Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1812-08-17


must impute the long neglect and re-
peated refusals Of Our congressional le-
gislature, TO provide a Navy IN some
degree competent TO protect our COM
merce, and guard our extensive and al
most defenceless coast that our sur
prize al this neglect is greatly aggrava-
ted, when we call to mind the solemn
truths long since announced by the
present chief Magistrate OF the Union,
truths the more important and interes-
ting now, weare placed IN " an attitude" "
if not in " an armour" Of war.
(" Naval batteries, the most capable OF
repelling foreign enterprises upon our
safety, are happily such as can never be
turned by a herfdious government a
gainst our liberties. The inhabitants
of the Atlantic frontier are all OF them
deeply interested in this provision Tor
naval protection and if they have
hitherto been suffered to sleep quietly
in their beds if their property has re-
manned safe against the predatory spir-
1t of licentious adventures, if :heir mar
itime towns have not been compelled
to ransom themselves from the terrors
ofa conAagration, by yielding 70 the ex-
actions Of daring and sudden invaders,
these instances of good fortune are not
to be attributed to the Protection of the
existing government, that claims their
allegiance but 10 causes that are fugi-
tive and fallacious. II
Resotved-That the closest examina-
ton we have been able to make of the
long train Of our foreign negotiations
compels us to believe, that the unneces-
sary and ruinous war, into which We
are now plunged, is to be attributed
more to the impulse Of faction, combin-
ed with the intriguing, Aattering, men.
aclng, conhscating, plundering and
burning policy Of the modern Attila,
operating upon our own government,
with magic influence, than to the in
justice OF a foreign power" declared to
be our enemy.
That war SO forced upon us we can
neither approve, nor voluntarily sup
port that We cannot consent TO fcregO
the abundant and honorable returns Of
legitimate commerce for the scanty and
dlsgraceiul plumber of legalized piracy
we cannot freely exchange the cheer
ing scenes Of domestic peace for the
chilling horrors Of the I" bloody Are
ma" indeed We are unwilling wantonly
70 put 10 hazard the noblest gifts Of God
to man, cur liberty and independence,
to assist even our LoVing friend Napole
IN his aim TO destroy the remnant
Of liberty IN Europe, that he may the
more easily bring within his iron grasp
the" ships, colonies, and commerce. of
the world. In shot;, this war we must
reProbate and abhor chiefly because it
tends 10 draw us into a close connection,
unto fatal alliance, with this tyrant Of
nations, the enemy Of the human race,
whose tender mercies are cruel, whose
friendship is slavery and death.
ReSotUed- hat undisnayed at the
gloomy and threatening aspect of our
public affairs, We will not despair of the
safety of our conlederated republic.
trusting that the discerning, enlighten
cd and resolute spirit Of free, people
not TO be shaken by the ruffian assaults
OF faction, not to be seduCed by the IN
sidious arts Of tyranny, will speedily a.
rise in vindicallon OF their honor, and
in defence of their rights, and make
manifest 10 the world, that their conf
dence cannot be betrayed, nor their inter
eSts sacrificed, with imftnity.
ACTON PATTEN, 81, Moderator.
Il. g. SANFORD, 7ogrn Clerk.