Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-22

to our shores eIDiS ants A'oi' - q
esnbittered byirreconclleable enmity TO Gr s
britain, are the strenuous advocates Oh hs'
GREAT rival, and are exerting every eno'e ~
further the views of France by lnstigatlng out
rniers TO war with the object of their hate.
Tbeyhaye employed the press as grand en-
yine ID promote their views and our country
!. delbged with nnammatory nlsreprcsenW-
tons, calculated to impress you, fellow clti-
zens. with a belief, that those, whs nave So
lone and so arduously commended fer the COD
tiDuance Of peace, in opposition 10 tne pres',,'
noliey. are tories-cnemies of the country, q
devoted to Britain. Having disclosed 10 you
the source. whence this detestable caiumny has
proceeded, we are persuaded you will reject
+ with derision and contempt With great
reluctance. fellow citizens, We have trespas-
sed thus far upon your patience. The lmpor-
lance of the subject, the urgency OF the occa-
sion, and the deep interest you must teel IN the
discussion of the momentuous question now
to"be decidedly the people-whetherit is expe-
dent under existing circumstances to engage
in war with G. Britain, will, we hope, justify
us in claiming your attention little longer. 1t
you are still blind to the meansb by which pre-
sent rulers beguiled you and established their
popularity, you cannot be Indifferent to the ex-
listing dangers which surround you. 1t it be
the policy of our administration to select Great
Britain as our enemy, and we have every rea-
son to believe, that such is their infatuated de-
termination, we mplore you, fellow citizens,
to pause and reflect upon certain consequen-
ces of such an act Of desperation. Reflect,
that these consequences must result from the
present situation of our country. 1t is max
i'm of sound policy, that no nation should en-
counter the pcrjls and calamlties of war, with
out well founded expectation, bottomed upon
correct estimate OF its resources and actual
preparation, that the great object cbntended
for will be attained by the contest. Where
then is the evidence, that the United States
are prepared TO wage war with one OF the most
formidable powers upon earth, with reasona-
bic prospect of ultimate success WIN not
war with Great Britain, In reality, be degrad-
ing submission to the imperious demands and
unwarrantable aggresslons Of France! Where
Is the statesman SO weak or so wicked as to
DENY that the fatal effect of the mistaken po-
icy will be TO force Us into an unnatural alli-
ance, offensive and defensive, with tive impe-
rial scouree of Europe We wish not to be
ical examples to corroberate our assertion
that contest with one belligerent necessarily
Undue s an alliance with It's adversary. But,
fellow citizens, the most distressing part of our
duty remains to be discharged, it is to expose
to your observation the real state OF the nation
reduced by the suicidal measures Of admins
tration to degree Of debility, which has a.
Weakened the anxiety and apprehension of eve
ry friend to his country, and encourages the
insults and aggressions OF our enemies. Be
hold the heart-rending spectacle Of national
depression an exhausted treasury and an ex-
piring commerce, resulting from the indlscre
ton Of your cabinet, and the inseparable con-
commitants Of its restrictive system, ( waste
full expenditure of national revenue, announce
in language, which cannot be misunderstood,
the inadeuuacy of the means requisite for OF.
fensiye operations and the certainty OF eXac-
tons from agriculture, whenever the pride OF
opipion, or the spirit of revenge shall call them
into existence.
Among the most operating causes of this
national debility, the fourteen months embar-
90 challenges the first consideration. The
declared object was to save our men and ship
ping, and by denial of our raw materials, and
bread stufs to the belligcrents, to coerce
thein, to that justice which we had right to
demand Experience has verified every pre-
diction of its wickedness and inefhciency,
which the minority in congress opposed to its
adoption France deemed it so innocuous to
her prosperity and commerce, that all imperial
edict, aided in its enforcement by subiecting
to condemnation American shipping for con-
trayen,on Of is prohibitions, and Great.Bri
tain considered it only " as measure of in
convenient restriction upon the American peo-
pie" Your shipping Zone object of its pro-
tection) aed from its care. The honest por-
ton of the American people, have been its on
ly victims. Their produce was sacrificed
and the utter inadequacy Of the means en-
ployed, TO obtain the contemplated object,
Frustrated the national character abroad. AZ