Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-10-29
FROM THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE.
TO WILSON C. NICHOLAS, esq
LETTER VI.
IR.


interest of the United States that all the
force of Europe should be at the disposal OF
one man % You tell us likewise, that : the
loss to England, s of our market, the with
holding our supplies, & the proper appllca-
ton of our force would bring destruction On
that nation. This we have neither the IN
clination nor interest to do"
Let us for moment consider these
things. If it be not the interest OF the U.
States that all the force OF Europe should
be at the disposal of Bonaparte. 1t our CO.
operation with either Of the belligerent ma
tons would, as you say, enable her to ef-
feet her object, whence comes it that seeing
She danger to your country from the power
of France, you nevertheless appear, and
with all your influence and ability support
these very measures which you assert would
DESTROY England, and consequently put all
the force of Europe at the disposal Of one
man.
There are, as YOU say, only three things
wanted to bring distraction on Great rl-
tain and, Of course to put all Europe at
Bonaparte's disposal. Two OF these, and
by far the most Efficient, YOU adopt, and
rindisate, and vet you tell US, that YOU have
not the inclination to bring destruction on
ENGLAND, and that it is not the interest OF
the unived States that all the force or Eu-s
rope should be at the disposal OF one man.
VIII Il be possible, sir, by the most subtle
sophistry. TO reconcile this conduct, even
in the appearance, with policy or patriot
ism II Bonaparts controled, ana dlesated
to our government, what else could &c re-
CURE than that we should shut ou1poTts and
market against Great Britain.
Grsat-britain. you know, and say, de-
ponds much for her rcvsnae on commerce
France does not. BY depriying the former
of our market, and supplies, you do pre-
cisely what France desires. You do all in
your power to sap the foundation OF British
strength, and to lnerve that arm Whlch
hurls defiance at a hostile eontl2eEtt,zo
49, i tIIeitsega{ the mo-
{ tives By which men or nations are actuat1,l,
than by their actions. To Judge by this
standard, " Guild it not be believed that we
have not the inclination 20 bring destruction
on Great Britain !? Alas, sig, If her fate
depended solely on Our inclination to save,
or to destroy her, how near would be the
hour of her destruction Nav, long ere
this, she would, also have sunk into the
gloom of annihilation and that asylum of
prosecuted liberty, that last refuge Of the
hopes of mankind, would have smoaked in
It's ruins.
You say, on what authority | know not,
that Great Britain affords us asarket but
for small proportion OF our staple articles,
and to prove this, you instance tobacco, OF
which she CONSUMES, annually according to
you, only $4,000 hogsheads. Iaiwavs be-
fore thought that he who bought an article
was considered as aiforlin8s . market Cor
that article, though he did not himself con
sumeit; but it seems that to buy is no
} thing,uniess the buyer consumes. However,
is il really true that Great Britain affords US
market but for small proportion Of oar
staple articles WHAT does she do with
our cotton: Export IT What with our
aaxseed, naval stores, and a thousand arti-
cles l cannot name? Export them too -
No, sir, she does not export them and
with the single exception OF tobacco, she
may be said TO consume nearly all she gets
from us. Our pork and beef never went to
Great Britain, our -four only sometimes;
but did not her colonies afford us a market
for these objects Yea, and did not these
colonies also consume them? But you illus
rated your assertion by a reference to to-
bacco, leavingit to be inferred by those I'M
acquainted, that it was with all the other
ARTICLES she took from us, as with that
whereas the fact is, that it is the only ar
ticle they get from US of which they re-ex-
port any considerable part. Your professed
object, sir, IS to give information to your
constituents but have YOU, in this instance,