Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-08-02

4
duct of Mr.. Jefferson had prevented beins
given in London. 1t was weakly imagined
that this noise of war would make an i'm
preston on the mind of MIR. Rose. Gene
raj Smith in the Senate, said, eff the Brit
ish minister arrives and sees the ciangor o.
preparationsf for war, his language, possibly
and very probably, will be very differen
from what it will be if he finds us reclining
on the hopes of a continuance of peace
Within week l expect resolution viii be
brought into one house or the other, tc
raise thirty thousand men. wish the new
minister who is coming may see that we are
prepared for war. Such resolution, OIL
bll! in form, was accordingly laid on on,
tables, and there, with other similar abor.
tive projects, slept through the session.
The conquest of Canada, have said, wa:
never seriously contemplated. The south
crn leaders probablyimagined that the threat
ened invasion of that country might inau.
ence the British councils to yield to the de.
mands OF our government and unques
t'ona5ly they supposed their partizans in the
| northern states would be fattered by the
projects. Butthe northern states may restas.
sared, that It will be the last thing attempted
by their southern friends or rather masters
The men who now rule the United States
will never willingly take any step which
will add to the population and power of the
! northern states. And Canada being or
their borders, would, if conquered, natu
rally unite with them and add to their weigh
IN the decisions of great national questions
| But the folly ofattempting the conquest
| OF Canada, would be equal to the difficult,
of achieving it. From the British power
In that quarter, we have nothing to appre
bend: buff Canada were to fall into tn.
hands of France, we should have ever,
| thing to fear. And if the conquest wer.
to be made by the u. States, the country
either by force or treachery, would b,
transferred to France. To maintain tn,
possession against the attempts CT Great
Britain to re.conquer it, would require al
army and expenditures far surprising ou
whole present military establishment. Blu
It would be in still greater danger from
France, whence might slip out force suf
hclent to wrest it from our hands--if under
such administrations as have governed u,
tor the last ten years any resistance should
be made. The reason imperiously urged
by the French government to that of Spain
in the year 1900, for the retrocession oil
Louisiana, was, that Louisiana was an
ancient possession of France So was
Canada; and were it once in our hands,
its restoration to France would be as impe.
riously demanded of the United States, as
was the province of Louisiana of Spain.
And would such an administration as Mr..
Jefsrson's or Mr.. Madison's, which has
so long been cringing at the feet of Bona.
parte, resist the demand! Certainly not.
But let France possess herself of Canada,
and then what additional demands would
be made /! The northern parts of New.
York, the western parts of Pennsylvania,
the State of Ohio, the territories of Indi-
ana, Michigan and Illinois, the States oil
Kentucky and Tennessee, the Mississippi
Territory, and the whole of Louisiana
westward of the Mississippi, would also be
in like manner demanded; for in all these
vast regions France once had military posts
or settlements and she would claim and
demand all of them as :" her ancient pos.
sessions )" and with as good right as she
demanded and compelled the Spanish go.
vernment to regrant Louisiana. But Cana
da remaining in the hands of Great Britain,
she will keep fast shut and bolted that nor.
thern door, by which the French would
enter and re-possess her ancient territories,
and then, by the joint operation ofintrigue,
corruption and force, attempt the subjuga.
ton of the whole u. States. Instead there
fore OF our attempting the conquest of Can.
ada, sound policy would require its being
kept in the hands of G. Britain.
But although our southern rulers will
never, by conquest or otherwise, volun;a-
rily add to the strength of the northern sec.
ton of the United States, they will no,
hesitate to increase that of the southern
81 II