Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-07-18
On the projected 7ca' 'ci'h England

Fellow CIrlzENs, oc
=, NV last address gave an account OF
~. anaasemcpt between the American
f,.;uate President. commohore i'oc$,e'9
coomandcr. and the British ssoop oil war
1;,tle BeIt. captaia Bingham COMMANDER;
anJ tho reasons On which L pronounced
tho or..ce,I;n.s on the part OF the Anne
n;a,n f.;-,te unlawful. and al act 81 7car.
Ia.s, re marked. that those proceedings o.
r;.s;n,ted. PROFESSIONALLY. in the orders OF
the s;,reme executive power oil inc oui'-
al states. For which they consequently are IT,
,oa.nnons;,,e-ofwhich an explanation VIII
bc re1,,;ret-and for which satisfaction
vii, nv the British government be de-
ma,de.i-and by our government refused
I.m INV 70 exhibit the grounds OF tins
o,;uion. and particularly why satisfaction
bsing demanded will be refused. .
again take up the official report ..
.ommoi,ore Rodgers. His reasoning at
the instant the action commenced. ny !"
shot Gas he stated from the ii''ie nel'' IS
not a little singular. AM requires i'ar'ic"-
lar notice, as indicative OF the temper IL
which his orders were conceived anu exc,
cuted.-" When the first shot was hreu
Cs,ys The COMMODORE being under an I'M
nnrsss;ou that it might possibly have pro-
pp.sJ.d from accident, and without the or
d.rs or her commander. had Determined.
~ ,he moment. to fire onl y Il single Shot
in retrrn but the immediate repe'.''o' o.
ths nreyio,s uaprovokcd outrage induced
- h.';eye that the insult was premeai'
t",.I anl that from our adversary beng
-. fine as ignorant Of our real force
sIw,s o. his. he thought this, perhaps
o favorable opportunity of acquiring pro-
motion. although at the eSpenee OF 'no'a, :,
;nr our rputra,ity and insulting our mag
ue.e 7 must take leave to ask a &c"
a.,;n,. A the commodore's impress
I;nn WIS that the first shot from the Lat
lie peIt might have proceeded ir"m aeci-
dsnt and he was within speaking distance
,rhx ;nstcad Of first asking an explan;,ti'n'
5;i he determine to return even a Single
ebot? Was it the part Oh "a eom.h"hneT
Snss..ssinp. (as he says CT himself, ana
ut not truly-but he had orders when
W ya,t himself bound to Obev) "an h'-
oane and generous heart deterihineu "o'
tos,i,, drop Of blood unnecessarily 10
return a shot which might spii the Dioo'
gilmore than one man. when "eciafa',c''
Ibis neutral character. which it was ms
Su,v to have made. would have prevented
the sailing of u single drop, anu all 'he
ser;ons consequences which ensueo, ana
A.. s,;l, more serious in prospect ~ II!
d;J the commodore think the HIRING Oh ,he
fr.t gun IAN unproVokea outrage
Wos f rossible for captain Bingham to
;nss;ne rhe commodorc's ship to be neu'
tral3 After having been hard chased ny
bar far more than six hours ana al'ef
.aa;n. her, when within a mile ana nail
..l;n1 the precaution to get the 1oeather
gage, the position to windward inc iaos'
advantageous for action, which the COM
modore says) the commander OF the chase
Icant, in Binyham) from his maneu'res,
A,r;or half an hour, appeared anxious 10
nrevent in a word, after observing the
a,nmodore's movcmcntsan conduct, dur
So six hours and an half, to he precisel!
t,ose of an enemy after haiiing . what
ship is that 10 "s'' ....,>
NJ friend or foe, and the commodori
he'd refused to answer what other posi-
~. conclusion eoulJcaptain bingham form
than that the .emmodore's frisate was al
enemy? And by what rule of war, or o
eon,mon sense. can the firing OF a SHOT a
IN ere,ny be pronounced :, an unproVoke'
outrage ?''-.ind why. because under sue'
circumstances. The firing was rerea'eo
sboaid tae commodore :" believe 'ne m
mtt was premeditaieds" And why sheui'
the ,oa.aadore imagine that captain i'inS
b,,1, oe.aa ,he attack under the idea tina
il Was :. favorable opportunity OF az
rnirigg promotion by violating our neu
ir,iity and insulting our flag" when capt
4, mus. necessarily have believed tn