Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-23

and We complained: they were recalled
and others, thou, h different in words, We, oil
equal perniciou, tendency, wero sent
forth against our commerce. She pro.
ceeded to ad Insult {, i,iastice and burnt
the ship Of a friendly power within hose
limits Ut marlin; jul -isdictiop which the
laws OF nations have prescribed to every
Independent people.
Sone OF our citizens had escaped from
british vessels, where they had been IN
Justly detained on board of ship of war
OF our republic They we're densnied Sc
reused oy us She proceeded 20 .akc them
oy force: She killed some OF our peonle &,
captured our vessel. This was no. merely
declaration OF war, it was an act of hos
ti'ty, OF war already declared. IJnpre-
pared tor aggression, we shut our p,rts n .
ga'nst their vessels and emharg,el our own
saipping. fais was a measure of neces
sdry policy, whilst it secured our national
property and gave us time to prepare for
our defence il held out to the N an onndr.
tunity of cancellation.
In return Britain prohibited ne from ~,
ding with thnse countries with whom .,e
was at war, and imposed tribute upon onr
commerce by the first she denied us the
right OF disposing of the produce of our own
country and the second was done as if we
were already a conquered people. or a
province of her empire.
In the course of negotiation Iy,;ch -
now adays continued when the hostile a 30
mes are In the field and already resolved
on ensasement) we offered TO omen o,,r
ports AMI grant them the benefit of orr
rue provided repair alton was made for
the murder of our citizens, and they vould
recall their orders wlrich imposed trjbu,e
on our commerce and restricted the nIace.
of our trade. 'e
ms was sine qua non in the language
OF dipiomatists, without which we vonjd
not so much as consent tn treat of peace.
has the mere satisfaction offered any thing
which can demonstrate tha; she will recede
tom tne principles she has already atlopt-
ed Can It au;horise those stupid decia-
rations OF confidence in British Justice.
"nlcn some IN this country are con,in.
uaty vociieraiIng in our ears Would a
ny man IN private life, consider himself
under such profound obligations to the
man who had only done him mere Justice ?
bu' whether in public or private life, we
should receive satisfaction for our claims
WIN uroanity OF manners; get still there
IS an elevation of character from which
we ought not to descend to initiate the
suPPllant attitude and language OF the
wretch who prays for pardon. The par.
tisans OF Britain should be taught to know to
whom they are to address their greetings /;
that Americans, whilst they posses. the
capacity OF being redressed, cannot hail
those from who n they have received in
Iuries and who have bu; promised, tn do
them justice, with triumphant acclama.
lions.
Has Great Britain said tina. she will
renounce the principles Of controversy
between the two governments Far
from it. Does not member of her
cabinet+ declare openly that Britain has
not abandoned the principle of neutral
trade, but has only modified it, add
when it shall at any time seem nee 20.
sary, it will again be enforced /? What
then, has been gained on the part of
America by this negotiation Simply
this, that satisfaction has been offered
for the attack on the Chesapeake, and
that the diplomatic relations of both
countries are nov established on the
same footing that they were in 1907.
! And what prevented Britain az that
time from yielding up the principle of
expatriation, neutral trade, the flag.
&c ! Because then she had hopes from
the confederation of Prussia and Rus.
STA against France. Were the north
ern powers successful, they would have
supplied her with naval stores, and
hav taken off her manufactures. East
and West India produce in exchange
The revolution in Naples and the re-
volution In Spain, next pened bound.
less prospect to her ambition To have
supplied the north of Europe and three
fourths Of the continent of America.
with her manufactures and merchan
die: To have exchanged the cotton
and woollen stuF5, and pottery of Man
chester, and of Liverpool, the hard
ware OF Birmingham and of Sheffield.
for the gold aud silver Of Mexico and
Potosi, were tempting prospects to
avarice. But all these have va
nished. The letters of Moore shew
that the Spanish people are too wise to
( anil fh NIOAI c.