The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-10-02
MISCELLANY.
From the .dLsASy REGIs99R.
COMMENTS
O.r ARMED NEUTRALITY.
BY EDMOND C. GENET,
II Cii-.n Of .Neyr- York.

Europe is enslavcd with thee. Surrounded
with trophies, pampercd with feathers and
trinkets, aud accompanied by an animating
nusick, the cries of victory sound around
thee, and the thunder OF thy cannon pro-
claims thy powcr.--A fiery youth, whose
seyes sparkle with MARTA! ardour, form thy
train, and at thy will thrones are prostrated d
or raised, and the face OF empires changed.
The names OF greatness, bravery, hcroism
and virtue adorn all the acts of thy dreadful
might, and the most seducing titles, the
most en,icing decorations are lavlshed TO thy
votaries. But ii the magick OF that brilliant
show is dispellcd by reason, we see nothing
but carnage, blood, mangled limbs, mutilat-
ed corpses, fragments OF men, instruments
OF woe, convulsions, tears, plaintivc sighs,
disconsolate widows, afflicted mothers, orph-
an children, distressed friends, impreCations
OF despair poverty and famine cursing OPP
preston, and successful soldiers riding tri-
umphant over the sacred rights of man.
From that awful scene il we turn our view
to the sea, WAR is still moro horrd.--On
the liquid plains Ambition and Glory do not
even enrobe crime with the appearance OF
greatness. 1t is the unquenchable thirst OF
god--it is cupidi,y---it is all the low and des-
animate the breasts of those pirates, those
robbers, who, decorated with military titles,
plunder the commerce OF the world, and un-
able to find enemies enough to crafty their
sreedlpess, render peaceabc industry, neu.
trail trade and innocent navigation tributaries
to their unboundcd coyetousncss. 1t is to
supply their unceasing wants, TO feed their
debaucheries, to rcplenish the deficiencies Of
their purses, the repository OF their souls,
that they desoate the worli war is to then,
a monicd speculation, and to support il as
long as they can, corrupt judges, merccnary
advocates and vile partizaDs are employed ev-
cry where 10 iull the resentment OF the iDnu-
merable victims 20 their rapacity, to give the
colouring of pnh.iok law TO their continual
violation Of publick Justice, and TO present
their troublcsomc, SURFING, ineenoiary policy
as most useful check, as most valuable
barrier to an overwhelming system of contin-
entail ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which they themselves
studiousy stimulate and pourisb.
Al the sight OF SO many evils, we are in
duced to think that in a state OF war there is
no morality, no justice among men /; the
laws of bru,a! nature prevail when that ca
lamity RACES, and force alone will procure
safety To those whose humane and wise poli-
cy is to remaiD In peace with God and his
creatures The moderation CT the United
States IN support o! their neutral rights, the
patience with which they have endured for
so many years the most nasrai,t outrsges,
and afiroDts, and their rcpug-
nance TO that system which substitutes the
sword to reason and changes man into fero-
cious animal, are characterisick marks of ma
tional prudence and philosophy, unexampled
in the history Of any nation. *
But how much is il TO be reg rcttcd, for the
honeur OF mankind ard Of the age in which
we live, that SO much virtue should have
been of no avail T! anticipated it in July
1898, and my predictions have proved but too
true. 1t is not by proclamaions and disser-
tations on the rights Of ncutraIs, but by en-
ergctick measures, that those rights are pre-
served Experience had learned II TO the
Northern Powers Of Europe, and that know
ledge, dearly bought IN several wais, has
been the radical cause OF the armed ncutraIi-
ty of 1880, the covenants and principles oi
which have been presented III my last num-
ber.-Thc political his'oIyot Europe offers
other examples Of armed neutralities by sea
as well as by land, which have answered the
desired object, and it is maxim among the
piratcal statesmen Of the old world, that
neutrality, without national or a confeder-
ate force, is word void OF sense. 1t the pa
triolick views Of our rulers, if the distin-
guished talents Of our negociators have not
been crowned with success in all the neSocia-
tions rcspcc ing our neutral rights, 1t is be-
cause we have never been seriously armed
or arming to support them, and that both
France and England finding chat we had moth
ing but old books, arguments and goose
euils to defend our commerce, have coniinu-
ed to plundcr 1t, the one 10 drain as much as
she could the sources from which her rival
derived her Influential wealth, and monopo-
lize the trade of the other nations anc the
other 10 deprive her enemies oil the supplies
which enabled them to support their armies.
The system OF commercial retaliation
which has been substituted TO our moral po-
hxt hx.