Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-05-24
ADDRESS NO. TX.
TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

wrote his Notes on Virginia, did not ina
CINE the peoples faith aud patience woul'
carry them so far as to sacrifice to the WILL
of their rulers such obvious aud importan
interests as their commerce and navigation
and continue their admiration of their des
troyers. Nobody, indeed, could hav,
believed it possible. The fac alone coult
render it credible.
After manifesting his own opinion, tina
1t would be our wisdom $50 abandon tht
ocean altogether" Mr.. Jefferson adds
"But the actual habits of our countrymeI
attach them to commerce. They WILL
exercise it for themselves" Yet at tn,
close of the year 1907, he had acquired tht
confidence of the mass of the nation L
such degree, that he ventured on the ex
pertinent " of absndoaing the ocean," an
der the disguise of an EMBARGO name
tanllias tor temporary suspension OF com
mercial navigation, for some definite ant
temporary cause or object. But the ac
imposing the embargo was without limita
ton, and without an adequate cause or OBJ
ject. The reasons he assigned to congrcs:
were SO fimsy, the documents he commu
nicated so insufficient, that if the effect oil
overweening confidence, and the force oil
party were not known, it would seem Inn
possible that congress shouldhave sanction
cd the measure. As the people, however
suffering the loss of trade, might be less
tractablc than congress, it was deemed ne.
cessary to wrap up the project in mystery.
Hence it was, that part OF the documents
were withdrawn, and returned to Mr., JEFF.
ferson, as he had requested /; and kept Sc
cret until the country was completely sad
died with the embargo, and IN effect to this
day. For though at length they were again
communicated and published, yet it was
with mass ofother papers, and without
any indication that they had been originally
offered (what no one in the secret would
suspec) as part of the grounds for the EN-
barge. These two papers shall publish,
when come to investigate the real motive
OF Mr.. Jefferson in recommending that
measure.
Mr.. Jefferson, having stated that the
habits of the people of the u. States attach
them to commerce, and that they 1uiH ex-
erclse il for themselves, draws this infer.
ence--"War, then must sometimes be our
lot." This led him to breach his opinioa
on the most suitable preparations for war.
And he says, that whether we provide for
offence or DEFENcE, :" the sea is the field
on which we should meet a European enc.
my. On that element it is necessary we
should possess some power" He then
offers his reasons why small naval force
IS sufficient for US; and adds, that small
one is necessary" The result his calcu-
lations of one years possible exertion, in
raising money TO form a navy, would be
eighteen ships of the line and twelve fri.
gates; but without deciding whether more
or less than years exertion should be so
applied.
Here we see Mr.. JefTerson's deliberate
opinion of the place where the U. States
ought to meet European enemy, and of
the ittest instruments of warfare, whether
for offence or DEFENCE. Now mark his
practice, when he had reached the summit
of power IN the Union. Instead of effect
i've ships of the line and frigates, capable of
meeting European enemy on the sea-"
he recommends the building of squadrons
of CUNBoATs only which could not meet
a European or any other enemy en- the sea-
Yes, he expressly states, "that this species
ofnaval armament is proposed merely for
defensive operation; that it can have bu.
little effect towards protecting our COM
merce in the open sea, even on our own
coast; and still less can it become an ex.
element to engage in offensive maratme
war, towards which it would furnish no
means.o
Thus the gun.boat system perfectly CO.
incides with Mr.. Jeferson's notion of &C a.
bandoning the ocean altogether"-of re-
nouncing all commerce Cor atleast all com.
mercial navigation } for gun-boats, he says,
"can have but little effect towards protect.
ing it Ia the open sea even on our own coast. u