Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-09-12
For The Megandria Gazette.
AGRICOLA-No. III.

Having shewn that neitherth the Liberty or
ndrhendence of our country is implicated IN
the causes Of this war. lproceed 10 BRING H.
to'yicw the reasoning OF those IN Congress
who voted against it-and here let me remark,
that the calm and solid argument, the extend
ed views, and accurate Information contained
in the address of the minority, will not loose
their force. from the bold assertions and I'M
pudent sophistry of hired executive serb
ber,* or the maevolcnt effuslons ct party
toast ulakersf- They lament in the first place;
and it is certainly to be lanented; that de-
parting from the accustomed usage OF nations,
we have not been favored by Congress, with
the causes for which this war has been declar-
ed Had this been done, our enemies might
have known, what it would have been required
of them to do should peace be their object
and the people here would have been INFORM
ed of the probable termination OF their dts
tresses. Did the administration wish, by a
voidng any definite ground, to leave them
selves at liberty to shift their demands, SO as
never to be met, and thereby continue the war
as long as french rapacity might require It!
The repeal OF the orders III council will soon
give us an opportunity of Judging OF this
They were left, as we ale, 10 seek the objects
of The war in the message OF the President
ard the report Of the commlttee OF foreign re-
lations to the House of Representatives.
The prominent grounds there stated, are i'm
hressment Of seamen. fafer 6lockacles and the
orders in councR. Upon the subject OF I'M
pressment of seamen, they remark that Ever
since the United States have been nation,
this subject has been a matter OF compliant
and negotiation; and every former admins
tra,ion have treated it, according to It's obvl-
Gus nature, as subject rather for arrange
ment than for war 1t existed in the time Of
Washington, vet this father of his country re-
commended no such resort. 1t existed III the
time Of Adams, yet, Notwithstanding the ZEAL
in support of our maritime rights, which dis
tineuished his administration, war was never
suggested by him as the remedy. During
the eight wears Mr.. Jefferson stood at the
helm of affairs, it still continued a subject of
negotiation and controversy, but was never
made a cause of war. 1t was reserved for the
present administration to press this topic to
the extreme and most dreadful resort OF ma
tons, although England had officially disa-
vowed the right of impressment as it respects
nat1ve citizens, and an arrangement might
well be made, consistent with the fair preten-
sions Of such as are naturaliZcd;" and "they
maintain that before the caamitics of war; in
vindication of such a principle be incurred, al
the means Of ne gociation should be exhausted,
and that also every practicable attempt should
be made TO regulate the exercise of the right
Col our flag to protect the mariner sailing un-
der it, in merchant ves$els) so that the ac-
knowledged injury, resulting to other nations,
should be checked if not prevented" They
are clearly of opinion that the peace OF this
happy and rising community should not be a.
balldoned, for the sake Of atlordng facilities 10
cover French hroherty, or to emfloy ErH1sh
scamen" | have shcwn, in previous paper,
that this was clearly the sentiments OF Mr..
Madison himself, when he supported, IN
the Virginia assembly the resolutions Of Mr.
Taylor, declaring, although they felt indignant
at the imhressment Of orr seaneu, yet they
should dthlore and dehrecate a qyar for any
other Cause, than defence in rel1elfng inuasion.
And let me ask you, my fellow citizens, do you
think it right, or proper, that foreigners, leav-
ing country, which their vices, their evil dis
positions, or even their expressions, had caus-
cd them to abandon, should be warranted in
fomenting here, even unto blood, the angry
passions, against the country they have lett;
or should voluntarily engage in pursuits,
which tend to jeopardise the peace of the peo-
pie who have afforded them an asylum-con.
tent with the enjoyment of protection, of llber-
See Collins Revicsv Of the I" address"
qohich commences zvith dictunl as nell caicu-
lated for the Government IF Turkey, as our
or.
t See the toast giuen at Gen Smiths feast.
HisonIy auoaderfnt that such stuff should hare
attracted any notice 6Rt contcmhf.