Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1808-07-22

Of loss occasioned by the present inabill- !
" 70 maintain our neutral Independence.
which loss cannot be less than one halt
the annual exports Of domestic produce,
say only twenty millions, besides the
loss Of commercial profits for the time,
and lose of our valuable, seamen, the
whole will represent force 90 Formulas.
bic, that even the gigantic power OF
France or Great. Britain, would gladly
purchase orr neutrality at high, price,
10 preference TO bringing Us into the con-
test against either Of them. Oar weight
ID either scale, would have given il: q
decided preponderance; and thus we
might have had our choice Of both, or
neither. In this estimation, I have not
included the weight whichour commerce
would command; and the loss to arise
from continuation Of our present ma
tienal degradation. - : : & 4 E - ~.
The objection that all naval awanee.
ments should be discontinued, because
we are unable to cope with the power Of
Britain, will by no means apply TO the
interest Of America. There, is q wide
difference between force csiculated for
conquest andnagal combat, anda force
only calculated for commercial defence.
10 one case fleets Of armed vessels APP
pear at sea with view of breaking the
maritime power Of their enemies |; in
the other they only appear as the guards
Of commerce. And should some of
them occasionally be lost, the nation
would derive a full remuneration id the
property protected by them. The loss
Of property captured uujustly, is Ger.
eainly much greater than the expense of
few armed vessels, aud the loss of some
efthems occasionally which loss never
could happen, unless we were at open
war, But TO protect our dignity is the
greatest security for peace. U.s. -"
The effect Of the federal policy from
1894 te%l z9S, when we had scarcely
commenced the maritime defence, and
when the depredations upon our COM
msrce both by France and England was
carried to the greatest possible extent,
should clearly prove what would have
been the effect Of a continuation of that
policy. England was Immediately
brought Into d treaty, BY which our neu.
trality was secured, and restitution was
made for Illegal captures. France, tits
true, either despising our Insignificant:
forces or calculating upnn our submis-
sion, continued her hHlessdefredations
upon our commerce.: hut the govern
naent Of q free and independent nation.
discovering thar m appealt the honor
Of France availed US nothiug. made an.
Immediate appeal TO our arms. The
consequence was that after d short COM
bar, by which France discovered herself
in an Improbable contest, and which
increased as our force was augmented
against her, treaty was obtained on
honorable terms and thus securing our
neutrality we continued ID uninterrupt-
edprospesity, until we were arrested BY
the effect Of q change ID the politics Of
bur GENERAL government ; nor did this
eject appear so evidently until some
time after the change had raken place.
The progressive insults add eneroaeh-.
ments upon our national dignity, WAS
the progressive consequence ofabandon-.
Ing those principles which had bought
and maintained them !; Grin other words,
the consequence Of altering the princi..
pies and praesiee of our government.
n this short confederation, |. have.
endeavoured 10 measure my argument.
upon the principles 81 nature; and as it
must evidsntly prove, upon the greatest
human certainty, that construction Of
the Federal policy wonld have broughss
us a. this period in peace with all the.
world, provided Us q national defence,
Increased our public and private afis-
snce, and raised US to the highest de-
eTee Of national dignity, So il shall be
more clearly proved, IN another argu-
nsent, founded nponthe same eaIcaiation,
that the very policy Of our present rulers
has been directly such rs could only in
yits pfraticat Imposition. national insult,
and tho hamiliating consideration Of be.
ing thus driven from our rights in, the
high road Of nations. u < r:
Il would certainly be unfair to mea-
sure the value of any policy by one years
+experisnce only. We must retrospect
The whole. We must mot eomunence