Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-11-12

probation OF Hull. We wish him left, as the
President assures us he will be, 20 the ;nvcS-
tigation of a miltay tribunal 1t is by very
nice refexion that the feeling of the cXecu-
tive can be discerned ut all in relation TO
that commander. If it were not that Mr..
Madison calls the army which he surren-
dcred q ".gaiiaaf corps" there would not b.
q solitary clue whereby to discover the sen
sations of the chief magistrate. BY inducti
on, however, it may very safely be inferred
that If the troops surrendered were " gal
lant," the officer who scandalousy sacrificed
them must have been the reverse The
phrase, in the message, which clears the
first north western army from the suspicion
ct cowardicc, was due TO the senSibi,itcs of
the unfortunate troops that composed it !;
and as Mr.. Madison was necessarily Obliged
TO speak of the occurrence, il was the least
that he could say. As commander in chief
of the army. it IS perfectly in character for
him TO lie, it he understood that he does not
countenance nnoecility or trcachery, and
that whilst he mas no wish to influence the
opinions os those who are to try Hall, he, ne
ycrtheless. is not stranger To the feeling
which the conduct Of that General has so uni
yersaliy provoked.
The employment of the Indians by the
British the President dwells on with empha-
sis. In truth it is a distressing consideration
that Great Britain adheres to this policy
1t is course of proceeding that was very
harshy censured by lord Chatham, and has
been condemned by others of her enlighten-
ed ministers. Brave men ought to t,isdam
such alliances because they argue a want
of confidence in their own valor, and arc a
resort to q system of warfare within which
none but those who are intrnsically towards
would intrench themselves. The British
have iasufted us without the aid ot the In
aians; why, then, do they not fight us with
ont their assistancef There is nothing to
which the policy of employing them can be
likened. Religion and Humanity revolt at
such conduct; for surprising that we say no.
thing of the modes of Indian warfare of the
night attack, the scaihiag cfthe qvoUnded,
the tomahawk lifted TO ciease down snbmis
sive prisoners, the Draining Of children, the
6Rtcherv Of females, -suppose we pass these
by, and look at the Effects to the Indians
themselves; we shall perceive, on slight re-
{iexion, that tue British employ them with
an utter disregard of consequences. These
consequences must be retaliation in some
sort on the subjects Of Great Britain and
the eXtirpation If the savages. The United
States have as the President says, "invari-
ably recommended peace and promoted CT
vilzation among that wretched portion of
the human race" Bul it the British govern
ment counteracts these generous efforts ON
the part of America, so far as to induce the
Indians for present gains to forego perma
nent advantages, the United States will be
compelled to change their policy, and to
crush, or chace far away, these auxiliaries
IF Britain. Something ofthis sort has alrea-
dy taken place in the destruction of Indian
towns in the direction OF Fort Wayne, to
which the message alludes in that passage
where Mr. Madison speaks Of the march of
Gen. Harrison towards the Michigan terri
tory. We hope the British government will
soon yield to better counsels, and discard
from its Canadian armies the blood thirsty
sons 0fthe forest