Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-05-03
fsifft,npua aarier Current.
TIMOTHY PIcKERTWG's LETTER.
(concludedI from The .4rgus otthe 2sMun. }
(cnE ECTED NyERKIV

' II
write, Sir, with freedom for the times
are too perilous to allow those who are pla =
ced in high and responsible situations to be
silent or reserved. The peace and safety
of our country are suspended on 4 thread.
The course we have seen pursued leads on
to war-ro a war with Great Britain-a
war absolutely without necessity-a war,
which, whether disastrous or successful
must bring misery and ruin TO the United
States: misery by the destruction of our ma
vigation and commerce (perhaps also of our
fairest seaport towns and cities) the loss of
markets for our produce, the want of TO-
reign goods and manufactures, and the o.
Their evils incident to state of war: and
ruin, by the loss of our liberty and indc-
pendence. For, if with the aid of our arms
Great Britain were subdued-from th at mo
ment (though FILTERED perhaps with the
name Of GA,es) We should become the Pro
Otnce8 Of France.-This is q result so OBJ
vious that mast crave your pardon for no.
ticing it. Some advocates Of Executive
measures admit it. They acknowledge
that the navy Of Britain is our shield against
the overwhelming power of France.
then do they persist in 2 course OF conduct
t--"d'nS 20 rupture with Great Britain ?
--Wili it be- believed that il is principal.
~, or solely, torrocure inviolability to the
merchant flag of the II. States9 In other
wor;is to protect all seamen, British sud-
jects, as well as cur citizens on board our
merchant vessels? It is n fact that this has
been made the greatest obstacle TO an ami
cable settlement with Great Britain. Yet
q repeat) it IS perfectly well known thai
sre desires to obtain only her O7un subjects !;
and that American citizens, impressed by
mistake, are delivered uD on duly authenti-
Gated proof. The evil we complain of ari
ses from the impossibility of always distin-
gushing the persons of two nations who, a
few years since, were one people, who ex-
hiblt the same manners, speak the same
Language and possess similar features Bus
seeing that we seldom hear complaints in
the great navigating States, how happens
there TO be such extreme sympathy for A
merican seamen at WaShington ? Especi-
ally IN gentlemen from the interior States,
which have no seamen, or from those At
Iantic States, whose native seamcn bear a
very small proportion to those of New En-
gland. In fact, the causes Of complaint are
much fewer than are pretended. They
rarely occur in the states whose seamen = re
chiefly na'ivcs. The first merchant in the
-. D IN answering my late inquiry about
Brush impressments, says, "Since the Che
sapsake affair we have had no cause OF
complaint. cannot find one single instance
where they have taken one man out of a
merchant vessel. have had more than
twenty vessels, arrived in that time, with :
ont one instance Of man being taken by
h;D, Three SzvedcS we're taken out by n
Fre'Ich Frigate. ] have made inquiry of
81 tine masters ihat have arrived IN this vi
Unity, and Cannot find any complaints a.
painst the Brit sh cruzers.''
Can gentlemen of known h9sfEv TO for
eign commerce in Cur o7gn uesseks-who
are even willing to annihiate IL (and such
there are)-can these gentlemen plead the
cause OF our SeaneH because they really
wish to frotect them, can those desire to
protec. our scamcn, who, by laying an un-
necessary embargo, expose them by thou
sands 20 sfarUe or beg ?-One gentleman
has said (and | believe he does not stand
al7ne) that sooner than admit the principle
that Great Britain had a right TO take her
o.vH sH5jccts from our merchant UesseIs.
ne would abandon commerce altogether
To what will every man in New England
and Of the other navigating States, ascribe
such sentiment A sentiment which, TO
prevent the temporary loss Of FIVE men, by
impress, would reduce fifty thousand To beg
gary But for the embargo, thousands de-
pcnding On the ordinary operations Of COM
,a"rcc, would now be employed. Even IN
der trc restraints of the orders of the Bri-
fish Governments, retaliating the French
imperial decree, very large portions of the
world remain open to the commerce Of the
Y. ,. We may yet pursue cur trade with
Britt II doninions. ~ every part Of the
f,ioJc with Africa, with China, and viii
the colonies ri France, Spain md Holland
And lc; me ask, whether IN the midst If
q profound peace, when ne powers of Eu-
rope possessing colonies, would as former.
Jy, coh6ne the trade with rem % their own
bottoms, or admit us, as foreigners, only IN
der great limitations, we could enjoy com
merce much more extensive than Is pVac-
ticabe at this moment If the embargo we're
not m the way Why then should IL be con-
tiHucd Why rather was u ever laid ? Can
those be legitimate sons for the cmbar-
81 which arc concealed from Ccngress, NJ
tho momCnt.whcn they are required Dim
pose it Are the reasons 20 he found in the
dispatches from Pars These have been
moved for; and tie motion was quashed
by The edvocates for the embargo why
nre these dispatches withheld by the Exc
euHve Why, when all classes Of citizens