Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-10-16

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cheaper than they were two years ago.
it is fair to give France the credit of
performing the promise, which she
repeatedly made to our-government--.
namely, that her DEGREES should be
Withdrawn, on condition that we caus-
ed Great Britain to respect our neu-
trail rights, or opposed the infringe.
ment of them.
This act of the French government
ought to afford relief to the minds of
men, who have been led 20 believe,
that Bonaparte is the most horrible
munster In existence, and undeserving
of the least condolences.
In another point of view, the repeal
of the French DEGREES is extremely
important to the United States. For
several years past, we have been SUBJ
hitting to the Introduction and plumber
OF our commerce, by all the petty
powers of Europe, without adopting
any means of obtaining redress, mere
ly because we could not agree, as to
the fact, whether it was Great Britain
or EAance thai first copmenced the
sysdrA of aggresion OF our maritime
rigl Minis dispste IS now ended, by
the bfogation of alb fke French orders
ard idiots, which Aec,ed our neutral
ccmmerce, or of which we have in the
least complainedHof. The bug.bear,
of having to 5kht both Fssnce & Eng
land, IN order TO obtain our maritime
rights, has now disapps AIRED, and we
are brought to the plain question
shall we submit to be interdicted by
Great Britain, from trading with any
nation or nations with whom we are
10 amity, whenever it shall please his
Britannia majesty andscouncil TO is
sue placard tosthat etfect--for this
lis PSecisely the principle attempt.
ed g be established by the block
aiding sorder in council, of the 18th
OF May, 1906, for Which the Der.
! I'm decree was issued id retaliation
or shall we, in common with all the
rest OF the world, contend with Great
Britain for our right to the free use
of the seas? The pressure of this I'm.
portant question upon the American
people, is irresistible and must soon
be answered.
If Great Britain does not within a
t'short period repeal her orders in coun-
Gil which"infringe on our neutral rights,
our government is bound by law of
the land, and in good faith to France,
(who has on chat understanding re-
pealed her decrees) to enforce a non.
intercourse against England. We
| will go to the continent of Europe, and
Great Britain will capture our ships
and property--and our government
will of course permit our citizens to
arm for their defence. The conse.
quence will be reprisals and open war.
To this point it is evident we must
come at last, and the sooner we are
prepared for the event the better. We
may go On negotiating, inferring, and
temporising, to all eternity, with c..
Britain, and she will not yield an iota
except compelled by force or necessi-
lty.
The system Of representation and
temporising which we have adopted
has cost US very dear.
VIC have lOob WHAT Is invaluable 10
a natien-our character.--Foreign ma
tiors believe that the United States
will submit to every species of injury
and insult short Of invasion, rather
than go 20 war, and hence it is that
they abuse us. We should not lose a
moment in retrieving the honor of the
nation.
Great Britain has made US no a.
, tenement for the f" murderous aggres-
sions" on the Chesapeake frigate.
She detains on board her ships of war
thousands Of our fellow citizens whom
our government is bound TO have Ii
berated, or to go to war.
Those are injuries that demand in
slant redress, and we have protracted
negotiation respecting them much be-
yond The period, when it deserves any
other name than subsission.
If Great Britain does not repeal her
orders in council, before the meeting
of Congress, we may be assured that
she will not do it without a struggle,
and a moment should not be lost by
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