Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1808-02-26

has swallowed the liberties OF nations
once great and free. Advantageous.
ticnlar nation, and bottoming my remarks
on the basis ofjus,ice and virtue, ] shall
attempt to sheW to the citizens OF the U.
States the part which they are to act in
this singular drama of universal horror
and When we behold every M.
ton oil Europe under the influence Of an
almost onn'Potent prince, and deprived
ofthose libe rites which had hitherto been
their pride and glory, il is the duty Of
every CITIZEN to poinesout some honour.
able path to his country. Retaliation
d~ells in the breast of man--Nations
like individuals are prompted by a just
sense OF interest and resentment II we
suffer our rights. to be trampled on,
every American will curse the coaatry
which gave him birth Let us act vail
antly ; let US shew to the world at large,
that our councils are free from foreign
influence. That oGr conduct springs
from no other source than that OF viftu.
Gus dignity-1hat it matters not from
what nation We have received an offence
= That We are ready to vindicate. our
rights and assert our wrongs-Taking
this as a clear position that France and
England have wounded our national
character in an equal degree, I shall en-.
deavoar to illostfatea leading and very
Important feature which ought to form
The characteristic otcvery ptople. That
a nation, when it has been injured By ma.
uonsin an equal degree, and which q,
the same time finds il inconvenient and
imPoiitic to- declare war .aga;ns, all;
should look to the future, should ascer.
tain against what natio4n tits her i~nteres.
TO wage war,--We clearly see that the
liberty OF the universe hangs upon a slen-
der thread, upon the life of one man.
With his death dreadful will be the clash
Of nations , contention will then raise
her voice, and liberty, 1 hope, will burst
her chains. Upon this Contingency we
should not risk our existence as a nation,
We should take some higher ground and
explore the prospect before us. The
prospect before us is gloomy and awful.
Preceding events lead us to judgs fsub.
segment events. 4 = t.t1E%
England is the only barrief, between
France and universal dominion. It
France Possessed a Macy. who could put
bounds to its alt irFesistabie powers Like
a torrent bursting from its confines it
would Cypress and crush down. every
vestiee of virtuous liberty. The navy
o fGrea.. Britain can at present prevent
the French emperor from extending his
yiewst to this side oftheA tlantic. Mtcrc
his ~powerequaf to his plans, he weatd
conquer the whole world. His ambition
has not yet teen satiated, and the vast
dominion Of the Universe could hardly
conrala lis spacinusmind. Ills veteran.
soldiers, expecting some remuneration
for their long and .labotious services.
would delight in the possession Of the
naaguifcen wealth Ct the United States.
No country can offer greater advantages
Of conquest than the United tStates.--
Were as able he woul.I soon speed his
way #gtross the Auan:ie. lie surely
would not entertain the least respect Eor
our fishss-civii or diYine-The awful
CEREMONIES Of reiigion, or the sacred ties
Of virtue would prove no shields his all
powerful--all tumui,uaryA force. For
our own interests we must guard the in.
terests of BrNain--if we do this we pre-
serve our own. We're there no obsta4
cies in the way the two worlds might,
butt hope mol, be environed by the chain
Eof.yranny. How could he with plea
sure, see a republic existing whenAe had
destroyed every republic, in Europe
When he .sgasds not The Lazy ofnatieas,
and establishes that rule which strikes
at the root Of every thing which is yalua-
bic and great-that might is right. This
Is his maxim-uPoh this he has founded
all his greatness-with this he has EN-.
barked on the ocean OF success with the
liberties of milions-trust him mol with
yours. Hisgigantie power has crushed