Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-13
From the NoRTH AMERICAN.

giers of more than twelve years duration
peace concluded upon the best terms practi
cable by the great and the good Washington
| at time when he had no navy to enforce hi
/ terms,--we learn officially that the Dew o
that Regency has made war by Capturing
numbers of our merchant vessels. It was Il
be expected that the yenal and Ignorant fo
/ relgners, who conduct some of the public pa
pers, should attribute the rupture to British
hostility. They ought to have known, how.
ever, that no foreign influence has had less
ascenaanc y at Algiers, tor years past, than
the British; and that nene has encountered
our interest in the Barbary regencies with
more assidGity and deceit than that of the
French. viii not attribute the impulse their
agents have received to the French govern
ment because an not aware that it can be
traced to thatssource but will not use the
same scruples with regard to the French COM
mercial corporations particularly that of Mar
settles, which possesses the controuI of al
most the en- tire policy Of France with regard
to Barbary affairs. There are several gentle
men, now retired from public life, and resid-
ing in the United States, who in the conspi-
cuous stations they have occupied upon that
coast, have experienced and will warrant
what say.
Thus much for the agency of any foreign
hand IN the rupture. But it would be more
decent rs well as instructive to search for
more apparent causes at home.
The Barbary powels are piratical by poll.
Teal ms iturion. They are the sworn enemies
of Christians, by religion. They suspend
tileir warfare only from. tear and for tribute,
she, ever they can calculate the benefit of the
later as SURPRISING their hopes Of profit from
,piilage. Sometimes they combine both these
considerations Yin compound ratio and
such n1s been the basis Of their forbear-
ancc for some years towards US. The prs
tracted, expensive and feeble war We lately
waged with Tupoli, the smallest of all the
Barbary states; and above all the nature Of
It's termination, were not calculated to inspire
as much respect for our national vigor as
teligerent, as it afforded individual speci-
mems Of the proves OF some of our heroes -
What therefore was to he expected from the
propeasitieS of these iree-booters, when the
very seublapce of naval force was withdrawn
from their eyes, and deficiency of the stipu-
lations annually due to Al3iers added to their
other incentives This deficiency is depict
ed in tho consular dispatch as the ostenslble
cause of the disagreement. For the treaty
with aigiers stipaiates the annual payment Of
twelve hundred seauins III maritime and MI
Iitary stores; which, except by making very
great sacrifices Or by very deAtcrous manage
ment of the American agent there, is not ont
en kept from running into arrears. Hence
/,C he's
men whose minds are fortified against dlscou-
fragments, reple.e with sudden expedients,
prompt in detecting and defeating hostile in
trigues. Tae nature OF the trust moreover
requires men who Will not abuse the recuria-
~ confidence reposed in them. not so much
because they ought not to make illicit gains,
erea. as that objection would be against them,
as because what is entrusted to them is al
ways little enough for The public ends in view,
when faithfully applied.
But it will be said, that all this misfortune
is owing to the attack on the chesapeake,
when proceeding to the great theatre of our
maritime exploits; because the attack upon
her not only incapacitatea her from continuing
her cruise for time, but rendered 1t necessa-
ry. that we should keep her at home, as well
for our own defence IN case or actual hostlll-
ties with Great Britain, as to prevent her from
falling into the hands of TINS power III that
superstition. In answer to this We observe,
and we hope the remark viii be convincing
to our readers that though the popular feel
ing may be occasionally excited beyond the
scale Of reason, and yet be comm endable as an
index of ALVEY spirited patriotism, it is very
+ unbecoming in those who mold the destiny OF
nation in their own hands to suffer them
selves to be transported by such enthusiasm
beyond the limits of sober judgment. Letus
bring this point, and it is very important one,
in its bearing upon the politics OF the day, let
us bring it therefore TO the test of probabl-
lily of this rash and cruel act OF capt. Hum
-L.nusc or rnther his snnerinr nfflcer adalral