Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-12

cause, and q reasonable prosP0et " -
mo in the object of that war. lAat "e na'1 1
;nst cause Of war against England, 4 am nos
disnosedto contradict, batthat we are COG ~ ~
obtain by war, that, for which we are 70 nghe
her. no rational, rejecting man, can oeAefe
POSSIBLE. Who is there 50 qtnxotlc7 as 70 DC
| Iieve that our little navy can successfully o'-
| nose the overwhelming power OF oFs ear nil'diii
mon the ocean, and coapAet q rchnqalSiiiAielil
| of her unjust professions
And vet, YOU must believe this or a VA
with that nation is orse than toliy--ii IS mas
ness Rut ! know shall be told tliat our
nlace ;s not 10 meet her on the ocean, Dut tiat
we shall obtain by conquest,her North A.le-
| r;can possessions Suppose We should sue
coed in this enterprise, (whlch Oye,'he ~ :
very much doubt will our object. men DC o. -,
taieed Will the orders IN councils ior E ~
we have waged war, be tfen fepeaieu' w
Thev willbe pcrseyered in with all the Vlgor
| Incident 70 a stare Of war IL Canada IS taken s
nv The American army, the conquest WIZ %
dearly boueht-The best blood OF our country
will he split, and the treasures Of the nallo'i
exhausted; and for these Immense sae'i,ioo''
what are we to get III return WIS sii"li ="
deed have added TO our territory a'Ie'oy ~
laroe. country unproductlve In SOIL ana re-
! yerue.w;th heterogeneous popuiatloh' "NoS1
customs. manners and habits are uncoh8ciiai
| Nth orr institutions (; but we Shall not OBTAIN
! one solitary benefit. II it is incorporated IN
the union, your constitution Is slota'0'' CIV
the union leopardized 10 retain ~ IA
standing army of at least $4,000 men li'u ~ &c
constantly employed to defend Its or II VIII Dc
renossessed by those from whom II was taN'.i,
for YOU cannot believe, that Great oslt's.a wiz
hermit US to keep quiet possession OF t"at
country, so long as she has ship upon the
ocean. No she will swear an lnteFminA0ie
! wSr against us--our commerce VIII De swept
from the ocean, and your valuable seHPofts
DESTROYED But you are for war al all events.
You would not stop to enquire whether We
are able 10 fight successfully G. not - | on
would wish to combat for your country, h2nor,
Gas YOU are pleased to call it, regardless OF
fhe consequences. These sentiments, my
friend, raieht be expected from wild, ID
consitlerate young man, just entering INTO ME
and who had rather have the reputation o. :
stunky b1aae, than that OF a flrHde"t ana S'ISf
man; but they belong not to go" ---Io on nave
lived TOO long in his world YOU nave 700
much experience and prudence to entertain
geyjoush, such sentiments 1t is very easy to
oct into war, but there 10 great difficulty ID
Getting qyeA out oft and tor myseh "ouIa
rather g bear the Ills we have, than trust to
others we know not Of You admit thai
Fr.rce. rs well as England, has owen Us JUST
cause Of war, and that you would tight them
hoth-Nost valiant Knight! The United States
,s;tb . nonnlation of about seven millions -
enter the lists With the uGlycr'e III arms rs
well might the lamb attack the woltc--the
success Of the one would be as probable as the
other. There can be n" luz IN hghung when
defeat IS certain and TO wisdom, w"cn eve
~ victory. would be death. A triangular war,
as # has been humorously termed, cannot
last long two OF the Parties would soon unite
AGAINST the sthird. If France and England
sbou|d unite against Us, what Wouid be the
consequence Defeat, disgrace, subjectlon !!
IrFrance and the United States should unite
arai,st ENGLAND, what would then be the con-
sequence Even you, my friend, would SAud-
der at the unnatural connection, and tfeinoie
for the fate of your country--in that anforlu-
| nate situation, even victory would be our de-
struction. We should then be yhc friend and
ally of the great Napoleon, whose embrace Is
! death. Great Britain once subducd, her navy
1.-THE only shield against the Unsuitable ambition
Of the French emperor) destroyed, what, |
ask YOU, would be our situation The war,
which ! fear we are about to wage against
England, * which you advocate, for that thing
! called honor (for the definition OF which, re-
! fer YOU to Shakespeare FalstaH) will not be
! the war of the heohie, but OF the young and
/. inexperienced, who unfortunately direct the
affairs of this nation. The old and experienc-
ed sagcs and politicians who have hitherto
guided us safe through the Europern dlssen-
| tons, are now placed iii the back ground, and
the vessel of state is directed by the young
| lines Of the day, without either ruddcr or
! coinpass. II is vain to talk of going TO war
| without having the feohle with you, and to
L. .lor, ,,i1h unn theN must be Convinced