The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-11-22
from The AURoRA.
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Fc more than eighteen months past, the
| Aiirca has daily done, or endeavoured to 10
its dty, In pointing out the injuries our coun-
| try las received. Many are the essays that
| we ,avc published, stating with plalnness
| fact. that have not or cannot be retutcd-nor
ever doubted. How little good has resulted
| is nich to be lamemtcd. During the sitting
| of tie tenth Congress and especially during
| thei last session, number OF essays pointed
outhc wrongs that were felt and are still
feltby every individual in the United States,
ho,eyer high or low the degree in which he
ma move. We not only pointed to the
wrngs, but noticed the means of rcmedying
than and for a moment ilattered ourselves
thu our observations and reasonings were no.
tied with attention, and we looked forward
with pleasure, and almost with exultation, in
tic fiattering hope, that the pursuing of mea-
s,res universally admitted TO be necessary,
would have obtained not only redress of
grievances we Justly complained of, but an
acknowledgement of the injury done us, and
tic amende honourable be made for the in
suits offered us, and compensation to our cit
liens for the property they were despoied of.
But unhappily for the peace and prosperity o.
this country the plan that wisdom had adop-
ted, after long and mature delibcration, was in
oneinstant subverted by folly or by fear it
matters not which, the effect was the same. 1t
exposed to'thc world, and more especially to
the quarter from whence we received the
greatest injury, (for they are the most cbser-
vant,) weakness of character, which we WELL
KNOW is not natural to the country yet it
was sufficient for them, Gas facts prove) to
ground the hope, that if they would pcrse-
we're, we should submit, though by that sub
mission, our honour, our independence, and
what to some may appear more strange, our
interests, would be sacrihced-for the truth
of this, we appeal to every man, from the
private citizen TO the president of the United
States.
Since the last act of the last Congress, our
situation has daily been growing worse, our
character becoming less respected. We are
told by one nation 'you shall not come to our
ports, we desire not to hold an intercourse
with you, Till you assume that rank in the
scale Of nations, you arc entitled to hold, and
support your character with the hrmncss that
becomes free and independent people"
Another goes greater lengths, and tell you,
" you shall not SO there--there-nor there
in short, you shall not navigate but by our
permission"
Such is your position.
Look at it-and say how much longer you
will travail under this state of degradation
will you quietly put up with the kicks and
cuAs you are daily receiving Or, will you
rouse and resume the character which be-
longs to you, as the inheritance left you by
your fathers-who, could they rise from be-
4, 81, tIa xh ,o,,c
Hill, Saratoga, Monmouth, or the Cowpens,
would blush, and shrink back to their graves.
You have ample means in your power to
redress yourselves-thc question is, have you
now suffi icicnt spirit left to employ that means
If you have, the sooner it is employed the
better--delay not for o-morrow-to-morrow
never comes-nor will redress, nor freedom
of commerce, nor independence. till you en-
force it for yourselves.
Your Executives have done their duty
but so far from supporting them, part of
the people has been ready to revolt, and the
majority was weak enough to acquiescc in
their resistance, That acquiescence has brought
you to your present state.-The cry of that
faction was" we must have commerce, we
will have commerce, and foreign commerce,
for we cannot exist without it."-Yct so
strangely inconsistent was their conduct, that
they were advocating the measures of that
nation which was the most active in inter-
rupting their commerce, and who presumed
to enact laws for interdicting three fourths of
the commerce of the United States, and now
persistin so doing-a nation which has brav-
cd you to your very beards-and at this mo-
ment sends their bully who holds his clench-
cd fist under your nose.
We join heartily in opinion, that commerce
is necessary to the prosperity Of the United
States, but it must be a general and free
commerce with all the world, not COM
merce restricted to one nation incapable of
consuming one eighth of our surplus pro-
duce.-Yct all you now possess is the furn-
ishing to that nation, SO hostile TO you, in
circuitous way, such portion as she needs,
which enables her to enforce her restricting
orders against you--and this in fact is the
commerce that was cried aloud for, and cried