Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-12-31


are impressed into its service, and in some in
stances justice is violated, aud humanity
mast indtcently outraged ), without the plea
of necessity. Such conduct in ordinary times
would loudly cIli. for resistance by war. But
the day ofrcckoniny with 6. Britain has not
,st arriyed-fer injustice must be submitted
"a tor a tine, as infinitely the least of two
;mpending evils, nav, at this eyentful period.
evc,. the prayers of those, most injured and
;,sulted should be offered up for her success.
Admitting, forth sake of argument, that she
* lac,uatcd exclusively by motives of self-in-
tcrest, that her ambition is no less boundless,
heyyiews ofconqucst no less fixed, & herdesire
of national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT no less extensive
than those of her opponent. acknowledging
tao that ihe iaiiuebcc of motives such as these,
rnmixed with others of more generous and
pni!anthropic nature, should weaken the gra-
titude that would else be due to her exertions;
il must still be coatended, that ON her exist
ence depends the salvation OF mankind; and
no matter how similar her views, her to7per
is infinitely inferior to that of her opponent.
The SINE danger, the same ruinous consc-
onences wculd not flow from her success
For INV own part, l could even behold her
triumphinr over the fallen grandeur of her
foe. could sec her restricting within It's
own proper limits the power OF France. [
could contemplate her elevation to the high
est eminence she has attained during the last
or present century. without feeling single
apprehension for the liberties OF mankind.
Her plans might be these OF war, and ruin,
and devastation; bat where are hermeans of
executing them. Her form of government,
her insular situatioa---the habits of her peo-
pie are all peculiarly adapted for defence, but
afford her not one single weapon for foreign
conquest. The warlike nations OF the world
have existed under governments very differ
ent from hers. Alsyria, Persia, Sparta, Ma
cedol-ia, and Rome, in their days OF conquest,
were strangers to the checks and balances OF
modern times. Their governments, even
those of Rome and Sparta, were calculated to
insure, rather strength and certain execution
IN the field, than wisdSm IN the cabinet But
the government. of G. Britain is formed tor
defence and the pursuits of peace, with scarce
ly single warlike trait. Hers is a govern
ment OF checks and balances, of lealousies
caution. The wild ambition and blind precl-
pitancy of her monarchs, liable to be Curoed
and controlled by the voice OF the people, and
these are mercantile, cool and calculating IN
their dispositions. TO engage in war, they
must be assured of its importance not only to
their rulers but 10 themselves. 1t must be a
war. not merely of ambition, but also OF honor
or interest What blind intatuation then could
induce them TO undertake the conquest OF tie
world? Would not history remind them, that
even in their better days, they were unable to
atchieye the conquest of nation IN Its cradle
And would not reason tell them that the COZ
quest of the world must be iucomparabiy more
dificult9 But independently of these COAST
derat;ons, the insular situation OF q. Britain
and the mercantile character of her people,
must invariably render peace dcslrabic OBJ
ject to her. Her early history furnishes her
with many and woeful examples Of the effects
of war carried on In her own dominions; and
until the world shall be completely revolution
ixed---until the habits of men and the relative
situation of nations shalt undergo an entire
change, it can hardly be supposed that
she will WELD power sufficient to subdue the
world, and at the same time to afford pro-
lection to the heart of her dominion, to her
own insulated home. Her mercantile views
too throw an effectual barrier in her way
Commerce is essential to her existence; and
war under any circumstances, Is the enemy
of commerce But ho,tilities against the
world, long continued as they must be, when
ever attempted, flor even France with her IN
mense power has found employment for many
years. would be the certain means OF drying
up this necessary spring TO her exlstence-ru-
10 would attend her efforts-the sword OF de-
struction would be turned upon herselt-and
instead of rejoicing at the overthrow OF the
world, she would be compelled to mourn her
own unhappy fate. But more powerful ar
gument than any yet acduced, against the APP
psehens;ohs to be entertained relative to the
views and power of Great Britain, is to be
drawn from her peculiar circumstances at the
present time. The deelension OF her COM
merce, the divisions of her people, the unset
tied state of her goverument--and above all,
her uneqnalled accumulation OF national deot'
furnish materials for her own dissolution, IA
,her ,hsn the conquest Of other nations Even