Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-09-22
REMARKS BY GEN. EATON.

. - "a :
In the address of the inhabitants OF the
town of Boston to the President OF the u
nited States, and now offered to this town
for concurrence, we see nothing unconsti-
tutional nor disrespectful. Its object, it at
tainable, is essentially important to the COM
mercial and agricultural interests OF the
country /; and not less necessary to our re-
venue. Indeed the distress and misery oc-
casioned among all classes OF our !ellow-cl-
tizens by the Embargo, this negative mea-
sure Of coercion, are of themselves sufficient
to justify this appeal for relief.
1t is hardly necessary, at this moment,
ninuteIv to investigate the causes or the mo
tives which induced the Embargo. Admit,
Whatcannot be denied, that the interdictiois
upon oar commerce by the belligercnts, i
Hcu could have been enforced, would have
nearly excluded us from the ocean-.that by
both parties we have been outraged-plun-
dered and insulted by both--and against
both had sufficient cause of war it does not
follow, from any thing, that appears to US,
that the position we have taken to meet
those aggressions has produced any relaxa~
ton of the restraints imposed on Vi as
neutral nation; nor any amelioration OF our
sufferinss.
It's believed that no real American wil
deny that both France and England have
given lis sufficient provocation to war. Not
to mention the captures, detentlons, con-
demnations, burnisgs and slnklngs OF our
ships and merchandise by DEGREES OF Napo-
leon the First not to mention hls insolence
at our court his fraudulent sale to Aonest
purchasers, of the m:bonnaed Ioufs'tt7G, and
his subsequent interference in behalf OF the
claims Of Spain to the very territory he sold
us, should have been enough to have raised
the resentment Of the whole nation.
But all the violations Of our rights, On the
part of the Corsican, are silently and tanely
endured, and the edge Of resentment, under
his patronage, IS solely pointed to England.
Il can no longer be conSraled, that the I'm
barge was intended for thu British nation,
and for Der alone else why do her ships OF
war continue to be excluded from our ports,
and those Of her enemy admitted to indul-
gencss which are denied to our own citi-
zens? It is believed that the Embargo was
contemplated as war measure /; and meant
by some leading characters of our aoninis<
tration, to produce that effect. Indeed do
not hesitate to assert, that war with England
has been q matter of calculation with the
chief magistrate of the United States. Else
why have all his messengers left their dis
patches in France: and to amuse CT CONN
dence, conc III blank to England Else Why
do we see SO many posts OF trust and honor
filed with awowcd enemies to England and
devoted friends to an usurper!
But such an event, under existing circuna-
stances, would prove ruinous to our country.
Allied, as England now is, with SPAN and
Portugal, the whole boundary line CT these
United States, both BY sea and land, COM
prising & circumference of more than tour
thousand titles, would become an enemy
frontier. Spain has never yet ceded Louis.- :
ana to US. The disconnected subjects OF
that territory the jealous. Mexicans the
choice spirits On the waters Of the Mlsslss'p-
pi !; the restless, unframed sons of the forest,
and the British provinces of Canada would
all co Operate against lis on that border !;
what barrier can we oppose to them in de-
fence of that great section of the Union!
Come to our Atlantic sea board. What
have we to defend our commercial towns
and cities, the seats of our wealth, and re-
sources of our revenue, against the combin-
ed navies of Great Britain and her allies :?
Will our gun boats and mud batteries do it?
The notion is ridiculous. Can Bonaparte
do it; Every body knows he cannot float a
Frenchman across the Atlantic, except in
the Disguise Of a mandarin A great states
man and philosopher would recommend asy-
luns IN naountains--But the dwellings, like