Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-05-09

that would expose on the high seas, their
hoerty, their lives, every thing in a word
that IS dearest to the human heart. TO the
capricious OF interested sentences which
may be pronounced against their allegiance
oy officers of a foreign government, whom
neither the law of nations, nor even the
laws OF that government will allow. TO de.
eide on the ownership or character of the
minutest article of property found in a like
situat,on 1t the protection of our sea
rights &C our property Is subject of great
magnitude, how much infinitely more so
rs the liberty of our fellow citizens. And
we therefore trust, that the very FIRST arti-
Gle OF the treaty may be provision against
impressments. 800 -
Great Britain has hitherto pertinacious.
~ adhered to this right. She has in fact.
aohh'''ed the injustice of the principle, but
her pride or self.interest forbids her to re-
nounce the practice. 1t is possible that
her present situation NAV force her IN do
It, her plumes are fat and shrunk into
a trivial toy" Hence we NAV derive
hope that our accommodation will be han.
Ply and complete. But there is little doubt.
IN the language of Lord Petty, but that the
federdl, otherwise the English Interest.
VIII be violently opposed to it. The same
anxiety which they have lately displayed
TO parry of the charge of humiliation from
Britain, will lead them to advocate the
r'ght oil impressment, as necessary to her
maritime prosperity, which is the preten.
ded barrier to save us from French tlomi-
nation The opponents to the admisistra-
ton, or more properly the aspirants after
power, have exhibited the mos, painful
contortions of late, to extrica.e themselves
from the destructive confusion into which
they have been thrown by their English
friends.
1t would not do for the minority to admit
that W. Britain offers more now, than she
did before. Because it would then seem
10 De the result OF the wisdom Of the last
administration, which has been, and is still
the object of their deepest imprecations.
How then do they avoid this dilemma
Why, by boldly asserting that the same pro-
positions were offered before. To whom 7
Not to Mr.. Monroe, because the treaty in
winch he was engaged, was concluded
long before the existence of the orders of
council. The one was signed on the 3lst
Lee 1906, anu the others were issued on
the 11th OF November following. Were
they offered TO MIR. Pinkney? No, because
IN August last, we proposed ourselves to
repeal the embargo, if they would take off
their orders, which they decidedly refused
Is it pretended, that sufficien, reparation
accompanied the illusory mission of Mr..
Rose who brought the insulting demand
that our Proclamation should be recalled.
which was 30 necessarily imposed in con-
sequence OF the attack upon the Chesa-
Peake before he could even make any sue-
gestion as to the nature or tendency of his
propositions The proclamation was justi-
hable upon every principle ofjustice, secu-
IIty q precaution, b was hailed with univ
versal appreciation. 1t was evidently then
the part OF G.. Britain, to offer some cure
tor the enormous wound she had inflicted.
and to promise security against repetition
of similar injuries. But our government,
despising the mockery and silly parade of
which he seemed merely to be the repre-.
sentative, and feeling an impatient desire
10 adjust our differences, agreed to revoke
the proclamation on the day of the date
OF the act or treaty by which reparation
should be made for the violence.
This was certainly fair, ingenious aud
friendly, and perhaps, considering the COM
piicatsd tissue of wrongs and insults which
were involved in the attack upon the Che
sapeake, was relaxing rather too much. In
consequence of not surrenderins our natl.
onal honor to British insolence and AFRO
gaDce at that time, we are now told we lost
the proper opportunity OF adjustment. And
that without the smallest necessity whatso-
ever, we have crippled our commerce and
destroyed an infinite deal of property. But
how do these gentlemen know that such pro-
positions were in the port folio of Mr.. Rose
IS 1t merely the suggestion OF ingenuity, OF
is II fact within the power of their esta-
bllshment Or was there any person in
troduced TO these secrets SUB Rcsa!
It's perfectly immaterial, however, whe-
Their he brought such instructions or not !; il
was perfectly right MOTTO yield to the over
weenng arrogance of St. James. He came
with limited powers to- treat upon the SUBJ
ject of the Chesapeake, but not even then
unless we first bent the knee of courtesy to
beg pardon for passing an act to save our
lives, property and honor. Yet this was
the prcpitIous moment for an honorable &C
commentator Suppose that some accom-
mediation had taken place in regard to the
Chesapeake, TO which subject Mr.. Rose
was exclusively confined by his instruct :
ons--thIs would not have removed the or
ders of council, which were unconnected
with the affair, and which they say were
produced by the French edicts. How then
can II be said with the smallest regard to
truththat the propositions now in the cabinet
we're ever presented before; and how could
the embargo have been avoided without sa-