Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-15

IL
sentiments on the present condition OF thear
country-.6lerander Scott was called TO inc
chair, and Thornton Backner appointed De-
cretary--
TIE follozving Preamble and Resolutions we're
adoAted:
Whereas some of the citizens OF this coan-
ty, styling themselves friends of the govern
ment, have declared their intention OF meeting
on this day to express their appreciation OF the
measures of the present administration and
their zeal in support of the war with Great
Britain Aud it being desirable that the 60
yernment should not be deceived and take
their opinions as the sentiments OF the people
of this county-The members OF this meeting,
knowing as they do that the sentiments OF
large majority of the freeholders OF Fauquler
are opposed 10 that ruinous measure, and IN
spired with the deepest concern at the novel
and most awful situation in which their coun-
try is placed, and always alive to what they
considerher best interests and dearest rights,
cannot view with Indifference state OF things,
which in their best judgments, IS calculated
to overthrow those interests, and to endangef
those rights.
In right of the invaluable privilege guaran-
teed to them by the great charter OF their ma
tional freedom; in obedience to the sacred
duty, emanating from that privilege; with SEN
timents of due Difference to the constituted
authorities Of the nation, and of perfect re-
spect for the sovereign majority who made
them so, they beg leave to say to those con.
stituted authorities, and to their brethren OF
the union generally, that they feel, on the pre-
sent occasion, an emotion of dsmay and dis
pondeney, which no language can depict, and
which can only be conceived by those of their
patriotic fellow citizens, who are similarly I'M.
pressed with the tremendous evils in view.
They beg leave to state, that whilst as good
citizens they will ever feel it their bounden
duty to step forward at the call of their coun-
try, to repel and to chastise any hostile lnya-
sion of her soil, or any palpable contempt OF
her rights, they cannot but view the war,
which is lust announced to the nation, as a
measure fraught with every evil, and promls-
ing. in its issue, no one solitary good.
They believe that the United States OF A
merica afford the only example, at present
under the sun, of people the full and
tranquil enjoyment of a free government, and
its natural companions, national peace, nation
al prosperity, national felicity.
They believe that the proposed war would
rob them of those inestimable blessings, and
substitute in their place national commotion,
national bankruptcy, national mlsery-most
probably, national extinction.
They believe that the present territory OF
the United States is, at least, sufficiently ca
pacious to secure the advantages OF safety, OF
wealth, and of responsibility, and that there
fore they should calculate on more OF evil than
good from an extension OF It.
They believe thar, in the present state of
the world, hostilities with one OF the bellige-
rents would naturally tend to throw US into an
alliance with the other. And they are warn
ed by the groans and complicated wretched-
ness of suffering Europe, to shrink from an
alliance with the ruler of France, as from the
sting of the adder, or the stlletto OF the assas-
sin.
They believe, that the prosperity of the ma
ton vitality rests upon the prosperity OF agrl-
culture, and that the latteris to be propltlated
only by the prosperity OF her sister COM
merce, and that commerce must llnger or
thrive, in proportion to the good or bad under
standing which may exist between the United
States and that nation, whose system OF policy
is least calculated to impose upon their trade
enormous restrictions anG int0lerable munich
pal acquisitions.
They believe, that if the avowed object OF
the war, "a revocation of the British orders in
council) was already attained, the commercial
condition of the United States would not be
thereby ameliorated, in as much as the above
mentioned restrictions and requlsltlons would
still virtually effect an inhibition OF all trade to
the continent of Europe.
They believe, that it is better to have a trea-
sury OVERLOOKING with the proceeds OF peace
full commerce, than to encounter heavy taxes,
odious excise and stamp duties, loans and
exchequer bills, for the purpose of supporting
standing armies, and plunging into the bloody
vortex of European warfare.
They believe, that il at this moment the en-