Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-04-13
From the United States Gazette.


with leisure for three months to contemplate
our own happiness and the wisdom OF those
rulers to whom we owe the blessing. but ail
true believers are obliged to profess their tpii
faith. thai this 6 solemn stiffness will speech
w he followed by the confused noise oil the
battle of the warriour"-thatt the present mac
tiyity is only the contracting OF the muscles
for mighty and tremendous eifort--that It IS
the COUGHING of the lion, that he may be able
to spring, with more certain and dreadful ell
feet upon his devoted prey. Not exactly be-
fore the breaking Up of the ice, but certainly
before the fourth of July, we are to take pos
session of the Spanish provinces on the south !;
to break up the rogues' harbor" III Canada,
and expel the British frem the American con-
tinent, beside chastising " our red brethren
of the West, and driving them beyond the
Mississippi.
All this sounds nobly on the eve OF an cleo
ton but is it not likely to be done Is 1t even
intended to be done or attempted we 40
not believe it. The embargo is not to be con-
sidered as the precursor OF war, unless indeed,
it should come unwelcomely and unexpected
" from the other side of the Atlantic. AS
war measure its design and operation would
be, to preserve our property trom the grasp
of a maritime enemy in the tlrst moments OF
hostility. Blu, we have seen the eagerness OF
all parties, as well those in the confidence and
secrets of the administration as others, to IN
cur that risk, laboring day and night to push
their property beyond the reach OF our own
paternal and protecting governments into the
very hands of the contemplated enemy IL IS
believed that more produce has been hurried
off from our seaports since the apprehension
of an EMBARGO was excited, than would have
been shipped in a month had no such measure
been in agitation. This is proof sufficient
that the merchants do not consider the en-
barge as likely to be SOON followed bya war
with G. Britain.
Is it, then, intended and considered as war
measure by those about the government with
whom it originated? A letter from Mr.. Mil
nor, dated on Saturday last, at Washington
has been published in the Philadelphia CIa-
Zette, yindicating the conduct OF MI Calhoun, a
distinguished member Of the committee OF
foreign relations, for having mentioned to Mr.
Quincy the determination of that committee
to recommend an embargo. Mr.. Minor de-
clares, that on Tuesday, the 5lst OF March,
the circumstance stated TO Mr.. Quincy by
Mr. Calhoun, was, zuRhout reSerOe, mention
. ed by other members OF the committee, In
" consequence Of a freUloNs understanding a
" mong them, and for the express purpose Of
" enabling the members Of congress, in gene
6 raj, to give the earliest information to their
constituents It appears, therefore, to have
been prcconcerted plan among the members
t.rS fIHas nj Nc
object of those deliberations, which, ter TIL
sake of rehubIican decorun', must bs veled IN
secret mystery. The administration, too, seem
ed equally willing that the merchants should
have full opportunity to send of that proper
ty which the embargo ought to have secured;
because, upon the very day that the embargo
was recommended to congress, III Secret
message, it was Publicly announced in the Ma
tional Intelligencer, TO be the measure re-
commended and likely to be adopted. What
ever, therefore, may be the distressing and
melancholy consequences OF second resort
TO this destructive eXpedient, it is not to be
believed that it is intended as the immediate
precursor of war with England. Whether
any thing is intended, more than to excite adj
ditional alarm, to gain time, and to secure the
elections, remains to be seen. Cur opinion
still is, that it will soon be followed by another
attempt to negotiate with Great Britain. In
what manner the way will be opened to over
lures of that kind, will be better known when
the secret message and the proceedings upon
it distinct from the embargo, shall be allowed
to reach the public.
1.-THE government were really resolved to
go to war, and manfully to put forth the
strength of the country in avenging her
wrongs * asserting her rights, 1t would be the
duty Of all good men patiently to bear an en-
bargo. or any loss or priyatlon, which should
materially contribute to bring about the de-
sired effect But those who lay the embargo,
and distress the country, have no such object