Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-03-02
Vdshire,on. I'M Frh. 1911.

n T. Donate nave Oeeu OItOpleu QuinS
the whole of the past week on the bill 10
renew the charter of the Bank of the u.
States. No question has yet been taken on
it, nor will there be decision Tor day or
two 10 come, as there are several members
yet to speak against it, and Perhaps some
in favor of it. Il is briirved that The votes
in Senate will be exactly equal, so that the
casting vote Of the Vice President must
decide it, and h. is believed 10 entertain
constitutional scrupl,s, which will induce
him 10 vote against it. Thus you STE the
chances are against the bank even in the
Senate. If it should pass that body end
come again before us, scarcely think it
can be got through our house. tho many
differ with me in opinion, and think there
is a considerable change i1 favor of the
bank. believe there are several who re-
pent their votes, and regret tina. they haze
committed themselves upon the subject;
but they are SO completely entrammelrd by
party and influenced by pride of opinion,
that very much doubt whether they can
assume msgnanimi'y enough TO acknow-
ledge their error and change their votes -
Party prejudice, viol,nce and folly have
marked their victim ard the sacrifice
must be made, whatever it may cost the
country. Whilst such is our gloomy pros
peet within, our exterior relations assume
a fearful aspect. That Napoleon has US
in his tolls is bsyond doubt. 1t remains
TO be seen, and few days nus1 dete rmin.
whe her we yet possess sufficient dcsiee
Of spirit and independence to destroy The
shackles, or, having lost the generous cpl
rit OF treemen, have become base enough
to act as the strvil- tools Ct the fell dc
stroyer of the liberties Of mankind. TIE
course we have been and are still pursuing
evidences want of wisdom, i SHIRT set..
edness, or want of public virtue, which
is truly astonishing and painful to behold.
What man, viewing the course which Bo.
naParte has pursued, Can Tor moment
doubt that his object is unive, sal conquss st
But Britain, naughty Britain, is in the
way, and presents the only obstacle. To
humble her and effect her overthrow, every
means must be made use Of, every power
must be exerted, every other consideration
must give way. To this object the great
continent system lends all lis powers
For this end the commerce of the CONT.
nent is annhilated. British merchandise
is burned--the peace, comfort, happiness,
and Pi ospsrity of millions of his own sub
jec1s and others destroyed. With these
facts, SO palpable and SO plain, staring Is
In the face, we have the consumma,e foIv
to believe, or the wickedness to af1.c, ~
believe, that it is in our power to soothe
this teroelous mons,er-to stop the force
otiths overwhelming torrent, which threat.
ems to sweep away the liberties of the world,
by non intercourse and restrictive mea.
sures against Britain. Nay, SO infatuated
are we, that not only are our eyes SO hood
winked that we cannot see, but our sensrs
are so benumbed that we cannot feel Nor
content with burning cur ships and m.r-
ehandlze upon the ocean-wirh executine
his Berlin and Milan DEGREES (Which out.
ragged every principle acknowledged 2.
public law by civilized nations) with the
utmost rlgor--with telling US that we are
without honor or energy, and worse than
the co!onists of Jamaica, to cap the climax
Of robbery, perGdy and insult, the Ram
bouillst decree was issued and more than
twenty millions of property belonging 10
our silly and unsuspeeting citizens. who
had violated no law, and who conceive d the
laws OF hospitality and the principles of
justice and good faith were suficien, Sc.
curity for them-this property was seized
and conhscated without pretext. Thus
robbed, insulted, and abused, we passed
the act of the FIRST OF May last, telling tn.
author of these wrongs tina, it h. would
case to plumber us and repeal his Berlin and
Milan DEGREES, we would have no inter-
course with Britain.
He saw at once that we were ready to
entapgle ourselves in the mesnes of his wi.
ly policy, and spread his net accordingly.
All at once we were told, that" males.
ty loves the Americans" and that ",he
promotion of their prosperity enter. into