Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-09-28

STRANGE and complaint from the hrst organi-
cation of the government 81 the United
States President WASBIEGTog INSISTED
| on its. being abandoned. President ADAMS
| continued his rcmonstrances with unanswer-
| able arguments against the pretension. Pre-
| sIdent JEFFERSON united MS voice with his
predecessors against, and President MADI-
SON, tor four years past, has been invariably
laboribg &c obtain from Great Britain an a.
bandonment of this oPpree-'-- conduct. l.
very minister near that court. whether fedc-
raj or republican, has demonstrated and ma
infested the Indignation of his country, u
gainst this barbarous procedure.
And what has beer the effect Of negocia-
ton! The government Of England with
cool and contemptuous Indifference, while
pretending to listen toyour complaints, have
been gradually increasing the vex tious con-
duct, which occasion them. The mildness
oi YOUR opposition, and your patient fcrbear
ahce, have been ascribed 20 your dread of
the power OF your oppressor. Your repeat
ed recurrence to negotiation instead of arms,
he has attributed to your weakness and pm
silianirnity md while you have been mock
ed by his pretension of right. founded on ne
cessity, every petty officer in the British va
" has been triumphiug over cur degraded
flag, and laughing at the impotent boast,
q
To these outrages on the persons of our
| citizens has been added that of piracy on
| their property by paper blockades, and or
dcrs i'll council; the vessels and cargoes of
our merchants while passing the highway of
nations, have been captured, conducted into
| British ports, and by their corrupt courts of
| admiralty, declared lawful prize in the vio-
| lation of every principle Of public law, and
| tor no other avowed reason, than to retaliate
| on their enemy, who had in the same un-
| principled manner, violated our rights as
neutral nation. However insulting tn the
common sense of mankind this pretensan
may appear, vet it is only ostensible and he
British ministry do not blush to avow the
real cause to have been TO CHECK THE
| RISING GROWTH AND COMMERCE.
Al PROSPERITY OF y RIVAL NATI-
ON, and under this motive, TO piuuder our
deienceiess ships, and seize whatever pro
| perry the winds Of Heaven should cast with
III their reach-THiS is PIRACY.
On our frontiers, a Savage Enemy, res
pecting neither the rights of property, nor
the weakness of age, or the helpless state of
infancy, mas been - c.tcsi ~ lie ~Ork IS de-
structIon; and the means of annoyance liber-
ally supplied them by English agents. And
the fact that since The present war, these red
barharans Of the wilderness are found mar
shalled under the British standard, and fight
ing by the side of British officers and soldiers,
and little doubt remains who melted them to
the war against the u. States. War has its
laws; the humanity of civilized nations has
softened its rgors but the associate of sa-
ages whose role of warfare is universal de
struction, is destitute of all claims to honor
and respect.
Such, fellow citizens, has been the conduct
4 ut Rrft IN In hpf.S L.. kaS h.aR ~
War in its worst form War that made not
prisoners merely but SLAVES of our citizens:
War that has subjected your property not
o the laws of CAPTURE, but to the free boot
ing hand of PIRACY. A War, which call
ed to its aid, an alliance with the barbarous
rovers of the forest, whose delight is to- tor
ture, and whose pleasure is to deal IN GeUlh
On your side has been peace-Peace longer
than it could be maintained without dishonor
, Peace till all Europe considered you in
sensible to insult, and the American charac-
ter had become the mask of obluquy and the
theme ct contempt. MiStakng y our views
and ignorant of your real disposition, they
have estimated your forbearanCe as the re.
suit of our mercantile ayarice have consi
dered your patience but the effect of cowar-
; dice, and that the resort ofncgociation arose
from your dread of arms. The HEROES oil
haze taught them Better
Al length, fellow citizens, you are called
! to defend yourself es permission is granted
you to protect By free, your individual ant
, national rights; you are called upon TO re-
sSt entertainments, which have increased
and multiplied until they are no longer tole-
rablc ito protect your persons, your pro
perty, your character, your sovereignty anC
independence. The defence of these posses
sions is the object of the righteous War, il
? which you are engaged He who would re
I fuse ms aid in defence Of these blessings
. richly deserves the name and condition OF :
slave.
Americans You do not wage war for am
bition, plumber, conquest; ion any false esti
= mate Of pride, or any fanciful punctillo o
> honor: the sole object of your contest is {,
8 Obtain secrHify offhe future and fndemuifr
}, Tor fhe hast To effect this it Is necessar,
to- distress the enemy, 10 make him feel tina
u the patience of your Counrymen is eouaIle,
. only by their courage, and tina, the uodera
D ton OF tieir councils has IT'S parallel only il
" the vlgor Of their War. TO procure peace
It IS necessary to conquer! No treaty Car
restore you ITS blessings, unless the vigOr q
our arms shall have guaranteed 10 YOU hon
!, orablc terms.
In government Ike ours, where freedom
: O. opinion necessarily generates party spirit
D and ambitious and designing men arc pant
ing for power and eager for Office. IL is natu.
T, rdi to expect, that every crisis uf our public
q affairs will be the signal Of alarm, and fac
y ton viii eudcat or To- make the calamijes o
r the times lhe means by which to amount &c
s consequence and power. Such has been the
object of men who fOr twelve years past have
been opposing every measure Of the Govern