Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-18
DECLARATION
OF THE
Council and General .dssemo1y'
The State of .N'c7c-Jersey.

ycrnmeut having. on tue 1eth aas VI
Tune last. declared war against tne
united Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland and its dependencies. the
CONSERVATIVES of the people Of New
J..r,ey. at this momentous CRISIS
deem it an indispensable duty, to
make known their opinions to the
nersons conducting the general sc.
yernment; ever holding it an IN
doubted right to petition and rsmon-
strate. in regard to public measures.
In performing this duty we re-
frain FROM entering upen full reel
tai of the reasons and grounds which
inoel US to announce these ePinl-
Ons,
The admonitions Of prudence, the
force of reason and justice, and the
circumstances of thousands, have
been alike Intellectual and disregard
ed-a great, prosperous and happy
nation, without preparation, have
iseen suddenly plunged into an uane-
ressary, and, as We fear, hopeless
war.
Every thing dear to liberty. to in
irnendenee-to national honor-all
that the revolution accomplished
and that thirty years Of peace had
urncured and secured 10 our cOun-
Try, is put at the hazard of war.
We. tie Representatives Of the
People Of New-.'crsey. chosen since
tae PRONUNCIATION ofthis ruinens mea-
sure. owc /, TO our constituents, and
to ourselves. to make the following
declarations, in the hope that they
may tend to the restoration ofpeace,
and that ii may not hereafter be our
reprcach. to have given by silence,
an implied sanction to measures so
lnanifrstly leading to The rain Of our
selo,cd ronnrv. Mere especially
We consider il our solemn duty TO
record 'hese sentiments in behalf OF
Tie people OF New jersey, seeing
thar before the declaration Of war
was made. when scarce citizen Of
this state couii believe such an event
possible, tie thrn legislature OF \.
jersey. presented 10 the national go
yernMent resolutions encouraging
and approaching war.
We then. in the name of our cen
stituesls, ehosea by them on tue
express ground Of being the Friends
CT Peace. and most anxious to have
restored TO them and eur country its
inestimaG!e blessings. do Resolve:
1. That the war with Great-Bri-
tain. in which the present admin
stration has plunged the q. States,
was inexpcdient. il!-timed, and most
dangerously impo!itic-saerilicinS at
once countless blessings. and incur
ring al! the hazards and losses of
men and treasure. necessarily re-
sultins from a contest with nation
possessing SO many means 10 annoy
and distress us.
g. Resolved, That as the war wa:
improvidentIy commenced. 50 has
the conduct eft proved wasteful and
disastrous. The administration be-
ing evidently ehargsable with the
multiplied disasters which have at
tended our arms, and consigned to
captivity or death so many thousands
Ofbrave men, without the attainment
Of a single important object.
8. Resolved, That we view with
ineXpressi6le concern the course Of
that destructive policy which leads to
a eonnexioB with the military despo-
tism OF France; and if it should so
happen, as Our fears suggest, that
convention Or coHteiseraey with that
power, either exists or is intended,
we DO not hesitate to declare that
sue. an event will be considered by
US as more dangerous than the war
itself. and as tending. in its conse-
quences. TO a dissolution of the union
OF the United States.
+. Resolved. That so long as it
shall be tie unhappy fate OF our coun-
try TO be involved in war, the people
and legislature ofN. Jersey will per-
form all their constitutional duties,
embracing all the just means in their
pewcr to preserve the unisp, defend
the state. and advance the safety and
honour of their country.
5. Resolved, That it is requisite
that inquiry be speedily made into
tie causes Of the caIamitous events
oil the war, and that tic representa-.
ives OF This state in the congress of
the LATED States, ba requested. BY
all constitutional means in their pow
er, to effect this important inyestiya-