Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-04-19

end as often refaIea to be delsuered ap.
AS was expected by all considerate men,
and by the president himself Gas have be-
fore observed) the British government, on
the frs, insor nation Of the unfortunate e.
vent (and without waiting for an applica.
tiop) disayowed the acsot its officer, dis,
claimed the principle OF searching national
armed vessels. end deci~ ed It's readiness
10 make suitable reparasion, as soon as HE
state of the case should be fully known.
Undsr such circumstances, who can jus.
,ify this alarm of war? An alarsn which
greatly disquiewd :he public mind, add oc-
easioned an Interruption OF commerce ex>
uemely injurious 10 ca. merchants and sea.
faring citizens. :,
will close .h's long letter by stating all
tie existing pseteuces, tor there are no
causes, for war with Great Britain.
j. The British saiPs Of war, agfeeably
10 RICH: claimed aud exercised for ages,
right claimed and exercised during che
whole Of The administrations OF Washieg.
too. of Adams, and Of EeGersoo, continue
10 take some Of the British seamen iouni
nu board our meschau: vessels, aad with
them a small! nuElber of ours, from the
irnpoasibili,y OF always distinguishing Esq
lishmeu from citizens OF the y. s. On
this p,;;nt ous government well know that
Gtea, s. isain is perfectly wiling to adop:
any arrangement ira, Gao he devlsea, Which
viii secure to her service the seaMen 1Odo
are Ter osvn subjects: ard at the same t;aar
exempt ours from inpressmsns.
2. rhe merchant vessels OF France, Spain
and Holland, being d:"eu from the ocean,
or Destroyed, the commerce OF those eoua.
tries with one another. and with theIr co.
lon,es, could no longer be carried on BY
themselves. Here The vessels CT nsnirai
nations came in TO their aid, saJ carried 40
nearly the whole commerce OF chose cat
ons. With their ses,nen thns liberated
from he merchant service, those na;loos,
10 the present. spd preceding vars, were
enabled % man iheir sh,ps Of war ADD he
ecu n! :esaels spJ ses'n@n suPp'y'ng toair
places. becae'e IN }@ct, though oos IL name,
auxil.,YieS IN l20r.
The comm cree OF those nations, without
protection, was inlended thus to be secured
unt(or 4eutra flags while the merchant YES
sells OF Great Britain, with It's numerous armed
ships to guard them we're exposed TO oceasi-
onal captures---Such Il course OF thlngsG .Brl.
tain has resisted, lot in the present only but
in all former wars at least as far back at that
OF 1856. And she has ca lined and maintained
a right to impose on this COMM rec some IL
mits and restraints. because it wa S commerce
denieG by those nations to negtrals In times Of
peace, BECAUSE it was commerce o. immense
value to the subIects OF her enemies, and be-
cause il filled their treasures with money to
enable them 70 carry on their wars with G.
Britain.
3. The third and only remaining Pretence
for war With G B. is the unfortunate affair of
the Chesapeake which having been already
stated and explained, will only remark here,
that it is not TO be believed that the British 60
vernment, after being defeated as before men
tionai, in its endcavors to make reparation in
London, for the wrong done by its servant,
would have sent hither q special envoy to give
honorable satisfaction, but from it's sincere
desire to close this wound, i orr own govern
meat zvou!d suffer it 10 be heated.
Permit me now to ask, what man, imparti-
aily viewing the subject, will have the bold
ness 10 say, that there exists any cause for
plungias the u s, into war with G Britain?
Who that respects his reputation as man of
common discernment will say it Who that
regards the interests and welfare of his coun-
try will say it; Who then can justify,who can
find an excuse for course OF conduct which
has brought our country into It's prese mt state
of alarm, embarrassment and distress For
myself, sir, must declare the opinion,that DO
free country was ever before SO causelessly, &
so blindly, thrown from the height of prospe-
rity, and plunged into state OF dreadful anx-
iety and suffering Bat from this degraded s.
wretchcd situation It is not yet too late to c.