Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-23
From the Boston Palladium.
TOWN MEETING.


snb..hitants Of this town The committee ap-
pointed on Thursday last, made report The
Hon. Mr.. Oils and Col. SIMMER, demonstrated
re innolicy Of the proposed War, and the
fight of the People, to endeavor BY conS.l'n-
tional means to avert 1t. The reports OF "nlch
the following is copy, was then accepted
The Committee ahhointed 6y the 1oT7n Of
Bo,ton 10 take into consideration fhe pre-
SEM alarming state Of our hstbhc Affairs, and
rrhort .phat measures, in their othdon, II IS
Aroher for the tozpn to Sdoht atthis niomen-
!ous crisis, respectfully Report
That the recent proceedings Of the govern
ment Of the United States, jSstily the belief,
that measures of dilecI hostility against Great
Britain have received the sanction OF one
branch of the Legislature, and probably nave
4already become law; or if suspended, that
they will be 6nslly resumed and enforced
] While the temper and views OF the national
administration are iptent upon war, an express
sion Of the sense of this town, Will of itself DC
quite Intellectual, either TO avert tbs dePsora-
Able calamity, or 10 accelerate return OF peace
But believing, as We do that an Immense ma
icrity of the people are invlnelby averse trom
< conflict equally unnecessary, ana menacln9
jruin to themselves and their Posterly -
I yinced, as we are, that the event VIII 49,
,vheln, them with astnniSh5eaefdT expression
....----rvprce OF the people would satisfy con-.
grcss, that those OF their Representatives who
have voted In favor Of war, have not truly re-
presented the wishes of their constituents
and thus arfestthe tendency ofthcir measures
TO this extremity,
But should this be hopeless, it will enable
The people TO combine their operations, in or
der to produce by constitutional means, a
change of men aud measures, and rescue the
nation from ruin. From the commencement
of the system of commercial restrictions, the
inhabitants of this Town inferior, we trust,
to none IN ardent patriotism and attachment
TO the union) have appeared to render them
selves obnoxious to the national administers
ton and its partizans in this State, by their
foresight and predictions Of their utter ineffi-
caey, destructive operation, and the ultimate
tendency OF this Unprecedented and visionary
scheme They 4Oossid discern IN 1t nothing
-hat-a deIDerate sacrifice OF their best inte-
rests, and a conformity to the views of France,
with whose system il co-operateS. and whose
APPRECIATION 1t receives and hostility to Bri-
ain,ewhose interests it wounds, and whose re-
sentiment it was calculated to excite. Ii was
for tht National Government to determine
whether the DEGREES ard aggressions Of the
beiligerent powers (which commenced with
the European war; would demand of the ma
tional honor retaliation and resistance or
WHISTLER the peculiar character Of The war, and
relative situation OF our country, would iustl-
IL a suspension of our resentmentS, and an ad-
herence to our pacific policy. In the one
case, tic years winch have elapsed should have
been occupied in warlike preparations. which
wopidnow have beeninposiug and fornida-
bic. In the other event, it was the dictate of
sound policy to protest against the predatory
systems which have annoyed our commerce,
and still 70 have pursued il by all practicable
means. But government has adopted neither
of these courses. 1t has not prepared to VIM !
dictate or commercial rights upon the ocean,
where alone they are assailed; nor has it per-
mitted tbc merchant to indemnify himself in
any measure for the loss Of that commerce
which IS Interrupted, by a participation in that
which is left. Blu by a strange and infatuated
policy, under the pretence Of resisting the in
Sasioncf maritime rights, it has debarred,its ]
own citizens from the use of the ocean; and
protessms 10 avenge the injuries it sustained
from france and England, 1t has aggravated |
them by lis own measures. The DEGREES. of
France. the edicts oi England, and the acts of !
Congress, though Intended to counteract each
other, constitute In effect triple league for I!
the anAimlation of American commerce: and |
our Own government, as if weary of waiting |
for lingering dissolution, hastcns TO despatch |
the suHefer BY the Flushing stroke Of a Bri-
tish war.
Had the policy of government been inclined |
towards resistance 70 the pretensions of the |
beligerents, BY open war, there could be nei-
Their policy, reason o. justice in singing out
Grea, Britain as the exclusive object of hosti |
hgy II tbe object Of war is merely to yindi- |
cate our honor, why IS il not declared against |
the FIRST asgressor? IL the object is defence
and success, why is il wagee against the ad- |
versarY most able 10 amor and lest III civ to