Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-03-12

SNtt 49, Wv eiAo oit6NtutuCS5 Oh TIC UF1C-
tee, by which our mariners are forced, at
the will OF cruizing officer, from their
own vessels into foreign ones, nor paint the
outrages inseparsble from it. The proofs
are in the records of each successive admi
nistration OF our government and the cruel
suierings of that portion of the American
people nave found their way to every bosom
not dead to the sympathies of human ma
ture.
As the war was just in its origin, and
noble in its objects, we can reflect with a
proud satisfaction, that in carrying it on.
ne principle Of justice or honor, no usages
of civilized nations, no precept of courtesy
or humanity have been infringed The war
has been waged on our part, with scrupu-
lous regard to all these obligations, and in
a spirit of liberality which was never sur.
passed.
How little has been the effect of this ex.
ample on the conduct of the enemyp
They have retained as prisoners of war
citizens OF the u States, not liable to be
SO considered under the usages of war.
They have refused to consider as prison.
ers Of war, and threatened to punish as
traitors and deserters, persons emigrating
without restraint to the u. States, incor-
porated by naturalization into our political
family, and fighting under the authority Of
their adopted country, in open and honor
able war, for the maintenance of its rights
and safety. Such is the avowed purpose
of government, which is in the practice
| of naturalizing, by thousands, citizens Of
other countries, and not only Of permitting,
but compelling them to fight in battles a.
gainst their native country.
They have not, it is true, taken into their
| own hands the Ratchet and the knife. de-
voted to indiscriminate massacre but they
| have let loose the savages armed with these
cruel instruments have allured them into
their service, and carried them to battle
by their sides, eager to glht their savage
thirst with the blood Of the vanquished,
| and to finish the work Of torture and death
on manned and defenceless captives. And
| what was never before seen, British com.
manders have extorted victory over the un-
comparable valor of our troops, by pre-.
seRting to their sympathy their chief a.
waiting massacre from their savage asso
] eiates.
( And now we find them, in further con.
tempt Of the modes of honorable warfare
supplying the place of a conquering force
by attempts to disorganize our political So
ciety, to dismember our confederated Re
public. Happily, like others, these will
recoil on the authors but they mark the
degenerate councils from which they ema
nate and if they did net belong to serie.
| Of unexampled Inconsistencies, might ex
cite the greater wonder, as proceeding from
government which founded the very wal
in which it has been SO long engaged, on .
charge against the disorganizng and insur
rectional policy of its adversary.
To render the justice of the war ON our
part the more conspicuous, the reluctance
to commence it was followed by the earliest
and strongest manifestations of DISPOSE
| ton to arrest its progress. The sword was
scarcely out of the scabbard, before the
enemy was apprized of the reasonable
terms on which it would be re -shcathed.
Still more precise advances were repeated,
and have been received in a spirit forbid
! ding every reliance, not placed on the mi
I litary resources of the nation.
These resources are amply sufficient to
bring the war to an honorable issue. Our
| nation is, in number, more than half that
Of the British isles 1t is composed of a
brave, free, virtuous and an intelligent
people. Our country abounds in the ne
cessaries, the arts and the comforts Of life
A general prosperity is visible in the public
countenance. The means employed by the
British cabinet to undermine it, have re-
coiled on themselves have given to our
national faculties more rapid develope-
ment and, draining or diverting the pre-
cous metals from British circulation and
British vaults, have poured them into those
of the u States. 1t is propitious consi-
deratian, that an unavoidable war should
have found this seasonable facility for the
contributions required to support it. When
the public voice called for war, all knew
and still know, that without them it could
not be carried on, through the period which
it might last and the patriotism, the good
sense, and the manly spirit of our fellow