Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-11

ofthe American people, but as an rD6Ll
y TRous SACRIFICE of6oth, on the altar
$ French rapacity, perhdy and ambition.
France has for years past offered US term
OF underlined commercial arrangement, At III
price of a war with England, which hither
TO we have not wanted frmness and virtu
to reject. That price is now to be paid. w
: are tired of holding out--and following tn
example of the nations of continental Europ,
-entangled in the articles, or awed by tn,
power OF the destroyer of mankind; we are
prepared to become instrumental to his pro
ljects of universal dominion. Before these
pages meet your eye, the last Republic of the
earth will have enlisted under the banners
OF the tyrant and become party to his cause
The blood OF American freemen must flow
to cement his power, to aid in sitting the. last
struggles of afflicted and prosecuted man to
deliver up into his hands the patriots of Spain
and Portugal, to establish his Empire over
the ocean and over the land that gave our
fore-fathers birth; to forge our own chains |!
And yet, my friends, we are told, as we
were told in the days Of the mad ambition of
Mr.. Adams, THAT THE FINGER HEA-
VEN POINTS TO WAR" Yes, the finger of
| Heaven does poin, to war. 1t points to war.
| as 1t points to the mansions of eternal misery
and torture; as to flaming beacon warn
| ing us OF that vortex which we may not APP
proach but with certain destruction. 1t points
to desolated Europe and warns us of the
chastisement of those nations who have of
tended against the justice and almost beyond
| the mercy of Heaven. 1t announces the
wrath to come upon those who ungratefu for
the bounty of providence not satisfied with
peace, liberty, security, plenty at home, fly,
as 1t were, into the face of the most high and
tempt his forbearance.
To you, in this place, can speak with
freedom C II becomes me to do so: nor shall
be deferred by the cavs and the sneers of
those who hold as g foolishness" all that 50.
YOURS not of worldly wisdom, from express
ing fully and freely those sentiments which
1t has pleased God, i'll his mercy, to engrave
| upon my heart.
lhesc are no ordinary times. The state
OF the world is uneXampled. The war of
| the present day is not like that of our revo-
linton, or any which preceded it, at least in
modern times. 1t is war against the liber
| ty and happiness of mankind 1t is war of
which the whole human race are the victims
to crafty the pride and lust of power of a
single individual. l beseech you, put it to
your own bosoms, how far it becomes YOU as
ireemen, as christians, to give your aid and
sanction to this impious aud bloody warfare
against your brethren of the human family.
iosuch among you, if any such there be, who
are insensible TO motives not more dignified
and manly than they are intrinsically wise. I
would make different appeal. | admire
you by the regard which you have for your
own security and property, for the liberties
and inheritance of your children, by all that
you hold dear and sacred, to interpose your
constitutional powers to save your country
and yourselves from calamity the issue OF
which 1t is not given to human foresight to
divine.
Ask yourselves you are willing to become
the virtual allies of Bonapartel are YOU willing
for the sake of annexing Canada to the North
ern States, to submit to that ever growing sys
tenn of taxation, which sends the European la
bourer supperless to bed to maintain by the
sweat of your brow, armies at whose hands vol
are to receive a future master! Suppose Cana
ia ours. Is there any one among YOU wh1
would ever be, in any respect, the better for il
the richer-the freer-the happier-the NOR,
secure! And is 1T for boon like this, tha
you would join in the warfare against the Ii
berries of man in the other Hemisphere. ant
pat your own in jeopardy or is it for the no
minal privilege of licensed trade with Franc,
that you would abandon your lucrative com
merce with @. Britain, Spain and Portugal, 6
| their AsIatlc, African and American dependen
cies-in a word, with every region of those
vast continents? That commerce which rive:
vent to your tobacco, grain, -four, cotton
IN short to all your native products, which art
denied market in France
There are not wanting men so weak, as t.
suppose that their appreciation of warlike mea
sures IS proof of personal gallantry, anc
that opposition to them indicates want of tina
spirit which becomes friend TO his country
as II 1T required more courage and patriotism
to join IN the reclamation of the day, than stea
Oily 10 oppose ones self to the mad nfatuat ior
! to which every people and all government
. nave, at some time or other, given way. Lee
the history OF Phocion, of Agis and of the ID
Wits answer this question My friends, dt
you expect to find those who are nozy oudes
in the Glamour for war, foremost in the rank
6 OF battle or is the honour Of this nation indis
solubly connected with the political resutatior
OF few individuals, who tell you they hav,
gone too far to recede, and that you must pay
with your rufT, the price of their consistency
My friends, have discharged my duty to
wards you; lamely and inadequately l know
but to the best of my poor ability.-The des
tiny ct the American people is in their owl
hands. The net isspread for their destruction
You are enveloped in the tolls of French du
plicity and it, which may Heaven in its ner
cy forbid, you and your posterity are to becom
hewers of wood and drawers of water to tn
modern Pharaoh, 1t shall not be for the wan
otmy best exertions to rescue you from TN
cruel and AFFECT bondage. This sin, at leas,
shall not rest upon my soul.
JOHN RANDOLPH, Of RoANoKE.
May 30th, 1912.
| 1--WE hope to commence the publication of th
speech which follows, in our next
L