Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-06

QrGau, Oh aICOuAlI VI liiSii tAssSSS DSe-,No -
VOWED in war. For let the people once be
gin to look on the state Of the country, with
that anxiety, which the actual perception q
present danger never fails to awaken let
them realise the exigencles, which that state
involves, and compare with them your pre-
parations for 1t; let them see an army, IN
which perhaps full half of your citizens
cannot conhde small navy rendered less
BY natural decay, and even the few ships we
have, not in a state to give battle our trea-
sury exhausted, as it will soon be, and all
the ordinary sources OF commercial supply
dried away and they will hurl you from
your seats, with as little remorse, with as
much indifference, as a mischieyous boy,
would slight, SO many blind and trembling
kittens, six to litter, into horse pond
Yes, sir, be assured, that war is the terml-
nation Of your political power, unless you
have the prescience to prepare an efiectuai
force, worthy of this nation, worthy OF CT
Their adversary you may elect to engage.
But, remembers, you must rely upon some
thing else than the paltry surplus CT your
treasury, which, In fact, in one year Will not
exist; upon something else than loans or
direct taxes.
This bill, consider as a continuation OF
the same deception as to the motive, as that
WHICH operated in the passage q the osiGl-
nal embargo law. II we pass It, tear, we
shall, again, be instrumental, IN deserving
this people. The effect Of this blii, Whais
Yer Nay be It's avowed design, is calculated
to sooth the people impatient, under the en-
barge, until the spring elections re passed,
and until the first session OF the state ieGis- :
latures are finished. By new session OF
the next Congress, i'll May, the peoPie are
to be led to hope that next lsiay VIII BRING
them relief. But let the embargo be kept
on until Nav, and as the honorable gentle
man from North Carolina (Hir. Macon)
told you, very ingenuously, it will then DC
found necessary to keep 1t on until oeptenl-
Ter and perhaps for another year. his
is the keystone of The whole policy OF th!s
bill, as appreherd. Il it be yoar real III
tention to raise this embargo alter May,why
do you not adopt provision similar 10 that
proposed the other day by the gentlsInan
from Conn. Mr.. Sturges) and annex it to
this Eli Why rot Limit the continuance
of the embargo law until next June And
thereby leave the new Congress free rela
tive to this measure from the power Of the
executive. Give the people pledge that
the embargo sha'sberemoved At limited
time. At least, put It into the power OF your
successors, by refusing TO rc-eliacV 9he law
to control the executives will. This pledge
the people have a rightto claim, # 1t be your
real purpose to abandon the measure after
MAY. IF however, this be not yous policy,
avow YOUR intentions. TIL the people at
once, that it is a power OF coercion,in which
you mean to perseyere, until it has effected
its object. Show them the reasons on which
YOU rely that it viii be successful. Perhaps
thew will consent to endure it. But with
the present state Of things they cannot, they
ought not to be satisfied. A, least get back,
by limiting the present law, your conmer-
cial power, which you have absolutely sur
rendered to the President and twelve men.
Permit YOUR successors to be as independents
Of the executive, in continuing this system,
asyou were when you consented TO adopt
it.
The only consistent advocates of the en-
barge system are such gentlemen as those
from North and South Carolina (Messrs.
Macon and D. r. Williams and they arc
opposed to this bill. They tell you thas this
is an effectual weapon against Great Britain,
and believing this, as theydo, they say truly
that session in May will evidence timidity
and defeat the effect of the weapon. You
ought to take one or the o!her ground deci-
dedly. Either you Will still conhde il its
efficacy, or you begin to doubt oft. If the
former show your confidence to be ra-