wal without
hope /; not only without hope, but with
certain destruction to the American
eommerceI But perish commerce !"
n perhaps the motto Of the American
President, as of cerrain wiseaeres on this
side Of the water. During his residence
IN France, he became enamored of the
ortrines Of the economists and Turgo.
list. and he wishes, probably, to try the
experiment of a nation reliuquishing
fnreigO commerce, living upon the pro-
duce Of its own territories, aud con6ning
isself chiefly to the pursuits of agricul-
6n f.,~k H. k,N .@e.k.. - EN~--
that he could not have found out a more
likely means Of realizing them than by
going to war with this country.
War with this country, it is scarcely
possible to conceive he is not desirous of
provoking, by the coneealment of every
fact which might dispose COMPRESSOR the
people of America to adopt amicable or
pacific measures.-Is:s utterly improba.
bic that he could have been ignorant,
w-hen congress met, Of the disposition
and feelings o fhis maiesty's ministers,
with respect to the affair Of the Chesa-
Peake.~ 1t was known in this country a.
bout the 26th Of July-ou the 9Th of Ju.
~ the subject was alluded to in both
houses Of parliament. To a question
from Mr.. Whitbread in the house of
commons, MI. Perceval, the chancellor
ofthe exchequer, replied, that i" all he
oould'szy was, that if upon receiving
the necessary information, it should ap-
pear that there was any thing improper
or unjusti6able in the conduct of the Off
eers concerned, there certainly would
be eptry .uish, o. the part Of his majes-
ty's ministers, to mate the fullest repara.
ton the nature of the case would admit
Of" Mr.. Whitehead Immediately said
chat he was glad he had asked the infor-
nation, because the answer he had re-
eeiVed from the hon. gentleman afforded
him the greatest consolation" .-I
This declaration of his majesty's minis
tiers must have reached America long
before Octoher-indeed we have seen il
ourselves in the American papers. W.
have every reason to believe also that 60.
vernment did transmit q distinct disa-
vowal ofthe affAir; and ws are confident
too that Mr.. jefferson was informed of
the fact that our government did not
claim the right OF searehmg neutral ships
efwar:
But what was the conduct Of Mr.. Ief.
-tsraon! In,the first heat and fury Of the
populace, he publishes proclamation in
which he agstayates the popular indigua-
ton by the following expressions-
That NO circumstance might be want.
Jog to make its character the affair OF the
C~hesaPeake) it had been Previously as
ceytained that the seamen demanded
were native citizens ofthe u. S." I his
assertion he @sdsu use Of WithOu. having
;astituted the necessary enquiries, be-
caussfit was proved afterwards on the
stial IF the seamen that they we're. Bri-
tish suhjects;s and III, Mr.. JsfEerssd
tacitly admits. BY abandoning the ground '
he had taken in his proclamation
and speaking of the msa simply as part
Of the crew of the chesapeake-This
hasty and angry adoption Of every thing