Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-11-15
From the NdiiOna! IsteikSeaesr.
TIE tANADAS

We have already expressed our ideas rela. |
live to the probability ofun early acquisition TO |
the United States, by conquest of both the Ca. |
nadas. They may prove erroneous. We may
not obtain possession OF these territories i'm the
next summer. But eventually they mas, be
ours and it is worth while to enquire into their
value, and the means OF holding them after they
fall into our power.
The value OF the acquisition has been cues.
tioneJ, and indeed vociferously tenie1 on the
floor OF Congress, on election grounds & else
where. Here is an ample field OF observation
TO the Statesman and Philosopher, whom We
invite to explore it, but, fortunately for us, it
is equally open 10 the view OF the common OBJ.
server, in which capacity we will venture but
4 few remarks.
The two Canadas embrace and command the
outlet and entrance. whilst they share the
whole extent OF one of the two great waters of
North America water of tselfequal IN mag
nitude to the Rhine, the Volga or the Danube,
and in Importance, which viewed IN connection
with the Mississippi, the great Southern outlet
is equal TO all these mighty rivers of Europe
put together. Our readers viii realise our l.
IDEAS OF its Importance, VIXEN they reflect, that
the st Lawrence and its waters alone, form the
natural channel of export and import of a coun.
try, o sufficient extent and fertility 10 support
a population OF ten millions or more. Recent.
ly ia majestic water bore, upon it's bosom &
upon our border, the exclusive power of Great
Aritain. All nations are liable 10 the storms of
war. and particularly nttions with each other
whose territories are contiguous. Could we,
then, in our right reason, expect long 10 re-
main in peace with a nation holding a sway on
our border, which experience has proved 10 be
yexatious, and commanding IN outlet to the
sea the possession OF which was so highly i'm
portant 10 our northern tcrritoryl Canada
must some time or other havs belonged to the
United states, or some Of our Northern states
at least must have belonged TO Canada. The
longer delayed, the more difficult would have
been IFS acquisition Since then our enemy
forced us to war, and compelled Ms TO terrific.
rial reprisals for her oceanic outragcs, and still
pers SITS in refusing recognition, of violated
rignis, we trust our rea lcrs Will generally
gre with us, that, the Canadas, once urs, they
shall be, as these states have been, forever iii
yorced from British sovereignty. Their con
quest was in vain attempted by the heroes of
the revolution, whep fighting in defence of their
rights. Their descendants have now attemp
ted 1t, ami in the event of success, which We
will not doubt, will have achieved the designs
which their fathers had the will but not the
power to carry into execution.
As 10 Inc means we have of holding these
posse sions IN defiance Of Great britain, the
advantages We possess are, IN our view, pecu
l.arly striking. Every enterpr re on her part
little hazard, great expence and utter uncer
tAInty as TO the issue. Hazard, in the great
distance and stormy seas 10 be encountered in
every outfit eitl,rr from Great Britain or any of
her possessions excessive expence from the
same circumstances, well as from The total
Ignorance 10 what extent she must go TO pro-
duce any effect; and utter uncertainty as to
the issue, or rather absolute certainty that
every me asure mus be altogether inefficient &
nDortiYc, because it is impossible that any ar
mamrnt OF sufficient mag nItude to authorize
the rtmotesi hope of It's efficacy, against Que
bee IN our hands can be sent thither without
Su government obtaining knawl. dye of l. in
time To meet il with greater The measures
Of the enemy must be begun and finished with
in she space of ave months in each year at a re
mote distance Wills we have twelve months
IN which 10 counterfeit them in our immediate
vicinity, and with he greatest facility. In short,
we shall have b0ssessien, which in war, as well
as the law, thruws the burthen of demonstrate
on and attack upon our adversary, and places
us LITERALLY on tie vantage ground.
From natural causes, perhRpsn no single posi-
zion in the known word eifectually guards
the only entrance from the sea to a country of
equal extent, as does Quebec the whole coun-
try drained Oy the st Lawrence. Whilst, from
siBl ar causes, there is probably no one poim
in any country at which the resources OF ali its
parts may he so easily and speedily concentra
ted. And, when the distances 10 the various
quarters whence they may be so collected are
considered, there is nothing OF the kind in any
eoHntry To- benr comparison. We are in orm-
ed, by a correspondent, whose means Of inior-
nation are abundant, and intelligence and We
racity uRquestIonabie, that some few improve
ments Of triling magnitude and no difficulty in
French creek and the entrance OF fresQU'isle
Bay are alone necessary to the transportation of
m st any quantity (say thousand tcns) from
the river Ohio at PittsDIrgn 10 any Point On
the ST. Law renee, IN twenty FIVE DAYS, at one
dollar or les per hundred we gilt. At Pitts
burgh supplies IRE abundant and yari us at the
lowest rates hour, for instance, at three to
four dollars per barrel, and generally other ar
ticies IN proportion, and in almost exhaus less
quartities From t extensive and populous
countries on both shor o. Like Ontario, We
are informed, similar qu nifty may be trans
porter in ten days at tliFd ofadolar per cwt.
but tn first cost, though moderate, some
thing higher than At Pittsburgh. From the
North river, where may be collected more
than pne-third Of the produce Of the United
StrWs, transportation to the ST. Lawrence may
be had for ~ cents per cwt. ard Tie route per-
formed in from Eve 70 ten days.
From e. u Of these great sections Of coun-
try, troops mag b. moved with equal ease and !
erity, and ion Pittsburgh much more spec !
diy, than teavy stores can be transported, |
teen 20 twenty Day, where troops would march !
by land only 6 miles. II must be evidcni, |
t1en, that ,OUO troops, necessary, with |
such prOvlGent arrangements as are 10 be ex-
pected from our government, might on any
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