Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-25
For The .ALexandria Gazette.


weight and consequence, as the address OF the
minority of the last Congress, to their constltu-
ems. 1t is big with information upon subjects
ofthe last importance to American liberty and
happiness. The majority, who have rushed
us unDrepared and defenceless into war OF
aggression, have accompanied their declara-
tions. with bastcrhodomontade OF words,
that would have better suited the fervid mind
Of an Imperial robber, than the cool determl-
nation OF Republican Representatives. We
are told, with the yapor of school-boy reclta-
ton, that Your committee, believing that
the free born sons of America are worthy 10
enjoy the liberty which their fathers pnrchas-
cd at the price Of so much blood and treasure,
and seeing in the measures adopted oy Great
Britain, course commenced and persisted IN,
which must lead TO loss OF national charac-
ter and independence. feel no hesitation In adj
vising resistance By force IN which the 'Hnle-
yicans of the present day, viii prove to the
enemy and to the world, that zoe have not only
Inherited that liberty which oar fathers gave
rs. but also the svM and togver to maintain 1t.
Now let me ask any American, the majority
in CONGRESS excepted, how the Hbegty of A
merica is concerned In this contest! Have the
British in any manner threatened the destruc-
ton Of our eivn liberty for this must be the
meaning of the word force. Have they die
tated to our councils, abused our government,
or threatened us with the late OF Venice, Hol-
land and Switzerland? Where was the feel
ing for national character, when they submit
ted to be told, that we were nation, without
honor, without energy, without spirit Where
was the sense of Independence, when they
were ordered to abandon the trade OF st.
Domingo, forego their right to Purchas-
ed property, in the claim they set up to West
Florida as far as the river Perddo, under the
Louisiana purchase; to be considered as at
war with another nation, although they had
not themselves declared II; and their Legis-
Iators 10 be found fault with, because they
wished to import the fabrics of another nation
in payment for properly in their possession.
Yet these things have been said and done by
France, subversive Of our liberty, OF our cha
racter and independence and the MAORI
IT, Of Congress, with the President at their
head, have not shewn, that they possessed the
stirit, if they enjoyed the liberty OF their sires,
in opposing them. AS the conduct of the ad :
minlstration and Its friends in Congress, forms
the best contrast with, and contradiction to,
the passionate defamation of their manifes-
to-let us attend to the calm and dignihed as
ssrtions of their political opponents
We find In the first place, that more dead
" blow has been aimed at the civil liberty OF
our country, by the ma iority of Congress, than
by any thing threatened or done by Great
Britain. Freedom of debate forms the es-
sence of Republican Legislature {ull and
perfect knowledge ofthe conduct of their con-
stituents, forms the dearest right OF the peo-
pie. To prove this, would be offering lndig-
nity to the American mind. We feel the force
of the positions, by an intuitive impulse How
then must we reprebate those, who by the le-
perdemain of form, and the imposition OF Sc
crecy, have robbed US Of both these lnestima-
bic privileges. Under the influence OF these
measures, the system has been matured, and
the events brought about, by which I" a ruin
Gus. an unexpected and mad war has been
declared against Great Britain war with
cut object, without hope, war for which the
nation was not prepared, but which was pre-
pared for the nation in opposition to the feel
inps of great majority Of the people war
in which is jeopardised all that is dear to man,
all that is the birth-right of freemen." Con-
duct such as this, sealed the lips and stopped
the efforts of the magnanimous friends of
freedom, in opposition to the violent projects
ofour political enemies. Having no other
means left, by which their opposition could be
made known, they have appealed to the press,
1t is to be lan,ented thar the committee Of
foreign relations in declaring qrar against the
British nation, had NOT SHARED the English Ian
gzage. Thus they sag, "the Americans of
the present day svM trove that we haze not
only inherited thar liberty qvbich our fathers
gave ms" This means IN common grammar,
that the Americans zsonld 1arovc that we, that
is, the najority Of Congress, had Inherited the
liberty, NOT the American people, for then il
vouId hare been thor they had Inherited the
liberty their fathers had given them. Thus, il
Mr.. Grundy or 3fr. Calhoun had sUritten a