Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-09-16

soaS, mt i IS impossible to impute 70
then, such excess of folly as 70 Suppose
ths,, would have selected an unlimited en-
barpo as the best means OF defending ou
commerce against this atrocious attack uPa''
:. Of ali that could be chosen, It IS the
r,,os. destructive to ourselves, and the least
ee;cac;ous. A simple notification ito our
merchants. of the determination announces CO
BY the French emperor, unaeeompanleo y y
anv protecting measure Whatever, Tonu
have been infinitely more eligible. Allow
;na - tbe cruisers of France the utmost sue
ee go tb,t orr fears could anticipate, and the
;n;rr;es our merchants could have sustalnea
from them, VIC. Id have borne no proportion
10 those inflicted by the embargo, II the
fear of giving offence, restrained the Pcesl-
dent frem recommending, and congress from
adopting, that obvious and honorable sys :,
tenn Of resistance, which proved successful
in 1898. vet the armed ships Of Francs
which escape the active vigilance OF the
British cruisers, could not annoy our nc,
elected commerce to an extent, when "o ~
bear any comparison with Its present sufter-
ING. nor even to an extent which might not
have been covered by insurance.
But we deceive ourselves, if we believe,
that the embargo, if really intended as a
measure of resistance to the Berlin decree,
would be less offensive TO the naughty mas
ter of the European continent, than those
which were taken in 17ss. Opposition to
his will in greater or less degree, display
ed in one mode or in another, is an unpar!-
donable crime, for which punishment lnevl-
tably follows, when the fit occasion ier IN
aicting it shall arrive. We ought to know
him better than to believe, that he will ex-
cuse an embargo, if intended to thwart ms
designs, sooner than more vigorous ana
more ehicacious measures.
But the most conclusive evidence On this
subject, is afforded by the language and con-
duct of the administration, and OF Its conf
dental adherents. They say that the Berlin
decree was dead letter, innocent III point
of fact, though tremendous in form. 1t
was mere verbal injury, which might IN
deed insult our sovereignty, but could not
substantially impair our interests.
Human folly was not so extravagant as to
guard against such an attack with such an
arnnor.
Conpletc REPUTATION; of the opinion here
controyerted, is also to be derived from the
direction which is given to the public sentl-
ment. The people are exhorted to submit
with patience to the calsmities they feel, be-
cause this self-annoyin9 system must soon
bring Britain to our feet /; they are taught to
believe that it's continuance or suspension
depends on the course of the British cabl-
net; and that, should we engage III war,
if is against Britain we are to wage It. IN
making military appointments, every prln-
ciple OF propriety and decency is disregard
ed. IN order to bcstow commissions on men
recommended only by their uniform submisss
sion to the viii Of France, and their uniform
exertions to advance the power OF iona
parte. -,
These circumstances are incompatible
with the idea, that it was against the Greof
Natio,, this ruinous measure was intended to
operate. -.
II is not then in the Berlin decree, that
we are to Ind the motives 1or inns 1atal
act.
The British proclamation was common
and legitimate act of sovereignty, at which
no nation has right to be dissatisfied. The
recall of their subjects 10 the defence o. thelr
country, affects not US, and can furnish no
cause for any extraordinary measure on our
part. If it denotes determination to I'M
| press their sesr,en found in our merchant
vessels on the high seas, that is no more
than the continuance Of practice, which
has existed throughout the last and the pre-
/, sent war. under which our commerce mas
aourished in an unexampled degree, and oui
prosperity has been carried to height
which, until this fatal blow, gwen to 1t oy
ourselves, all other nations migltview with
! r. ,ld Mt therefore furnish