Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-06-05
HARTFORD. (Con. May 20.

zo,. the town came to the following X
solutions - c,: oo.;ny.
that the people of this state whei, ~
their representatives acceded 10 inc co, I
s,itution of the United States, eAPo0,ou
from, the administration Of the govern
meut. full protection for their persons
and nroperty. and the free enjoymen. o.
all their civil and political rights. Inc
preamble to the constitution declares 'n'
objects of it to be, ''To form more per
fect union. establish justice, ensure 40
nestle tranquility, provide for the com
mon defence, promote the general wei
fare. and secure the blessings OF liberty TO
ourselves and our posterity.' Yet insteau
of provisions for the ''common Defence
we see our public treasury exhausted anu
our country defenceless-instcad OF mea-
surcs for the "general welfare we sec
a systematic effort to promote the 7cetare
of q part,,-the friends of the admlnistra-
ton declaring, with unblushinS ehfohte-
rv. that the measures of government are
calculated for the benefit OF party -
while every man, whatever may be his
talents and his virtues, is prescribed from
Office. if he will not bend to the views OIL
the administration-instead OF public JUS
tee, and the {" blessings Of liberty" we
see laws passed restraining the free COM
merce of the country, drying up the sour
ces of private prosperity and public reve'
nue., and compelling government to aug
ment the public debt = infring ing the
rights of our citizens :-harrassing the
merchant with intoIerable vexations, and
exposing him to penalties enormously OPP
pressive checking the industry OF the
farmer, and impoverising every class OF
citizens.
Resolved, That while we are cordially
disposed to submit to the constitution and
laws of the country, and to any ilconve-
niences which may be necessn,n to the
public safety: we cannot quietly resign
our rights and privileges, nor tamely ac-
quiesce in measures which appear to VIC
tate tho solemn compact by which the Sc
veral states are united. The power to
regulate commerce." cannot be pow
er to destroy it. From the documents
which have been laid before the Ameri-
can people, we sec not the least evidence
that the public safety requires the citi-
Zens of this country to abandon the ocean:
to relinguish one extensive and lucrative
branch OF business, & to sacrifice great
amount ofproperty vested in shipping.
Resolved. That it is the duty Of every
government, if possible, to live in peace
and cultivate good understanding with
other nations. But the public interest
should never be sacrificed to party preju
dices. or to forms and ceremonies. The
demands of nation upon foreign go
vernment should be proportional to its
means OF enforcing them; and nation
which extends its demands beyond its
means of enforcing compliance. exposes
itself not only to denial, but to disgrace
and contempt.
Resolved. That a pertinacious adhc-
renee to restrictions on trade, after the
experience Of years has proved them TO
be utterly nugatory and Intellectual to-
wards obtaining repeal Of the orders and
uetftcs 0l SftaL Dfltdln IL l. fdfct, ttHuo
to destroy our confidence i'm the govern
ment Of the United States. We see in
these restrictions, direct tendency to
impair the wealth, the strength and i'm
portance of the commercial states. We
believe it sacred duty which we owe to
ourselves, to our country and to posteri-
ty, to protest against the present non-im-
portation law, anil against all laws of a
similar kind, and to unite with our fellow
citizens in opposing them by all lawful
means. We firmly believe the congress
of the United States, in passing such laws,
transcend the powers with which they are
vested and that it is the solemn duty OF
the citizens Of this country of all parties,
to set their faces like flint against such
encroachmerts upon their rights and pri-
vileges.
Resolved. That while we trust the
legislatures Of the several states will not
interfere with the exercise of any cOnsti-