Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-08-10
BALTIMORE, August 1.
IND WARRIOR INDEPENDENCE.

lmpressment aside--we ask every hon
est man, federal or democratic, whether
when Britain carried the pratical practice
OF destroying oar Lazyfui trade so far as to
capture nine hundred and Seuente6n Anne
rlcan merchantmen. it was not high time Ell
Their to strike our national flag, or to vindi-
cate our national rights by force of arms !,
When we we're colonies of England, lord
Chatham drew this distinction between the
powers of the British parliament and those
| of the colonial legislatures: CommerciaI
Iregplationis ours--taxatinn is theirs But.
10 alter revolutionary war of seven years,
at the close of which Britain herself ac-
knowledged orr Independence bytreaty :;
years alter that event the same England as
sumes greater authority over our &c free and
| independent United States than she had
done over her quondam colonies! She re-
solved both 10 regulate our commerce and
to tax us through it: witness her successive
orders In council, and the black list of de-
predauons committed under them.-Thus.
we were lett no alternative but base submits
sion, or second war for independence
We choose the latter and perdition to the
traitor who wsuid not support war So
holy
We cannot conclude this brief reference
more appositeIy than with the following ex-
tract from the masterly review in the N.
lntelfgencef, heretofore alluded TO-:
offer no apology for France. She has
wronged us, and must do us right. But it
has not escaped observation, that MANY of
her seizures of vessels and merchandise, un-
der our flag, were British property. British
merchants, prostrating their lofty character
OF Proolty, forged our papers and our pass
ports, and every where rendered our flag
suspected. Denmark, who had at one
tune taken So many of our vessels I'm Ter pre-
textgot their being English, did not, after
the arrival OF Mr.. Erving, who was enabled
| accurately to discriminate between the false
and the true, condemn a single real Ameri-
can. Mr.. Erving' 3 final return, commupica-
ted By the President, will justify the asser
ton. In effect, the injuries and frauds of the
British, placed our commerce in the ports of
Europe i'll the situation of virtuous woman.
surrounded by persons of i'll fame, and it has
suffered from the bad company it has been
found in. Debauched herself, G.. Britain
has debauched our flag, and has endeavour-
ed to screen her own vices by crying Que that
American virtde was violated by Frenchmen.
Like Mrs. Waters, in Tom Jones, the British
have always roared out rahe and murder.
when ever they have been detected in their
roguery.
/ do not attempt to disguise, that vessels
claiming to be Americans, were seized by
France after the French DEGREES had been
declared to have been rescinded; the docu-
ment have introduced, shows that there
have been in all forty-fve. Most of these.
however, if not the whole, have been lib
Grated, as will appear by letters of Mr.
Russell, and Mr.. Barlow. This is the "nu-
meronS list said (ar p. % of the address)
to exist in the Office of the secretary Of
state" 1t is, admit, too numerous but
why do the addressers conceal, that many
of them were suspected, if not proved.
to be in collision with the English! it.
however, ./orty five vessels detained, and
subsequently released, create such indig-
nation in the breast of the pamphleteers,
why do they dose over the one hundred
and my eight American vessels captured,
during the same period, by the British I
II France had never revoked her DEGREES
at all, the preponderance of injury would
still be fVe to one on the side OF Great Brit
ain
"We fight, not for what France has given
us but what G.. Britain has taken away. We
fight for spoliations committed upon nine
hundred and seUentesH ofour merchantmen
for the thousands Of our seamen that have
beenimpressed; for the rights Of trade, which
are guaranteed by the law of nations; and
for security against future rapine."