Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-12

IN : solen,n treaty with Spain, that sheH .pey
f,r it by force but that alo7p' they
80 o,,,r3osed 70 going to war with u. b4staii'
en- raneal Of her orders IN council, =
,,ecessarv for me 10 point Quito yp~ inc dlssi-
| as;Iar;,v of tbe two cases am sure my
oood friend you have not given 70 TUG ,ooJeo'
tbat cool reflection, which you are III the ma
III of doinp, on other occasions--or you coulu
not nave made this charge against your pom
t;oal friends. In the first instance we were
Ie,lri,ca of our indubitable right, secured 10
~ by solemn treaty with Spain, immediately
J., 81. own neiphborhood and redress beng
n;thin cur fozuer, Justice s policy would have
justified an appeal to arf3s 10 oDt&ii W w
object was definite and saccess certain we
bad nothingto apprehend from inc cohsegueii-
ces, except the displcasl'e OF the ml8ty en-
neror of France, and for tear OF that we f'rH-
de0tIl huycAaSed, what was before cur OVID
2nt in the latter case, we have 30 attninaoie
obiect-we llaye every thing to lose, ana no.
thing to gain from war with England.
Where then is the inconsistency OF which you
complain? There is another part OF your let
fer that remains to be noticed. You regret
to see disunicn in congress upon tie subject
Of war, least G.. Britain might calculate on
the friendship Of tie opposition, and thereby
continue Ter unjust course towards as--and
YOU give it as your opinion, that II there
was perfect unaoinlty manifested by ti.e
votes in congress, that the orders ID coahcli
would be instantly repealed" Are you aware
nv rood sir, OF the dangerous tendency OF
this doctrine? It IS in yain that the coDsti-
tuition has given exclusively to congress, the
right of declaring war, if the course OF tae
executive is to be sanctioned by their undi-
viled votes whether right OF wrong, Tor .eaf
Of The CHARGE Of disaffsc,ioh and II you adopt
this principle the most important bar'!ef III
the constitution will be FRUSTRATED aud the
rational legislature made completely suoser-
Went to the executive, upon this al important
point.
If the minority really believe that war
with Ebgland is unnecessary, and rnlhous 10
their country, is it not their solemn duty {"
oppose it, although recommended by the eX-
scut;ve? They would, in my opinion be
traitors to their country not to doit. Whence
10 YOU derive the opinion, that an undivided
vote for war, would induce G. Britain TO re-
-cind her orders IN council 1t rs not her
charac ter to be tinnid, nor has she ever been
known ID yleid 10 threats. Il VIC "l9A '''''''
IN an accommodation with her, our course OF
policy ought to be strictly inpartla Our
non-importation act ought to be repealed, our
iaterdicting proclamation revoked and the
whole Of our proceedings honestly and coma
tide neutral, as We have protested them to be
md tae,, have 10 doubt, all matters IN dls-
pute might. and would be, amicably adjusted
TO the satisfaction of the yirtu2us AMI We
meaning part of the people Of this couutTy
Atlerreviswing, andreconsiderlnS the grounds
Of your opinions, it will afford me great plea
sure 10 learn, that you have abandoned them
and that YOU will see in the course which |
have pursued, the true policy OF our country
Yours very sincerely,
JOS. LEWIS JR.
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