Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-07-19

fore, for the purpose of guarding our mari.
time jurisdiction from violations by for
eign cruizers."
The commodore, continuing his details
concerning the vessel in sight, remarks,
that 50 the symmetry of her sails and her
making signals showed her to be man OF
war."-But the commodore knew that tor
long time before, no other than British
men of war had visited or approached our
coasts: hence must have arisen 10 his mind
another violent presumption that the sail
he discovered and to which he gave chase,
was that of British ship of war. 1t ap-
pears also by the FIRST reports OF the battle,
at Norfolk, by vessels coming in and which
heard the firing, I" that but the day before,
commodore Rodgers was spoken, enquir-
ing for British frigate which had been
spoken, not far off. Let US now suppose
that the commodore had commenced the
chase of the Little Belt so much earlier as
to have come up with her in broad day
light and that showing her colours, the
commodore had found to what nation she
belonged" and that the commodore's ship
became 10 like manner known to the Lit
tie Belt and destructive action had thus
been prevented. Suppose then that her
captain had ask ed the commodore, why he,
commanding a neutral ship, had given him
a six or seven hours chase on the high seas:
Would the commodore have felt satisfied
to have answered, I" was DESTROYS of
speaking you and ascertaiuing what you
were ?"-And if the British captain, indig-
nant, as every man ofsense and spirit mus t
be, on receiving such an answer, should
have told the commodore it zUas most i'm.
pertinent and untard2na6le curiosity-could
he deny the business of the charge or not
be mortified by the well deserved reproach?
Is this official reason for the chase one
which our administration would not feel
ashamed to offer to the British minister
should he be instructed only to ask an en-
PLANTATION of this affair? How much is 1t to be
regretted, that an officer whose powers, in an
honorable cause, would do honor to any
country, should be drawn aside from the
straight, ingenious path his own heart would
pursue, because the sinister views of the
men in power, with the official right to
command him, require it
have gone into SO minute an examina-
ton of Commodore Rodgers's letter, be.
cause, far from furnishing justification of
his proceedings, it officially confirms the
reports current at the time of his sailing
that he was sent in quest ofthe British fri
gate Guerrier, to demand the american
citizen she bad impressed on our coast:
and if his delivery were refused, to attack
aud take him by force. 1t was also stated
at the same time, in the government paper
at Washington, "that it was we'll under
stood that the commanders of our vessels
were generally instructed to submit to no
question from any foreign [really meaning
any British vessel, which shall wear the
semblance of threat, in manner or words"
And so the peace Of our country is placed
at the discretion of each of our naval COM
nanders From the whole infer, that
in the case under consideration, an act Of
zoar rvas intended; and an act o svar has in
fact been committed; not on the Identical
ship in contemplation but still on a Bri-
tish ship which will produce the same re-
suit. lind Ino1s beAepe it to Be the object
Of our administrator TO bring on zoar
with Great Britain; but in such way as
may enable them, by their own cunning
and the experienced credulity ofthe people,
to impress an opinion that Great Britain is
the aggressor while they good souls,
were sincerely and earnestly seeking re-
Cancellation and peace With as much
brevity as possible will state my reasons.
In my letter of February Is, 1908, to
governor Sullivan, on the Embargo, ask.
ed these questions "Has the French EN-.
peror declared that he will have no neu.
trails Has he required that our parts like
those of her vassal states in Europe, be
shu: against British commerce ? Is the
embargo substitute, a milaer farm of com.
pliauce with that harsh demand, which, if
exhibited in its naked aspect, the Ameri.