Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-25

The resolution before you, sir, is not the
one Of nv choice, nor the one by which 1
could wish my responsibility could be test
ed. It's the offspring ct concillation and
of great concession on my part. teel, SIR
in common with my fellow citizens, great
repupnance to war. / think the dreadful
resort should only be made in a case OF self
defence. [ protest against war merely tor
the purposes Of conquest, or aggranaize-
ment: but in my opinion, war IS amply
justified in the existing crisis.
In ny Judgment, it the public sentiment
could be brought to support them, wisdom
would dictate the combined measures OF the
embargo, intercourse and war. 1 nave
no doubt, but that their combined influence
would be the most efhcacious in meetlng
and subduing the crisis but, sir, very lew
gentlemen, / believe, have brought their
minds up to this state of energy; and per
haps, in the present state OF the Puplic
mind, distracted and drawn by various de-
lusions as it's, from the real source OF our
injuries, the experiment might be deemed
a rash one; even if it could be obtained. l
have, however, so much confidence IN the
good sense and patriotism OF the people )
and in the efficacy of these measures
that will briefly state their probable Ell
fects for the consideration of the people i;
and l am the more disposed to do SO, pc
cause / believe the time is not past, but fast
approaching, when the whole energy OF the
nation must be called forth to save what We
have left Of our honor, independence, and
dearest interests. These would be the OBJ
vious effects of the combined influence Of
the measures suggested. Embargo would
deprive our real enemy of mary of our pro-
ductiens, which believe to be intispcnsa-
bic to his prosperity in many respects. Non
intercourse would deprive him of our mar
ket for his surplus manufactures, an opera
ton rot less injurious to him than the other,
whilst war could be made to retort upon
him some of the evils of his own injustice.
would present nothing of value to him on
the ocean, to whet his cuPidity, and sfimu-
late him to a perseverance in the war.
would front him on the ocean with empty
destructive ships, brave and hardy defend
ers Of them, and rusty iron guns. # he
achieved a conquest, it should Be con-
quest Of hard knocks, whilst there should
BE nothing of value to crafty his cupidity
or compensate his own losses.
would at the same time seize upon his
colonial possessions upon this continent.
If the whole energy of the nation could be
brought TO act vigorously in this way, |
will venture to predict, that IN SIX months
Great Britain will be brought. to value our
friendship as much as she would to depre-
cate our enmijy, But, sir,while would apply
the seourge with one hand, | would with
sincerity and good faith, hold out the olive
branch with the other; my demands would
be moderate, and within the limits of JUS
tice. And believe me, Mr.. President, G..
Britain would soon learn to make choice.
Whilst, sir, you would expose nothing of
value to her, she wood necessarily present
to your spoliations a rich commerce, a con-
merce which the very object Of her orders
were intended to enlarge, and which she
considers as almost Indispensable to hernia
tional existence. Permit me, at the same
time to express an opinion, that the whole
British navy would be very far from afford
ing a competent protection to this wide
spread commerce. With respect to pre-
.indices against the embargo, | would re-
mark, that considering the zeal, ability,
and artifce which have been employed to
excite them, particularly in one section of
the union, it is matter Of surprise that the
people have submitted to tie privations,
which have deiusively ascribed to that raea-
sure, with no greater discontents than have
been manifested by ,henl and the expert
ment has rather confirmed, than lessened
my opinion Of the patriotism of the people