Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-12-31
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Continued.

But tits time to bring to clesc these
desultory remarks. We have endea-
yered to shew, that neither our pecu-
niary,nor our physical ability is adequate
to this war of offence in which we arc
engaged. That neither Justice nor in
torest demand from the native American
citizens that they should support war
to absolve foreigners from the allegiance
due to the country of their birth--and
to secure to them exemptions and pri-
yilegcs in commerce and navigation,
which ought to belong only to them
selves. We hope that our ideas have
been SO expressed, though not in ddac-
tic method-though crudely and hastily,
as to excite the reflections of our native
fellow-citizens--and cannot doubt, if
they will give due consideration to the
important subject, that they will be
convinced of the improperly Of CONT
nuing the present war Tor such an OBJ
lect. What would be the situation of
our native citizens if we now concluded
peace with Britain by excluding British
subjects from being employed in our
navigation -? Such an act would take
frSa Britain every pretcxt for impress
ing men from American vcssels-@ur
nayigators would be safe in every sea-
There would be then no danger that the
commanders Of British ships would mis-
take native Americrn citizens for Brush
subjects Our vessels would Only be IL
able to be seized for carrying contyaband
of war to the enemy, aad for attempting
10 enter blockaded ports-Wc should
be at peace with the only power i'll tho
world capable ofinterrupting our pres.
perity, or of inhicting severe injuries
on us-We should enjoy commerce
ample as we could wish 10 the East aid
West Indies, to South America, to A
frica and Asia-but above all to Europe,
even France and her dependencies. In
fact, peace with Britain opens to US the
commerce OF the world.
Our exports for the year 1871 CT do
mestic growth * manufacture amounted
to S4s, 1000 900, Of which more chan thir-
ty-eight were exportedtu Britannia Spain
and Portugal ard their dependencies
and more than three millions to Sweden
Denm ark and Russia-countries which
furnish in exchange every article re-
ccssary for our comfort and use-a com.
mercc which formerly gave full employ
ment to all our ships and mariners, sti-
mulated our agriculture and nlanuiac-
lures, and furnished revenue TO the
nation Of nearly S2o,ooo,ooo, adequate
for all the public MISUNDERSTANDING
unnecessary internal taxes of every kind.
Look a: the contrast. Our revenue
from commerce almost c&iinct-plans
of heavy taxation in agitation-We have
already borrowed 10000 900 dollars, and
loan of twenty more is required for
the next year, certain not to be obtained
unless supported by an efficient system
of internal taxation.
Peace with Britain, as stated above,
opens our commerce with the world,
even with France, and restores our re-
raove. War with Britain shuts us not
only from her vast dominions, but from
the rest Of the world, except Spain and
Portugal, to which she as yet permits, by
iicencc, our trade in provisions-every
other article of our agriculture or ma
nutacture perishing on cur hands. T.
ven Of this pittance of commerce, our
| rulers have shewn symptoms of a wish
| 10 deprive our country, and if the war
continues Britain herself may refuse 1t.
X 90, ~