Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-11-25
From me .Nafioaai Mfeihgencer.
ARE WE NOT AT WARP

And, If we are, why should we not prose
cute It to some practicable purnose
| And how otherwise can we make the @.
nemy sensibly feel our power, than by dis,
| possessing him of his Northern possessions
True II is, we have harassed him not a
little ON Tie ocean; we have lowered his
crest, where 1t was raised in proud * vaun-
ted defiance of every foe. 1t is only his
pride, however, that is seriously Injured
the Leviathan ut the seas is sJung. not dan,
! gerousiy wounded, by the attack OF the
| sword fab it Iashes the waves of fury. bnt
1t is in ange: more than pain. We nave
mortified the pride of the enemy; we have
| perhaps materially affected that sentiment
OF Conscious superiority on which his naval
power essentially depends. But II would be
madness TO expect that, with our limited
force for the ocean, we cou.d either CONQUER
an indemnity for past robberes on that Gle i.
| ment, or coeies future respect for our viola
ted rights.
Why, then, should we not dispossess the
enemy of his Canadian provinces1
The New-York federal printers are quite
angry that such an idea should be entertain
ed and expressed by us, which they Conceive
as conclusive evidence of the intention of the
government TO prosecute war with vigor.--
Before we SO any farther, we peremptoriIy
of the government on this head. Hut. sun.
pose our ideas do accord with those N the
government-and it is likely they may-do
the opposition editors suppose our govern
ment has made war in sport ? Have thev
assembled armies on the frontiers for mere
paradef Could they indeed entertain any
other view, IN the succession of measures
they have taken, than that of reducing the
enemy'S possessions, and thereby making
him feel the power of this deeply injured ma
ton, whose reasonable demands Of redress
he has not meriey refused, but spurned!
But this project of subrgaIsg Canada, it
is intmated, is inconsistent with the accep,
lance of the Russian mediation. We deny il.
Our government is willing to treqt for
Peace. BIii=n refuses to meet us, and VIZ
Will now .fghf for it. Washington held all
foreign nations ENEMIES IN WAR. iy
heaee friends. Upon this principle our go
Sernmeht must act, if il respects itself Up
this principle it has acted aud, If the i'm
preston Of the Opposition in New York or
elsewhere has been that Il would ace other,
wise, they must have labored under the
same deluson and infatuation that prevent.
ed them from being prepared for the decla-
ration Of war, when IL took place.
But suppose Britain had fairly met us IN
der the Mediation, and that, on (lfis day, ON
which we hope and believe Montreal IS in
the possession Of our army, a peace shall
have been concluded at st. peiersburgh.
We do not know what the views # the
government may be, or what may be the
opinion Of the Opposition Editors but we
have no hesitation in expressing our own
and that is, that MIR. Gallatin, Mr.. Adams
and Mr.. Bayard, as well as the British n.,, N,
GATOR, vii have been guilty Of gros1 npoo-
tention to the Interests Of their gross ins1
countries, if they have not ineir Tesnec,ive
treaty stipulation for re inclnded in the
Country, SO much territory retaining 10 eacb
pied by either on the dtory as NAV be occu.
the treaty. Upper G day of rad6cation IF
~ ~ ~ Us y, ScOuI Canada alone will be
o' u " o''ol' hirty and tranquility 20 the
e. 80. g. ,p.S a IN breaking up the scalpr
'nS and Maiden, exclusive Of
'uoi a. ''le w,'o territory and its waters, rs
30, anu snlole cost Of the war to this
= 1'uO" ~ hall have gained, by the war,
- ~, 70 rs we added to our military
.rtaes our responsibility abroad, and
,,. - W Of our government.
20 ~ -. ". " were speculative remarks for
ho.ee &C. 'v' nov be distinctly understood ina,
a.-',.,.',... 90 either expect or hope for any
""'''s'el sult from the Mission TO Russi.
we may have anticipated on