Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-10

sGG3hssfollowing from the pen of Mr.. GE-
NET, son in-law to the Vice President of the
United States, and Minister to this country.
from France during the administration Of
will be read with pleasure by
all who are not enwrapped in foreign predi-
lictions.l
Comments on Armed Neutrality, By E. C..
GENET, Citizen of.Nezv York.
War, cruel war, every friend of liberty
must hate thee; thy head is covered with
diadems, and thy hands filed with sceptres;
Europe is enslaved by thee. Surrounded
with trophies, pampered with feathers and
trinkets and accompanied by an aninating
music, the cries of victory sound around thee,
and the thunder of thy cannon prociaims thy
power. A fiery youth, whose eyes sparkle
with martial ardor, forms thy train, and at
thy will thrones are Frustrated or raised, and
the face of empires changed. The names of
greatness, bravery, heroism and virtue adore
all the acts of thy dreadful might, and the
most seducing titles, the most enticing de-
corations are lavished to thy votaries. But
if the magic of that brilliant show is dispelled
by reason, we see nothing but carnage, blood,
mangled limbs, mutilated corpses, fragments
of men, instruments of woe, commissions,
tears, plaintive signs, disconsolate widows,
afflicted mothers, orphan children, distress
sed friends, imprecations of despair, poverty
and famine cursing oppression, aid success
ful soldiers riding triumphant over the sacred
rights of man.
From that awful scene We turn our view to
the sea, WAR is still more horrid. On the
liquid plains ambition and glory do not even
enrobe crime with the appearance of great
ness 1t is the unquenchable thirst of gold,
it is cupidity, it is all the low and despica-
bic vices engendcred by avarice which ami
mate the breasts of those pirates, those rob-
bers, who, decorated with military titles.
plumber the commerce of the world, and un-
able to find enemies enough to CRAFTY their
greediness, render peaceable industry, neu-
trail trade and innocent navigation tributaries
to their unbounded covetousness. It is to
supply their unceasing wants, to feed their
debauchcries, TO replenish the DEFICIENCIES Of
their purses, the repository of their souls,
that they desolate the world war is to them
speculation and to support it as long as
they can, corrupt judges, mercenary advo-
Gates and vile pattizans are employed every
where to lull the resentment of the innumer-
able victims of their rapacity, to give the CO.
loring OF public law to their continual viola
ton OF public justice, and TO present their
troublesome, stirring incendiary policy as q
most useful check, as a most valuable bar
rier to an overwhelming system of continent
tai ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which they themselves
studiously stimulate and nourish.
At the sight of so many evils we are indu-
ced to think that in a state of war there is nc
morality, no justice among men, the laws
OF brutal nature prevail when that calamity
RACES, and force alone will procure safety to
those whose humane & wise policy is to remain
- q
Iteration of the United States in support Of
their neutral rights, the patience with which
they have endured for SO many years the
most fragrant outrages, depredations and af4
fronts, and their repugnance to that system
which substitutes the sword to reason and
changes man into a fcrociCus animal, are
characteristic marks of national prudence
and philosophy, uneXampled in the history
of any nation.
But how much is it to be regretted for the
honor of mankind and Of the age in which
we live, that so much virtue should have
been of no avail anticipated it in July
1875, and my predictions have proved but
too true. 1t is not by proclamations and dis
sertations on the rights of neutrals, but by
energetic measures, that those rights are
preserved; experience had taught to the
northern powers of Europe, and that knowl-
edge, dearly bought in several wars, has
been the radical cause Of the armed neutral
ity oil 1880, the covenants and principles Of
which have been presented in my last num-
bcr The political history Of Europe offers
other examples of armed neutralhles by sea
as well as by land, which have answered
the desired object, and it is a maxim "a
mongst the practical statesmen Of the old
world, that neutrality without national or
confederate force is word void OF sense. IL
the patriotic views Of our rulers, e the dis
tinguished talents Of our negociators have not
been crowned with success in all the nego-
Citations respecting our neutralrights, it IS be-
cause we have never been seriously armed
or arming to support them, and that both
France and England, finding that We had
nothing but old books, argument and goose
quilts, to defend our commerce, have contin-
ucd 70 plumber Il, the one to Irain as much
as she could the sources from which her RI
val derived her influential wealth, and the
other to deprive her enemies Of the supplies
which enabled them to support their armies
and to monopolize the trade of all the ma
tons. The system of commercial relations,
which has been substituted 20 our moral pol
icy has net answered better purpose, be-
cause il suited the views Of the belligelents,
aud bore with it a character OF mercantile
management unqualified to command respect.
Combined with an armed neutrality, thQss