The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-05-03

is quite pnsuspicious. Tha, refusal on the
part of the American government to meet ON
this ground, will be followed by immediate
war, and that II viii be war of the most ter
riblc and yindictivc kind.
This, sir, is my view Of the present state OF
facts. Should il make thai impression on your
mind, which desire for the sake Of humanity
that 1t may,you viii Judge whether il does not
comport with the independence ofthe United
States and tie dignity OF their governmental
send another minister to form new treaties
with the French republick. In a war there is
clearly nothing to be gained by us not even
honour.--Honour indeed may be saved by
war, and so it may be by negotiation. But
the calanities inscparallc from a war OF this
Kind, snd under present circumstanccs,wou
be incalcnlahle. do not say that the United
States or any portion of them would be con-
qucrcd bur they would sacrifice great num-
bc,s of their best citizens, burthen themselves
with four times their present debt, overturn
the pt1e% system OF morals, and lose the FAIR
est opRNtuniy that ever nation had Of rising
to gTtstryss and happiness on the basis oflib-
crsy. ~ s
Were writing 20 young General whose
name ives still to be created, might deem IL
useless tpask him to stine in its birth war
on whicli he lad founded his hopes of fdture
honvnrs. Bw you, sir, having already earn
ed and acquired lli those that cen render a
mfn greatnnd happy, can surely have no OBJ
ject Of anlbition but torcndcr your country SO.
To enxa}t< your inHucncc in favour os new
attempt & ncgociation, thought il only ne
ccssary (t 6Avince You that such an attempt
swonld 80 8fll received here, and probably ut
tended vit3}epcccss. can do no more than
assure yn,1 bat this is my sincere opinion,and
that riy ihk kfnation Is drawn from unsuspcct-
cd souree4
am not accustomed to intcrposc my i'd
vice in the administration OF any country, and
shca.d not have done it now, did / not believe
it my duty as citizen Of my own, and friend
TO all others. l Gee two great, nations rush
ing on each others bayoncts, without any other
cause of contention but misunderstanding.
i shuddcr ut the prospect and wish to throw
myself between the vans, and suspend the on
set tifawordS Of explanation Can, pass. ] hope
my letter viii have thrown some light upon
the subject; bot If it shall not, / hope YOU
will excuse the attempt,for you lrcw my zeal
is honest.
3 have tss honour to be, sir,
n tf With great respecb !, 4. .Ga..s--. s-s,.yvi
u ..s. 4 Your ,nost obedicrt and q.
Y Most humble servant,
4 JOEL BARL Oyv,
To.Gcns,-ai Uasdtrgscr. sg-~ sI
Neither Mr.. BARLow's lctiernor Gen.
eral WAsHINcToN's opinion would have
Influenced me to nominate 4 minister i'll
had not received abundant assurances to
the same eject from regular diplomatlck
sources. i, however, considered Gcner-
al WASHING TOMS question whether
Mr.. BAR1ow's was written with very
good or a very bad design; and as with
AL my jcalonsly l had lot sagaciiy en-
ough 10 discover the smallest room Tor
suspicion of any III design, ! tank!y CON
Guided url,it waswrittenwith avery good
one. @
Frc1n General WAsHfNGToN's letter
IL appears, lsts That ii was his opinion
that the restoration Of peace upon just,
.honourable and iighifcd terms, was the
ardent desire of All the friends ofthis RI
sing empire, I'd. That be thought ne
gocia,ion n,igfubc brought on, upon open
fair and honoatable8round. Sd. That he
was SO desirpus ofpeace, that he was viii
ling to entei ino correspondence with
Mr.. BAaLow9private gentleman, with
out any sisibk credentials or ypublick
.charac,tf, or ksponsibility to either gov
crn,lent, in d1er to bring on apublick a
nxtociation. General WARRINGTON,
therefore, c0dd not consider the ncgo-
ciation odid,s.
+ N JOHN ADAMS.
Quincy, .firH 10, 1909. US