Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-06-16

bic.
During the Grss of sheae eras, mat Is,
till he Lropard's oihcer came on board,
admit .ha, no preparations were made foy
bat,le. Dur,ng this period, so'e,np'y at
lfirm, had nc suspicion OF attack. will
now epdeavor 10 shew. that there were no 4
circumstances which oogh. to have excited
it.
The hrst circumstance, from which It's
al:edged, that 1 ought to scintelred The
probability Of attack, is the fast, ,natsaere
were several pcrsons on board, said 10 De
dcserters from the British navy. That
knew three men Of that description were
on board is true. But had investigated
their cases, by The directions Of the navy
department. and that ioaairy resal!sdsn
my own entire conviction, and ia that OF
our government, that these aasn were GA
tive American citizens. The result OF this
iruuiry also knew, had been csmmuni
Gated 20 the BRITISH, minister; aud bad
good reason L. believe, that alIpte'ensions
TO !hese men had. by him, been abandon.
cd.
Captain Gordon has indeed stated, that
the conversation which ( held with hin at
Washington. not only satisfied hiI that
,hess n,en would be demaodedby The cap.
tain, from whose ship hey had He'd, 'bus
also convinced him, that TOD entertained
that opinion. 1t has been inIonesnbiy
proved by DIR. Taaewel|, that on h, exa.
tnnation beforr the cours CT enqnuy, ne
explicitly deniea that any part ot ,he con
yefsaSion led him 10 cooclu6e hat ep;er-
,ainea such bcisf-he taco too tor him.
sel.dselain,s all sach expectation. have
COT. s,rs, studied the chart ct the human
mind know Do,hipg of Il. eddies adds
currents, us ebh'cgs and is foaings 'tmsy
therefore b. ri he IA . al c.arse ct inensl
cpesa,ion., ina, q circumstance 90 rtcci.
lec.ed coon aiser lis s.iedged date, should
be ssied back Al remote pesicd % The
full tide ofsretufoiag me1o,y. Pisinmen
have, however, heretofore .hoagh, IA, the
memory did Dol, like vine, improve by
time; tllty have believed that IFS pictures
Of pass transactions become daily no,e
fsia,, till the, colnurlpgs are e0tifely lost
10 oae obIiylous black; leave II howe
yer 70 he disciples i Lecke'o dec.ds this
matter | cannot thiak tina! ny deuial
cueh, to be d;stegsrdtd, vhile the witness
continues ia co hlct with h'mse!f.
Blu, il is SAID ue uacr had b ea thrown
on, or the cap;a'n 1t ihe Melampas, thas
he w uld take these NEE by force and
thai this menace, being knowo to mr. ought
2
a.! wonderful, that tie witoessts looking
back on events, should now attach import.
zpce 10 til ofted a,euace; aod CONF
der il IS the srst. BY which all subsequent
evee;s are 20 be expla3ae d II IS onty The
natural respit Il hist sucatzI error, against
mh,1h have ealseated you 10 detene your
own minds II = give 20 that c.rauE,stancs
! me lwposas'ce wtsh whici, rhey ao@ see
II, 10 eonnsS on with stc event. aud noi
thar wet h', ah;eh .hey he msels>s a..ach-
ed i, prios TO the a..aek. 1'hai sh:s is
the case, IS iocon'estb!y proved by hem.
selves. iacse men were k0own by ihesa
to be on board, a+fore the Chesapeake sa.i
ed from Washing on. The threats we're
also known Is thxm- o. their way ftm
Washington they PASSED nriiish squa.
dron, ons CT ,hsm the very ship 10 whose
captain the threat wes assembled, at The We.
~ anchorage from which he Leopard 90;
uoder wr.gn, aud wiihia atsew miles ct he
place Of her attack. They canret shelter
themselves BY saying saey aissd my or.
dsrs 10 prepare for ba-tie becauss, sirs,
I was got then Gu board. What weigh
did they attach 10 these rspor;s? Did ,aey
prepare for battle Did they examine the
British ships wuh scrusinizing eyea. TO
catch a, every .i,tle circumstance which
might either quiet or corG N those suspi