Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-02-12

.dsnciee. compared with that to France and
italy. particularly To- our landed and agricul-
.tural interests. But the proposed war Will
Z Great Britain, Spain and Portugal, vii! rot
only DESTROY the make. for our exports to the
don,inions of those countries, but will destroy
even hat pittance of commerce which we have
with France and Italy, and also that small por-
ton which we carry on with the nations OF the
Baltic-For can we wage war with Great brl-
tain without expecting blockade OF our
coasts Is it not in her power without any
addition to her navy or naval expenditures
70 accomplish this object Can it be ilnagln-
ed that the sudden stoppage OF SO vast an ex-
Fort will have no effect on the pscuniary re-
sources of our country? Can debts be pad,
or contracts complied with, founded on cal
culation of the continuance of our present ex-
port trade Will not in fact, by the occluslon
of this trade, the great mass OF our agricultu-
raj products perish on our hands: even that
small portion which is exported to France,
Italy and the Northern Powers WIFI this
have no effect in depreeiating the value OF
our lands? Will it not greatly diminish the
ability of the people to pay taxes Is 1t not
to be feared, that patient and obedlcnt as are
our citizens, they may refuse to submit to
such privations, to carry On war OF conquest
and ambition, which annihilates their pecunla-
nv resources, wrests from them their aCcus-
toned comforts, and destroys their plans tu-
ture accumulation, and for what? to atten pit the
conquest of the sands of Florida, and the
frozen chimes of Canada Under such cir
cumstances. is it not to be feared, that the peo-
pie would abandon their government IN the
enterprise?
Such must be the inevitable effects OF the
proposed war, on our agricultural and landed
interests. What will be it's effects on our ship
ping interests? Our vessels must rot in our
ports, or fall prey to the superior navy OF our
enemy. We shall in fact have no maritime
commerce, not even between the different
ports of our empire. There must be from
necessity some inland communication, tedious,
expensive, and improbable. However, we &C
knowledge, that the war will, from the same
necessity, give an impulse to our manufactures,
which may afford small relief to its severi-
ties. But this will be poor counterpolse to
its other evils. SO far then as our landed and
shipping interests are involved, the proposed
war exhibits nothing but distress and ruin
But it is said the power and the wealth of the
nation will be increased by the conquest OF
Canada, Nova Scotia, and the Floridas. Il
NAV be easy to take possession of the Flori-
das-but if Spain send an army thither, and
invite to their standard, those degraded men,
who form half the population OF the southern
states, after dreadful scenes Of massacre and
devastation, we may even fail there. But to
take Canada, we shall ind dlfEcult task: we
must despair of it, if Britain should send
10000 of her veteran troops, taught In the
schools of Napoleon, to its defence. How
many years will it take to bring our new leyies
to an equal state Of discipline !? How much
time and money will it take to supply them
with equal equipments? The term of their
service may expire before they shall be IN
condition to take the field and the intended
conqueror of Canada,* may die before he
reaches the walls of Quebec. TO ATTEMPT to
conquer, and to conquer, are two different
thinrs-and even if successful, may we not
be obliged to give back our conqnests to OBJ