The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-04-11
A REPUBLICAN,.


II 10 not dificuH No remember the eoward-
" and murderous attack by the Ieapord, sup
ported by fleet, Upon single American
frigatc in the month of June 1907. II Is &.
qually easy to rccollect the unanimous and
indignant expression of the jeIjtiments pf
the whole people Of America al that time.
l Those who call themselves leaders Of the icds
eral party were not less jealous than Others
in resolving that unless atoncmens should bc
offered for that infamous aggression, they
would devote their " liyss, their honour and
their fortunes" IN war 70 Justly necessary ~
the occasion demanded. "a ~ a sas
AT that crisis there vas unanimity at home
And the effect OF il was 70 sppai the haugh-
ty n,inisters Of England, and to drag from
them an insitlious promise Of atoncmcnt iov
the attack. Even Canning made an immcdi-
ate and pub)ick declaration 10 that effect In the
! British house Of Commons. Nfg 81
How hayc these promises and Appearances
turned out ! After the publick rage and ineig.
nation bad somewhat subsidized the federal
leaders gradually returned to their gid ground,.
rallied their forces, divided the country, for
got the Infamous insults, and abandoned
every objcck for which they had So solmenly
pledged their lives, their honour, and thcir
fortunes.
40 the spirits Of the British Farti2ans re-
cruitsd here, so did the conduct Of the Brit
ish ministers move in unison. They kspt
the seamep whom they had flchcd from the
bloody deck of the Chesapeake. Ncxt they
hung one Of them, as they did Jonathan Rob-
ins formerly, under the expccss advice and
recommendation of Pickering. 1-s
The Admiral Berkeley whom at first thcy
rccallcd,they nOw as high reward for his con.
duct promoted to superiour station. The
PREPARATION which these federal leaders had
formerly pledged their lives and fortunes So
obtain, was now refused except upon corIdi.
tions proposed BY Rose, degrading to the
character and the rights of the country. And
when at length the pressure Of the embargo
forced new resort to negotiation, and n
shadow OF an adjustment was made which
the paciick disposition Of Mr. Madison sccep-
ted, that even that was rcscindcd without any
reason or pretcncc of reason (for il Il not &c.
en- allcdged tlIat Mr.. Erskine departed in thai
from bis instructions) and new tevms offered
more degrading than those proposed BY Mr..
Rose No less than that We should agree 20
the right Of the British men Of war % clair
impressed Americans who had the good fof
tune to escape
What principles must q party have, Who.
after piedging their " lives and fortunes" =,
they did, and yet maintain the cause or che
cmissary Jackson who can defend and sup-
port hostile and insoisnt nssion that bssides
destroying our commerce and pjoeeiae ous
distractions, would 10 Ear degrade us ir, our (;
own eyes as sbruptly TO rescind the shsdo,y
of reparation made BY Mr.. Erskipe, witho,s
pretending thst ia this he exceeded his ~.
structions, and then proposing to us pe,s
terms Of an infinitely worse character, vhieh
20 far from looking like rcpavssion, deo,snd of
US a surrender of our sailors and navigator
70 the tender mcreiss Of hes slips Of vsri