Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-07
FOR THE ARGUS.

| TUX lt1t ARGUS.
Ihe following plan merits in our estima
ton the most serious reflection. At frs
view it appears to be extremely plausible
and well adapted to effect the design which
| It contemplates. It is an experiment b,
which we cannot suffer. we nav gain. bu,
we cannot lose. In this point of view il has
at least the character of policy. IF i,
| should succeed il will cast the most dis
| astrous gloom around the naval majesty ol
Britain, and may teach her a different les
son from that of "feeling power and for.
getting right" There is no doubt but tn at
there are an infinite number of Americans
! wasting away their lives in anguish in those
floating towers, and who, like the Galley
slave, may breathe the dsconsolate tone.
80, think on my fate, / once freedom en-.
lJoyed," who upon the least prospect of es-
cape, would make the most bold and despe-
rate efforts. 1t is to be expected however.
that they are constantly under the most ca .
ger and unwearied vigilance, and that thew
OF themselves could not effect their release.
lac calculation then must depend very
much upon the disaffection of The British
seamen and the Indictment Of reward whe
ther these people who have been always in
ueed TO a seattle, and who, IN fact, could
efJey no other pursuit, would hazard their
1
OF land, is entirely a matter of speculation.
We know very well how frequently thew
have deserted, but whether there would he
enough OF the same temper of mind in any
one vessel to accomplish their object, is
what we are very much inclined to doubt
10 our aston'shment we have heard sin
guar argument advanced against this
scheme upon the score of immortality. d.
as you would be done by, is an old Droverb
which has been dignifed with the appelIa
| ton of the Golden Rule, and is frequently
advanced upon this subject.
| II is true that we have uttered the most
bitter excavations against the British 70,
I endeavOring TO excite our negroes and thu
Indians against MS, and indeed they seem TO
| have acquired such adroitncss i'm This she
cies Of stratagem, that they have endeayor
ed to excite instructions among ourselves.
Hence we conclude that as Great Britain
| has pursued these dark and ciandest;ne
means against us, we are perfectly iust,fia.
bic In doing the same to her. In an alb i.
stract moral p,int of view the equity of the
Leo tahonis Is not in all cases correct.
Theft cannot be punished by theft, dofama-
ton by defamation, forgery by forgery, and
theiike. Bu. according to the laws of war,
the indisputable method of making war is
j
oppose by violence. But when this manly
style of warfare is abandoned for the dark
indian systems of destruction, the same
means may be employed by the adverse
party. We will forbear, however, to look
upon this scheme in this point of view be
cause It is impossible under the exaspera. !,
ting circumstances between this country and
Treat Britain, that any argument of this
| sort can be tenable-as to the consequences
OF this measure in case it should meet with
success. 1t is evident that i'm order to in.
fiict any very sensible injury upon the Brit
ish navy, that the number of those who re-
volt should be extremely great. In case of
success then, this number would be distri-
bu.ed throughout the United States: and
thus we should sow the seeds of ever grow
ling mischief. 1t certainly would be ex-
IRENE in,policy to employ them in our l;ttlc
navy, for the manifest reason which the
scheme itself suggests--that they might a
gain be seduced 60 revolt, and we might ex-
perience the very injury which we wish to
infilct. Ii we could believe that people of
1 this description would act from the pure
IMPULSE of love for liberty and free govern
ment, and that they could exchange their
habits Of life so as 20 accommodate them
selves to agricultural pursuits, this o5iecti-
on would cease to possess any force. But
when we know that the British seamen are
generally taken into service at the age of
six or seven, where they continue all their
lives, we cannot expect TO matter how anx-
lious they may be to fly from naval despo.
Itism, that they would be willing to change
their ayocation. Under these circumsta1.
ces, if it should he deemed improper to ha-
zard our shipping to their protection, and
they should feel perfectly unable to change
their mode of life, they would become ex q.
tremely uneasy, and would add to the source
from whence we are likely already TO sus-
tain great deal of mischief--These. how
ever, are the first impressions of the mo-
ment. The object which the plan has in
view, is Of the first importance in regard
to ourselves and the liberty Of the seas.
Thus widely do we differ from politician
OF no little magnitude, who some years ago
figured with great eclat in our state assem-
| bly, about the time Of the alien and sedition
laws, and who has since become an oppo.
lneut to the present administration III our
Information is correct he has been heard 60
remark thai so far from it's being the int
rest of the United States to destroy the Bri /.
tish navy, that she ought rather 20 pay a tax
for its support. This is in fact nothing
more than she wants. That the nations oI
he earth should bow down their heads in
vassal humanity to the supremacy of her
trident, and that she should exact whatever