Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-07-25
From tas Virginia Patriot.


10 all who read and think without pleiu-
dice, that the proposition made by General
Armstrong to the Duo de Galore was II
form and substance one which could never
have been suggested by atneutral power
that was truly impartial; that it decided the
question of original aggression against the
fact, and that it placed the-revocarion ofthe
Berlin decree by France on the viftuals sur.
render by England ofan important aeknow-
lodged belligernt right.
This manifest pariality sin favor ola
military despot who does not even attempt
TO conceal his schemes Of universal con-
quest who has sought occasions to express
his hatred and contempt for the u. States !;
who has added insult to insult, and heaped
injury upon injury, until his stores are ex-
hausted and {" the cup of American humi-
liatiou is indeed drained to the bottom. -
1t is against the only nation in Europe in
whichthe fame ofliberty is unextinguished,
and the only nation on earth which opposes
single obstacle to-the designs formed by
the scourge of the human race.
These documents also demonstrate that
the answer of the DUO de Galore was of the
same character with the proposition made
20 him, and required as the preliminary on
which alone France would revokesa decree
which amounts to declaration OF war a.
gainst neutrals, admissions on the part OF
England which an independent nation could
nsver make, concessions which would en-
danger her existence.
They also prove the offence of England
to be, not rejection of this proposition,
for it would have been too great an outrage
on common deceucy, TO have made It to
her, but the not having anticipated it by
previous arrangement so as to make her &C
tual situation such as France required it 70
be.
From these facts distorted by the partial
and malignant pen of the National Intelli-
gencer, Z" the following differences are" he
says, 6 irresistible"
1st. That England was the original ag-
gressor upon neutral rights.
Cd. That she still persists in some other
original as gressions, enforced and extended
by subsequent orders.
Sd: That the pretext that they are re,
taliation upon France is false.
Ala. That when brought to the point and
the sincerity f,her assurances are put to the
test, it appears that she is unwilling to give
validity to those assurances by revoking her
paper block of da:e anterior to the
Berlin decree as, if she was SO disposed,
she might revoke them by new order in
the same summary way In which they were
originally passed"
After what have already said, we for
bear TO comment on these differences. When
it is recolleceed that they are made in pa
per which takes the high ground of being
the chanuel through which tie government
communicates Its views to the people, their
recital is sufficiently humiliating to svery
independent mind.
Perhaps we have already wearied the at
tention of our readers by the length of our
remarks shall now conclude them by
very few observations on subject deem
cd extremely interesting to America.
The present war IS VIGOROUSLY, on the
part of France, awar of ambition, the OBJ
iect of which is conquest; on the part of
England, war of necessity, the object of
which is self-defence. II is a contest in
which the former pursues universal domi-
Mon; the latter struggles for existence.
In the prosecution of this war, Eng
land has sought TO derive advantage from
her superiority at sea-a superiority on
which depends not only her grandeur but
her safety; and France has labored by
every practicable means, TO deprive her of
that superiority,
In Its progress, their mutual attempts
to iniure each other, had, in some slight
degree, affected neutral commerce. and i,
would require ADMINISTRATION of some la
Dor to decide which of the belligerents had
frst or most transcribed the r;obts and