Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-09
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CON
GRFSSs OF THE U. STATES.

cheter; hHm0ty Represents
That your nremorialists, feeling in common
with their fellow citizens in other parts OF the
Union deep interest in whatever may affect
the prosperity and happiness OF their country,
cannot view with unconcern the awful Crisis
which now approaches.--War at any time,
and nnder any circumstances, is an evil which
cannot fail seriously to affect nation, and
which wise government will not hastily ana
inconsiderately encounter Bot War OF the
neculisr character Of that which now scourges
the human race Ia war, the known object OF
which is the establishment OF an iron despo-
tism over man in every part of the habltabie
elobe "a war carried ON by tyrant and by
Slaves. and which it seems impossible to enter
without relinquishing portion of self govern
ment, must furnish to young republic mo.
tiyes of more than common strength to AVOID
the complicated miseries which follow In Its
train.
Yctyour memorialists were disposed to a
wait with respectful Difference the decision OF
the constituted authorities, and to support, III
their respective stations, without attempting
70 Influence by the expression OF their sentl-
ments those measures which their government
might adopt. This course they now feel
themselves constrained TO abandon. meet
mo of the citizens has been called, aAd reso-
utions have been adopted, which your memo
rialists believe not TO express the true sense
of the people of Richmond and Manchester.
These resolutions are calculated so tar as the
opinion Of Richmond and Manchester Can
have weight, to impel congress to a declara-
ration Of war against Britain, and to induce
belief that the inhabitants OF these towns In
their deliberate Judgment think that measure
imperiously demanded by the honor and the
interests of the nation.
Believing this representation OF the sentl-
ments of the people to be incorrect, your me-
morialists feel it incumbent to remove the I'M
preston it may have made.
Your memorialists can never fail 20 view
with the keenest sensibiity, whatever may
wound the honor, impair the rights, or lnJure
essentially the real interests OF the Y, States.
They believe that great nation. such az s"A"'
nation whose growing wealth and StrenSth
entitle it TO an important station among the
independent powers of the earth, can never
with impunity permit itself to be degraded,
nor sacrifice its honor without haZardlng Its
safety Under solemn conviction OF this
great political truth, they would cheertully
meet the periIs and the privations of war, If
they believed the wounds inflicted on the Dig
nity and character of their country, or the at
tenipts to usurp its sovereign rights, could
be repealed by declaration against C, Britain
alone But believing that such declaration
instead of eleYating, would depress the cha
racter Of the nation; instead of securing,
would endangcr its rights; instead of improv-
ing, would prejudice its best interests; they
beg leave humbly and briefly to sketch to
their representatives the conclusions which
inthe best exercise of their judgments, they
have drawn from those documents which have
been laid before the public.
The avowed motive for declaring war
sainst Great Britain is understood to be the
continuance of her orders in council. These
orders declare all the ports of France and
her dependencies to be in state Of blockade,
and consequently interdict all commerce with
those ports.
Were these odious restrictions peculiar to
Great Britain, or did this detestabIe system
originate with or depend entirely on her, none
would manifest more decidedly than your me-
morialists, disposition to exert all the ener
gies OF the nation, in an effort to compel It's
REIMBURSEMENT.
But these restrictions did not originate with
G. Britain, nor have we the slightest reason to
believe the system would terminate, were it to
be abandoned by her, The Berlin decree is in
point of time long anterior to the first of
these orders, and in its principle still more
excessive invasion of neutral rights. 1t inter-
diets not only all commerce with Britain and
her colonies, but ali commerce in articles of
the growth, produce or manufacture OF those
countries.
Its impossible not to perceive that if we
make war on one Of these mighty beliigerents
we support the other, aud that declaration
againseone ofthem throws the weight Of a.
merica into the scale of the other; if then the
Berlin decree and the orders Of council were
equal expressions on neutral rights, and equal
Lsurpations of the sovereign power of indie