Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-27

HI
productions Of a minority or small mai, ae
who feel little interest in our public measn,.h
They may contain lavish offers of assists"
bat, like Frenchmen when bcstowino ~
compliments, their trainers never wish ;,
taken in earnest, We have more sp,c =.
terion from which to Judge. That spiri, vk;.'
will hold cut to the last eXtlemities, Was -
infested when personal service was reo,,;r.1
and loan was solicited from the nursre :,
the opulent. Although the danger appe,r(i
remote, and boast was made Of the liberaEs
of our government IN their offers to yoIr.
teers, our regular army has been filled IN E.
slower than the occasion demanded. W.
should little expect among = people zeaIop
in the cause, that resort must be had to con,
putsorV measures for raising the rcopisn,
number Of militia. Yet tbrouchou, the II
States mole than two thirds Of the yeorirs,
100000 have inyoIuntarily been taken Nv
draught. The honor Of our government sfooi
pledged for the security Of the loan. Tn.
papers were filled by the scribblers CT the dav
with enticing arguments for monicd men IL
contribute from their Golfers. Yet with al
this persuasion, 1t is we'll known how far ths
subscriptions fell short Of the intended loan
Thls cold Indifference or rather disapprobation
Of the people, argues much evil to the war
4 rash act OF our rulers may plunge Us mo,
war against the public Will but " lille the de-.
partments Of government are filed by the st.
fcage OF the people, that war Cannot be con.
tinued. Il is far from prophecy to declare
that, with I'll the feeling appeals to the popu.
lar preJudlces, unless there is material
change IN The public sentincnt, our rulers
wall soon be compelled to abandon their mea.
sures, or retire for the promotion of Others,
have been led to this remark from tie an.
parent certainty Of the fact, without regard 10
my wishes On the subject.
10 people 50 long accustomed to peace,
and SO long pursuing ;hcir pecunary interest,
needless OF the designs and duplicity of their
rulers, the very nG8:e of war is odious Blu:
1t is douhly so at the present crisis, from the
peculiar and deplorabc state of our AFFAIRS
Not citizen Of one OF cur seaports, but in.
wardly tremblcs for the safety of his effects.
The national treasury once filed with the
emoiuments Dl our revenue, exhausted by tho
ordinary expenses of government, now barely
affords the materials for issuing loan bills and
dlrect taxes on the industry CT the citizen -
Though few men are backward to support
necessary or popular measure, yet soon as an
lmFerlous call is made on the purses OF Ame
rlcans by the authority of odious direct tax
gatherers, they will lnstinctiyeIy inquire
why are these things SO - and exercise their
redeemlng power for the restoration of less
buTdensome condition.
tla ,.o.
OF our seaports; protection which can be
coRPicte only by the efficacy OF naval
force But In a war on Canada, we shall
need ships ior action, as well as protec.
uon' The supplies for our army are to
be derived from all parts Of the union
kead but the journals Of Arnold's march
across the northern wilderness, ard you can
form faint idea how HcrcuIeaiI the labour
and how vast the expense Of conveying or
troops, ourarms, provisions and supplies across
the land, or by the partial inland water CON.
munlcatlon, We csn now avail ourselves OF
no water carriage, without concentrating all
cur forces IN the same place and marching all
In tue same route. Imagine our army collect.
ed On the frontiers of Canada. In what man
ncr, would ask, shall ii cross The river and
Iakes, while the enemy retain possession Ct
each by suPc ior naval force How much
greater our prospect OF success five possess
ed formidable feet to cooperate with our
troops and convey them supplies to be rea'
dy TO seIze every advantage, and TO await eye
~ eXlSency. take it for granted that our
principal reliance is placed ON the tempcstu'
Gus season Of winter, that DER troops may
nee. With no distractions from water, bet be
enabled to pass over on the ice, as On dry land
But, little is the cold OF a Canada winter con-
sIdeEed by those, who can res; our hopes O.
success on a season in which the greatest e.
ertions arc requisite fer tie comfort of those
who live IN warm and compact habitalons.-~
Much fear that if the bodies Ct our soldiers
sustain the severity OF winter campaign, thelr
energy will be too much impaired for action
by the wintry chills to which they are unac'
customed.
Another obstacle to the success ofan often