Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-05-29

| ness Of the title and took possession of it,
when we legislated for it-when we establish
| ed a port OF entry and delivery in it-when
we put our doings on our own statute book,
| and promulgated them TO the world-when
we had done this, and observed a frown low
ering upon the brow Of an apostate Bishop, a
wanderer from his country and his God-and
we shrunk from a possession which we still
claim-where was our honor? This is the
! foulest stain on the annals of your history
| and If the title be a fair one, the whole mill
| tary force Of the United States, if necessary,
should be put in requlsition to wipe it away,
| and to possess and defend the country in ques-
ton.
Sir, when Mr.. Serrurier told us in his letter
Of the Esd of July last, that his Majesty the
Emperor of France, having an equal interest
| in all Sc of the states, desires that the relations
| of should be common to all parts of
the federal territory7-when we were told
this to our teeth, at the very moment or short
ly before, when the whole of New England
possessing half the sea-coast, and nearly half
| the tonnage of the United States, was under
the ban of his empire, under a bull of excom
! munication, and not permitted to ship to the
| value Of single cent of colonial produce 10
his empire, while permissi5ns were given to
| New York, to Charleston, and for aught 1
know to Baltimore-and we made no reply
| where was our honor?
Sir, | do not complain of the fact, but Of
the delusion with which we are perpetualIy
shuilled-no, sir on the contrary so long as
France pursues her present system Of conduct
towards US, ! want no Intercourse with her
would to God so long as she thus treats US.
there were a Chinese wall extending from the
foundations of the great deep to the third
Heavens, all round her Empire, if such an
one were necessary to cut oil all the colmmu.
~nication between her and us, until she is
better disposed to do US justice.
Thus, sir, although France unquestionably
should be the first object Of attack, yet ad-
herring to the republican principle, that the
will Of the majority legally expressed must
govern, and the nation will not go TO war with
France, but will engage in a war with Great
Britain-I am ready to admit that in a war
for honor you have cause enough for war a.
gainst Great Britain.
] an no p~artizan Of Britain in opposition to
the interest or feeling of my own country.
When one of her navy officers inflicted that
most outrageous insult upon US, the attack up
on the Chesapeake, there was not a man in
the nation who would have been willing to
have gone further in any thing, cursing and
Boosting excepted TO ayenge il, than myself.
Nor did | ever contend for the sweeping ex
tended construction that was attempted to be
given to her principle of blockade. Both
these points are however, now happily ad ust-
ed, an atonement has been made and accept
cd for the attack on the Chesapeake, which
it would be the part of petulence and coward
ice to repine at, inasmuch as it would be a
reproach ON our own pusillanimity for having
received what we ought not to have acceded
to. And the principles of blockade has been
so explicitly laid down in the recent cores
pondence of Mr.. Foster, in conformity with
the established recognized law of nations as
to make future cavil with regard to it impos-
sible.
| derived no pleasure from the bitter sar-
castle retorts of Mr.. Canuing-in my estima-
ton much better adapted TO the tlippant petu-
lence of the tea-table, than to the beaureau Of
a statesman. Nor was ! g%ratiied by the di-
plomatic maneuvering and eyasions of the
Marquis of Wellesley in regard to the appoint
ment of a minister to the u. States, aud a re-
vocation of the orders in council which, in
my opinion, are equally indefensible in point
OF principle, whether they arc attempted to
be supported on the ground OF retaliation, or
that of selfpreservation.
ITO be concluded IN oar nest1