Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-04-23
JAMES BARBOUR.


posed and may be annoyed Even this dam
ger, which exists in n certain degree, has
been much exaggerated. No land force can
be brought to bear against them, because
G.. Britain has none to spare Tor such SER
vice; and without land force, no great inn
preston can be made. Ships of war cannot
approach near the coast. except at the en-
trance of our great bays and rivers.-They
cannot annoy the sea coast generally by their
cannon; and if detachments of marines
should be sent on shore, they may be repell-
ed by the militia where they land. 1t is,
however, unusual for incursions to be made
on land from ships of war by sailors or ma
rines. The law of nations forbids, and hu-
mainly revots at the idea of mere wanton
desolation; and in that light only can such
incursions be viewed In the present war
between G. Britain and France, which has
been prosecuted with SO much violence and
animosity, no example of this kind, on cir
Their side, is recollected. In our revolutions
airy war, in which the object of G.. Britain
was conquest, no great injury was sustained
in this mode. Some of our towns, it is adj
mitted, may be exposed to danger from ships
of war, but with suitable precautions it will
soon vanish. No ship of war can stand long
before a good battery well manned and we'll
supplied with heavy artillery. An attack
by ships of war only, on any of our towns,
could have no object but that of distressing
the inhabitants; and if those towns are put
in such state of defence, as to enable them
to repel the attack, as all of them are, or
soon may be, it is not probable that the expo
riment would be made, or if once made, that
it would be repeated. The Importance
of the protection of our seaport towns is sem
sibly felt. 1t is a subject which claims the
particular attention of the government, and
that attention has doubtless been already
bestowed on it.
The great question on which the United
States have to decide, is, whether they will
relinquish the ground which they now hold
or maintain it with the firmness and vigor
becoming freemen. That the sense of the
nation favors the latter course, is proved by
a series of important and solemn facts, which
speak language not to be misunderstood
From the first attack by Great Britain OH
our neutral rights in 1905, to the present
day, these facts have been multiplied yearly,
by the acts of Congress, by the proceedings
of the state legislatures, and by the voice of
the people. Let not the Representatives of
the people, therefore, in either branch of the
government, dsappoint their reasonable
wishes and just expectations.
The pretensions of Great Britain, SO I'M
justly set up, and pertinacjously maintained,
by gentlemen in and out of Parliament
and her orders in council, not to enumerate
other wrongs, particularly the impressment
of our seamen, arrogate to her the complete
dominion of the sea, and the exclusion of eve
ry flag from it. which does not sail under her
license, and on the conditions which she i'm
poses.-These pretensions involve no local
interest, nor are they Of a transient nature.
In their operation they violate the rights,
and wound deeply the best interests, of the
whole American people. If we yield to
them, at this time, the cause may be consi-
dcred as abandoned.-There will be no raj
lying point hereafter Future attempts to
retaliate the wrongs of foreign powers and
to vindicatc our most sacred rights, will be
in vain. The subject must be dismissed from
the debates of Congress, and from onr dIplo-
matte discussions. An allusion to it will eX-
cite contempt abroad, and modification and
shame at home Should any of our vessels
be hereafter seized and condemned, howe
yer unjustly, and that all will be seized and
condemned may be confidently expected, we
must be silent, or be heard by foreign pow
ers in the humble language of petition only.