Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-17
FREDERICKSBURG, Feb. IS

1
FREDERICKSBURG, Feb. IS
At Meeting or the inhabitants of Frede-
| rickburr, and it's vicinity, at the Town
Hall, on Friday the 30th of February
| 1909, for the purpose ofexpressing their
| opinion upon the present political state OF
our affairs:
Richard Johnston, Mayor, was appoin-
ted Chairman; and
Rober. S. Chew, Secretary.
On motion made and seconded:
Resolved, That committee be appoin-
ted, to draft and submit to this meeting re-
solutions upon the occasion: and a COM
nittee was accordingly appointed, consis-
ting Of the following gentlemen.
David G.. Ker, Carter l.. Stevenson,
HUGH Mercer, John w. Green, John Tall
aferro, Thomas Goodwin and William
S mock who withdrew, and after some
time reported the following resolutions.
Resolved. as the opinion of this meeting.
That a. time when our country is assailed
by the hostility OF Great Britain and France,
conssnting in nothing, but in mutually intiict-
ing injuries upon us-when those powers have
only answered the repeated remonstrances of
our government against those injuries by ag-
gravated injury and insult; by their mon
strous orders and DEGREES. eiiectuaily cutting
OFF the greater portion of our external com
| nerce-when one ofthose nations. not content
with attempting to impose upon us tribute, for
the liberty of navigating the ocean, has had the
temerity to assail our domestic peace, by intri-
6 Ing for the purpose of fomenting divisions
! amongst ourselves which she vainly hopes to
see terminate in diuision of these states
and when we find portion of our citiIcnsJ ac
cidentally or designedly. giving encourage
ment to the hopes and wishes of that govern
ment-it becomes the indispensable duty of all
good citizens, forgetting the little distinctioi
of par y, to ral y around the government of their
country; ucvoting themselves To the support
of their government and their rights, as lnst
the aggressions of foreign nations, and the at
tempt OF domestic faction.
Resolved, as the opinion of this meeting
That al.ho' peace is the true policy and in.
terest of this country, and IS dear ts us in
dividually, yet it may be purchased at
too high price most cert ,inly If it in
wolves sacrifice of the rights, interests,
and independence of the nation.
In the just confidence, there ore, that the
government of the u. States will
take etf.ctual measures TO repel the
injustice of our enemies, and To place
the great interests, for which we are
contending, ON solid and permanent
basis.
Resolved, That we will, by all means
in our power, and to all extremities support
the government i'm all measures which may
i've resorsed to for the purpose OF vnt,icating
the rights, interest, and Independence of
the nation.
Rca-ived, That W. highiv disapprove of
the iuhammatory proceedings of several
towns in the state Of Massachusetts, as call
culaerd 70 have most pcrnicious effect
upon oar .flirs, bothat home & abroad; yet
we confidently trust, that the good sense
and patriotism of the eastern people, will
finally triumph over the intrigues and vi
olence of party spirit.
And the question being put upon the said
resolutions, they were unanimously adop-
tod.
On motion made and seconded, Resolved
unanimously, That copy of the proceed
ings OF this meeting, and of the said reso-
lutions, be transmitted to JonS DAWSON,
Esq. our representative in Congress, ac-
companied with the thanks Of this meeting,
for the manly and dignfed course he has
pursued, relative to the measures Of go
vernment.
Resolved unanimously, That a COPY Of
these proceedings be published in the Vir.
ginia Herald.
RICHARD JOHNSON, Chairman.
The resolutions were reported by ID. G.
Ker, esq chairman of the select committee,
and supported by John w. Green, esq. in
an able speech of ao7ut an hour in which
he feelingly depicted the situation of our
country, az to its foreign relations; COM
! mented upon the fatal tendency Of chat
opposition which same Of the eastern PEG
pie are making to the government and
ended, by urging the great necessity o.
giving at this critical period0 our support
to the government.