Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-01

with divided CounCllS, snouleS W @ ga 10y
rity declare generaland offensive war, oy iaho
and sea, on such points not vitality adscthS
MS in our national prosperity, instead OF walt
;;no for time, mutual interests and negoclatlon
10 settle them, (many Of which must end OF
themselves with the war in Europe,) is an c.
event which seems to almost DEFY beiief.---
The pepple-rehecting citizens, are struck
with amazement and disapProbatlon, looking
round for means Of relief from the threatened
evils Of protracted, hazardous and untinely
war---a war declared against England too IN
the midst of negotiations, and whilst her MI
nissry and parliament were actually deiioerat.
ing on the very point Of repeating her orders
It is then, countrynten and irlends, to TINS
great, unlocked for aud portentous question,
we claim your solemn and candid attention
I'VE have reflected upon it.--Our imaglnations
have carried us over its long and deSolatpg
track: desolate and long, even beyond imagl-
nation, will it prove, if we do not cut 1t short,
before its eorruptions, It's passions and vo-
lence, shall have fixed it upon our land be-
yond remedy or controu 1t is III its begin
nings we must make our lawful stand; before
il spreads and strikes deepits roots. II long
permitted 60 flourish over peace and social ha-
bits, all history proves that war becomes the
predominant passion, and civil liberty too or
ten Yields up its blessings to the lust of mill
tary ambition, pride and oppression.
We perceive this measure OF the admins
tration, big NTH unutterable mischiets.-lt
persisted in, when will 1t end What IS II to
gain for us Are we sure, or is there even
shadow Of probability that we shall conquer
Eneland-compellin her by force of arms, to
Weld what she maintains TO be her right, and
refuses absolutely to relinquish IN any other
way than by agreement and mutual conces-
sions If war is resorted to, and while the
war law continues, no further room is left for
treaty. we must force our demands, and sue
coed in them by the swogd--by bringing our
energy to submission.
And shall We. fellow citizens, at this time,
aud in our circumstances, on account OF these
dispu,abe points Of trade with France, and O.
buse of impressrnept, incur so many mime
date losses and subject ourselves to so many
certain future evils as this var must produce.
You have seen what these Immediate and GER
tcin losses VIII DC III our agriculture, foreign
aa,i coastlne trade, revenue, and internal
blessings of peace and neutrality ; losses, any
one o{ them hundred fold more 70 oar iniu,
ry than all that has accrued or Can accrue from
the occasional injuries we complain of at sea.
If we 90 to war for commsrce and seamen, is
it not evident that we sacrifice them both and
entirely But what we must lose and suffer
in the outset, great as it is sinks into nothing
compared with what will follow. Surely these
dreadful consequences have escaped the no.
tice of the advocates of war in their full eZ
tent, or they have preferred 10 encounter them
rather than forego gheir resentments and re-
treat from imprudent resolutions.
How unfortunate when men prefer the ho-
nor of perseYering in error to the honor of
retracting it; and when their country too IS
at stake Beside the decay OF agriculture,
commerce and revenue, war will yltlate the
moral. Of our people, particularly the rising
generation. Is it nothing to bring on gene
raj decline of virtue, order and regard for HE,
property and private rights? Will not war ne
cessurily produce this, with decline also of
industry andthe evils of wide spreading in
solvency? Perhaps even all these might by
some be viewed without alarm !; but what will
the people say to, or how endure, tor great
length of time, other necessary concomltants
of state of war? In contest, such as we
must go through, with such power, to force
it into submission, standing armies, the bane
and destroyers of liberty in every country,
must be introduced, continued, and swelled to
dangerous magnitude. No matter what we
call them, volunteers, select corps, sc. If
they are not militia, under our own state Of
6cers and government, they are standing
troops in the pay and under the direction of
military chiefs, who may become ambiti-
Gus, insolent, and over whom we Can have
little control. In the train of war also follows,
wastefulness and Unsuitable demands upon the
peoples labour and substance, to support its
never ceasing and growing expenses. Great
armies mustbc raised ,cloathed, equipped and
paid--and thus, year after year, in addition to
the ordinary expenses Of government and the