Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-08-23


Just; and few, the better to conceal their |
subserviency, and to gain to themselves indie
pendence, will even venture occasionally to
call him tyrant with which his imperial |
majesty will not be offended, while they con
unue faithfully to serve him. For the seizure
and contscation of American vessels under
his Rambouillet decree-An act of such dis
tinguished atrocity, such shameless viola
ton OF the most obvious rules of Justice. as
demonstrate the Emperor's utter contempt
Tor the opinion OF the world, as well as for
the rulers OF the American Republic. Mr.
Madison made the kindest apology magma
bie:- "Tne property of our citizens (says he)
was seized under misappiicat;on of the
principle of reprisals, combined with a mis-
construction OF the law Of the United Statesr p
when MIR. Madison, perfectly acquainted with
the nature and character of the seizure (of
which in my last address gave description
knew 1t to be an act of sheer, deliberate vii.
lainy! that the principle of reprisal had no
thing to do with it; and that the law was so
plain as to be incapable of misconstrdction,
In relation to this point. Besides, if the law
had appeared in any respect uncertain and
doubtful, there was an intelligent American
minister on the spot to explain it, if a right
understanding of it had been desired But
| such an understanding, a correct construction
of the law, was not desired. A glaringly false
construction alone could furnish the Emperor
with his shameless pretence for the seizure
These considerations, with those exhibited
in the preceding address, show that it was
| impossible for Mr. Madison to g anticipate
or" expect the restoration of the property.
Why then did he hazard the making of such
| declaration to congress- On the foundation
| principle formerly mentioned and repeated,
with some illustrations in this address-the
maintenance Of the prejud;ces Of the people
IN Jovour Of France, as the essential means
| Of an maintaining an poJcer the party Of zUhich
| he as at least the ostensiNe hedd-A full and
faithful display of the nature and effects OF
! the Rambouillet decree, would naturally and
necessarily have led him to detail the multi
tude of other acts of France, alike unjust
insulting and injurious to the u States and
their citizens. This, if the people continued
under the delusion in which he with his pre-
decessor and their conductors had involved
them, would have destroyed his popularity
If such a display by the President of the U
States served to open the eyes of the people
they, thus made sensible of the deception
which had been practsed upon them by the
same leaders, would have cast them off; anc
the cause of democracy might have been ru
| med Such a display, therefore, of whole
some truths, by Mr.. Madison, was not to be
expected Besides, it would have contradict
ed the course, and been subversive of the pre-
| objections of his whole life, in relation to
| France But there was also an Immediate OBJ
iect which forbade such display: it would
have deprived him Of all apology for accept
ing the declaration of conditional and .fu-
ture, instead of an actual repeal of the Ber-
| lin and Milan deerees-and thereby have de-
prived him Of pretence for reviving tho nom
| intercourse law against Great Britain An
adjustment of our differences with Great Bri-
tain must not take place. The rulers of Re
publican, France, by intrigue-by threats
| by bribery--endeavo to prevent any ami
! cable treaty between the United States and
Great Britain any treaty which, by enlarg-
ing and securing our own commerce, would
also benefit hers and thus pave the way for
that return of good will and confidence be-
tween the two nations which should add to the
prosperity of both: and when one was fortu-
nately made that of 1904 France omitted no
means to defeat it And when foiled in this
attempt, and afterwards in the choice of a
President Mr. Adams, and not Mr.. Jefferson,
being elected she let loose, and gave greater
scope to her piratical cruisers ito fleece US
g Of our property las Joel Barlow said, and he
I" was then in Parisl to sufficient degree to
I" bring us to our feeling in the only nerve in
q which it was presumed our sensibility lay,
g which was our pecuniary BY
{" bringing US to our feeling" Mr. Barlow
meant inducing the submission of the govern
ment of the U. States to France, like many
of the powers of Europe, whose cases he CT
ted, as examples for us to follow. Fortunate
ly the minds of the great majority of the A
merican people at that time remained alive
to national insults and injuries Resistance
took place of the expected submission The
French government was brought to its senses