Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-01


but little In coIlvenlence TO herself. ISAfGe's'
with her usual vigor and Pteeautlon soc
will effect a Judgement sonls Were, posi-
bly in New Orleans or New York. Mhtch,
should Canada be taken, viii ensure It's
restoration at the close of the war. II
has been frequently observed ID thlS house
that the people had been deceived III tferpe-
ing ledlto belieye that congress was FOL ID
earnest in their protested intention to SO 10
war, whereas 10 design wasneecr more SIN
ccrc. no measure was ever more hoEes!iy
contemplated. 1t is true that such al III pres
SION has prevailed, probably to consloefapte
exfent From what source 1T has or 5lllated,
! I pretend not TO say. But certain 1t Is that II
| o,..hy DIaces it has been much stronger among
fhose VINO claim the exclusive right "i being
considered the friends OF the administration
Than among the federaists. This deception
cannot have arisen from either intimatlons IN
federal new spaPcrs, or extracts OF letters from
federal members Of congress. They have
summary method offfeeing themselves from
all impressions from tina: quarter Yet Ger
tain it is that they have partook largely OF the
decentienand have in some places treated the
rcport Mat we were on,the eve OF war as
federal alarn excited for. elecuonccrlng pur-
poses. But I would ask has there not been
something in the proceedings OF congress
during the present session calculated to lavof
the deception? A war with great naval pow
er without any naval preparation, OF any meanS
OF naval proteetlop, war undertaken oStenst-
Div for the defence of our commercial rights,
and every step taken towards that war calc0-
lated for the destruction OF those rights, II
not for the absolute ruin OF commerce itself,
or at least calculated to put both IN the most
imminent hazard Under these circunstsa-
ces it is not much to be wondered if the pub
lie did not believe that there was any real 10
tention to go to war, Tie declarations to the
contrary Notwithstanding. Whatever may be
tie tate of Canada, whether we succeed in
taking it or not, if it is attempted e Britain
Will ..srrass our maritime ffcnter. Evegy
movement towards her possessions IN Canada
Will increase the hazard on the sea coast, and
tend to destroy our rights Oh the ocean, those
very rights which we are protesting TO defend
and which this war is to protect and restore.
! If CanQda is tlken size viii seize an equivalent
10 ensure its restoration, Canada AND Nova
Scotia both Will be but poor equivalent tor
New York, Rhode Island. Charleston, New
ORLEANS sc, or for blocking up OF the Cbesa-
pcahe, Delaware and the Mississippi; S the
destruction OF our commerce and sisfpping.---
Yet TO accomplish an object which CAN have no
other effect than 10 put The MOST valuable Paft
OF the United States in the most imminent
hazard, we are to be oppressed with heavy,
and as they will soon prove. with in&nnnAr4.
hl, tau..-y VII every thn9 like protection -
denied. The expression may be deemed
strong enc, but | can ncitcr keep it bal <
nor qualify 1t, that the Citiz rs On tie Allan
TIC frontier can have no more Interest, ans
can reap no more protection nor derive an,
more security from the money expended in
the invasion OF Canada, than if it wus expend
cd IL hlrlng q banditli TO barn, p!unuer ald
destroy their habItations The Ehlng oil ouy
cues under contribution, stripping then o.,
then oAith emPtying lie vaults of banks &c.
are -one cI the least evils whlca are 10 be sX-
pectcd. odpPoslng sqoacifo0 Of three float
rs castie 10 be stationed AT Halifax, anot6e
Il Bermuda or New Providence, with an atic-
quate nunner OF nigatcs and other small yes
seis to scour tae coasts, spreading terror ana
and alarm tfonl Passamaquoully 10 lhe moutI
d tue Mississippi we would soon become
SICK nt our Cahadd expedition A former
President OF the United States spoke of the
finger OF Heaven as pointing to war with
France. Some may be of opinion that the I'm
ger OF Heaven IS pointing to war witb Great
Britain at this moment But if the finger Of
heaven Is to be considered as pointing to any
thing IN the situation Of the Umted States, it
IS 10 their becoming at no very distant day,
an important naval poweA We have an ex-
tensiye sea coast and the materials for an i'm
mensc commerce rapidly increasing by the
extension OF agriculture. The ocean is our
natural element. Ii there eau be fault
In bravery our officers and seamen are
brave 10 excess. On the ocean and on
eur maritime frontier we are alone rulnerabie.
The approximations Of al invading foe, such
is viii rendera large Standing army necessary,
are IDLE. Providence laa placed us IN sltu-