Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-05-18

Y The Chesapeake was attacked and
we now receive that a%toncinent winch we
might have received immediately-in tact
the essential part of the atonement was yo-
UNFAIRLY made at the time. ne king dis
avowed the act, and the agggressor was pu-
pished.
The orders of council saPsTvened--and
what is the result After " years blck-
ering and selF.punitions we4are now bound
by the most solemn obligations. OF faith and
honor to take that ground shica should
have been taken, Mhen~the Milan decree
was published-We are now pledged to do
what we then ought to have done from a
regard to our national righ and honor,--
Tbs pledge has been given without the
least concession of anypoins Which was IN
controversy between Great-Bfitam and4oar
government. There was q point .ot. honor
between them and France, and with US
they had never asserted any condition or
which they would repeal their orders, for-
they uniformly protested and maintained,
that these orders-were adoptedaElth respect
to their enemy alone, and a large poItloaof
their statesmen always maintained, that IN
point Of true policy, as it respected their
owr: intersstthese orders were lnJJndicious-
Here then unless we are positively contend
ing for France, though We have ACQUIRED
an advantage blythe resembling OF the Or
ders, We kave gained no victory. he
Rritishsss not pledged to their osders as as
1t respected as.
With respect to the atonement Tor the
Chesapeake alone, they have yielded apoln!
in punctilio, in some measure-not altoge-
Their; fol-. their ships. Of war are no longer
exclusively intsrdicted, which was a consl-
derarion that labored. Ssy however, that IN
this affair Of pencti.io, we have kept our
ground,and have now gotten t~he.r,eparation
Wemight have had before, on our own terms
-We- ask the advocates of the Jefferson po-
licv-we ask those who have Witnessed the
sudferings of this country, for fifteen months,
past, whether the advantage Of having a
roneuent msue before the Introduction OF
British vessels was removed, IS sufficient
to Justify the monstsous sacrifices winch
we have sustained, in maintaining that
ground.
sEhis we repeal and maintain is~tne Only.
consolation, our only boon for all the Gaia
mites we have experienced, the only step
we have advanced BY our mighty struS-
gle. =
For By becoming nov pledged 10 resist
the DEGREES OF France, We must Go what
would have prevented the orders OF coun-
ell. Great Britain stands Just where she
did before her orders were issued, and has
gained Of us y solemn assurance that
we will maintain our neutrality against
France.
But to return TO the FIRST causes OF that
hostile attitude which we assumed toward
ENGLAND our boosted weapons are lald a
side-our intercourse with that nation is re-.
stored, and the laws which respect colonial
trade, and the rigislt of irnFTessing British
subjects from American merchantmen, re-
mains Just as they were. For this Jefferson
waecd his war of commercial restrictions,
and Mr.. Madison has very wisely rejected
his plan. AFe~are happy to find that ne
means to rely on amicable negotiation, and
have NOT the least doubt, that it no more be
required than the established principles OF
law, equity and reason will justify, we shall
soon have the satisfaction OF seeing, and lhe
advantage of enjoying, a perfectly good TN
d~erstanding. +
E.oa, tie Fyeemaa's gaaraa9s.