Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-03-15

2 =, ~
q rnadrigai and if we may be allowed to
judge from the style of the few morsels Of
hhis letters which have. been at any time
ushered 10 the public view. our minister
has performed what little duty he has done
at all. Ks 81
Under the French DEGREES, a system Of
warfare upon our commerce has been car
risd on, and to an immense extent, whi:h
would disgrace the age Of pirates, and buc.
GAMERS. With treaty existing between
US and France, every position of it THAT
stands in the way Of any project, Of which
the syrans Of Europe may please to be in
the pursuit, is set at noughs, or trampled
under foot. with every circumstance Of in.
science and disdain Property to an. in.
credible amount, has, by French dscrees,
and French pirasi.s, been plunderrd from
our me, chants, and no pretence Of salts.
faction is uttered BY that government
This disgraceful and ruinous state of things
has been, and 10 still submitted to by our
administration, with the most submissive
meekness. Ifthey even venture ON com.
plant, if they at any time muster resolu.
ton enough 10 risk remonst,ance, the
terms are SO mean and AFFECT, as 10 excite
in the mind of Bonapartr, no other senti-
mont than that of contempt. in this way,
our national character has been degraded,
and our respectabili.y destroyed. We ap.
pear, and We must ever. appear to Other
countries, as Il nation of towards, fit only
to De traduced, tramplrd upon, and enslav-
ed.
Was this the fact under the federal adj
ministrations Although under the ADM
nistrllion ut Gsn. Washington, we had but
just started in the national career, our re-
pusation abroad was respectable, and our
Importance daily increasing. The govern.
men;s Of Europe knew that he had too
much courage, too much ho..or, too much
dignity, and too much patriotism, to sub.
nit family to aggression, and insult, and of
course, the rcatmsn. we received from them
was such as they ev:r pay to nation that
has the spirit to delsnd Its rights and cha
rac,rr.
During the presidency of Mr.. Adams,
among the many evils which the nation ex-
pc.ivnced, the course Of conduct pursued
towards France, was highly meri,o-ious.
The abroyation OF the French treaty, and
the Equipment Of our small navy, are acts
which reflect great honor on the u. States.
The brillian, exploits If stme of our arm
cd ships, under Truxton, Sc. soon laugh,
tho arrogsn; ruler, OF France, that We were
not to BE- trilcd with, and iEsul.td and plum
dered with impurity, and their naughty
conduct was soon changed into an appear
ancc al least of more decenCy and justice.
Had the same spirit OF resistance TO that
cverbrariuy and proiigate government been
continue Il, millions Of property would have
been sated to our merchants, vast sum,
of course, would have been added to The
national revenue, trade would in great
ilesr:e have BEEN freed from its dissracesul
and ruinous cmbarrassmrnts, the fatal and
shameful experiments Of embargo and nom
intercourse, would not have been rssorted
70. and the weakness and dastardlinsss OF
our government, would not have been ex-
posed to the whole world, and we should
have stood at thu present moment on high
and commanding station, among the, nations
Of the earth.
Blu, what is tbs fact? The total reverse.