Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-12-13

nothing to prepare for the danger or resent hi.
oppressive acts towards US. On the other
hand, with respect to England, every difficulty
Is thrown in the way Of adjustment very
regulation for her own safety is construed IN
to aggression aud insu.t 10 .us--and every
overture at conc,iationis spurncd with indlg-
nifty Her Minister is lately dismissed iog
al ciledged inslanailon Of insult, winch no
body is able to point cut, and the President
himself, has used q language OF elimination
upon the subject Of the disayowal Of the ar
ranSeHent With Mr.. Ersklne, not warranted
by a vieY of tile whole ground.
IN the ilrst place, his exposition of public
Law, is proved 10 be iallacious. In the next
place, if MIR. Erskine is good evidence for
our administration, he is good evidence against
them; and it is worthy OF enquiry how lar the
President could rightluily complain of Eng
land disayo"ing .ha adjustment with Ersklae,
when we examine dspasslonately his own
conduct. Hear what Mr.. Erskine says -
6 On the contrary, received assurances
through you, that the President would COM
piytas lar as 1t was in his powcr)with the first
condition., and that there could DC no doubt
thas Congress would think it incumbent on
them 10 assert the rights cfthe U, 5. against
such powers a. Should adop: Or act under the
DEGREES oil France. 49," Tut that the PRESIDENT
lii the meaa time had nor the power 10 pledge
himself formally" &c.
1t may be asked what was the first conGi-
ton? answer
"Ensiand to revoke hsr Orders in Council
IS 10 us, and we repeal CUR non-in;ercourse
laws as to England, leaving them in force
as to France, and tie powers who acted under
her DEGREES"
This was the spirit and the object of the
adjustment entered into between hIr. Frs
kline and Secretary Smith, and which the
president could not " formally" enter upon
at the tfme, because he had NOT the power,
but Congress was to do it. Instead, howe
yer, keeping the faith ofthe nation, as Hlr.
Erskine was promised, Congress allowed
French ships Of var TO enter our harbors -
And Mr.. Madison never sent back the bill
for amendin .nt, as ne had right constitu.
tionallv to Go, and as he was bound IN good
faith TO perform.
So in the promise to stop intercoure with
the powers acting under French DEGREES
Holland, which it is admitted to be OF this
description, thu trade was opened TO, in tse
face OF solemn specific stipulation These
violations took place before the adjustment
could have reached England Let, there
fore, any impartial man say on whom the
censure rightly falls--England, who Elsa
vowed an unauthorized act Of her Minister
--or the United States, who violated a So
Tenn stipulation, made in good faith, deli
bcrats!y, in their proper person?
The Power Of the Press.-Some appear
to think that the democratic editors can
{" WELD at will" the dsstinies Of this re-
public. Most unquestionab'y they are mis-.
taken. A late English writer says, The
English newspapers are powerful; but there
is one thing they cannot do; they cannot
make the English people leave off eating
roast beef" Let US follow up this idea,
but with little more gravity. The Ame-
rcan newspapers are powerful; but there
is one thing they cannot do; they cannot
make the American people go to war with
a foreign nation without a just cause.