Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-04-27
From the Virginia Patris.

Our relations with France la my last
I offered a few remarks upon the late Sc.
ouestfations of our property in the ports
under the control Of France. ! was not
then, however, aware Of fac. which sub.
sequ,ns intelligence has revealed-that this
sequessration was made uton the express
ground that the property uvas Anerican.-
This fact, which will be found amply illus.
srated in our foreign articles of to-day,
change entirely the face of our relations
with that power; inasmuch as, on her part
it is tantamount to declaration Of war.
Notwithstanding our numerous grounds
Of complaint against that power; uotwith'
standing the capture and burning of our
merchantmen by her privateers, and not
.withssanding the detention or even the con-
6scation of property in her ports she had
some grounds of excuse which under skill
ful management, might contribute to De!
lief thar her intentions were not hostile to
our interests as n4ion. Thrse palliative
grounds were eagerly seized upon by her
advocates in this country-unfortpnately
much too numerous for its good K when
accounts were received of French outrages,
they were fist denied, and afterwards ex-
Cused. 1t vessel was burned, we were
told it was doae without authority from
government; or perhaps the act was ex-
cused by bsing eopuas,rd with some BIZ
fish outrage, as though the wrong of one
belligerent justified those Of the other: if
a vessel was captured, either no notice was
taken OF 1t, or else it was pretended she
had violated some decree as though the
violation OF an unjust decree, made her
capture lawful. We were told that NaPo-
leon was in reality our friend, but that re-
taiasion upon England, had driven him,
though reluctantly, to The exercise of q mo
mentary seyeiisy against US and tha, &C.
neral armstrong would soon put every
thirg to rights again. We were told but
why should repeat all that we have been
told upon this subjsc'? Language has been
tortured and common sense outraged, by
French hirclngs iu this country, to induce
US to believe that the wrongs of France
were the offspring Of necessity, not choice,
and that she was disposed 10 render US am,
PIE justice. The hopes of some, the fears
OF many, and the prejudices OF more, I'D
them to give credence to these fairy tales
and We have betn amused about once
month for these two years with paragraph
in some of the public prints, assuring the
public, that our affairs with France were in
a most prosperous train of adjustment, and
that Mr.. Animation was on the very point
Of compromising all differences, 70 the mu-
tual interest and satisfaction of both coun-
tries. O..
How long this farce Of falsshood ON the
one side and Of credulity on the other. might
have lasted, it 10 impossible to tell but Ma.
poleon, satisfied with the success of the ex.
pertinent thus far, has at last ventured to
hrow off the mask altogether. and not only
:on6scates our property without dsigning
o give any other reason for so doing than
hat it is AMERICAN, but has likewise or
tered his eru,zers to capture and to bring IN
'very american resstf they meet.
] shall not insult the Understandings of
ny readers so much as to attempt, by argu. |
nents, to prove that tkis conduct of Napo-
con is virtually a declaration, and actually
carrying on, of war against this country.
Ships" said this arch.enemy in his zeal |
o condemn the right of search, "are foas.
ng colonies. For the present, therefore,
will adept bis Own doctrine, and leays il