Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-14
pus-dowa by the people twelve or thir-

teen years ago.
Sir, / felt some astonishment to hear
The member from New York, AiT.Gros-
venor) who had no SCAT 10 this house
when war was declared, who was not e.
ven in. this city at that time, state WIN
so much confidence in what events the
war would or would not haret taken place.
If the public documents are referred to
il sal be seen, that the im2ressment OF
our scamen was considered as Plnci-
pal cause Of the war. In the executive
message. Of iha. session, i'll the reports
of the committee @. foreign relations, II
will be seen tha, the language oil tree
men was employed, the liberty OF the
citizen being deemed more valuable and
precious than his property. was one
Of those who voted Tor the war, s Ought
to be presumed 70 know something OF
the opinions and sentiments which pre-
vailed at that :io,e, and yet Heel 10 he
station in saying, that no man can p!o'
nounce nat would have been the course
pursued, had the orders in council been
revoked. have heard many members
saw they would have voted Ter the war
had the orders in council been previous
" abandoned-I have heard others say
they would not and yet the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Grosvenor) al
fects to speak with great confidence and
| precision Oh this subject. There are
two reasons why this honorable gentle
man should nave been less confident In
| ais assertions. In the fist place ne was
not present when the war was declared;
| in the second, he belonged to the oppo-
si,ion, and would not on that account
| have been so freely communicated with
BY those who supponedit
Sir,I wish gentlemen clearly and dis
| tinctly to ansa er Tie this question:
viii they give up the principle OF in
pressment? VIII they suffer the petty
officers of the BRUSH navy TO seize a:
their pleasure American citizens. force
them into foreign service, AID compel
them with stripes TO fight the battles f
the enemy, even against that country
which gave them birth II SO. let 1t be
known to the peopIe-let be pro-
ci,imed to this nation OF treem0n-abd
let the line OF distinction b. orawn be-
tween those WHO viii, and viii rot sub.
NIT To this tyranny of =" the mistress of
the seas" Gentlemen have indeed said
that taey viz Tot 6Yht for the question
# inpressment. But will they surren-
der it? wiz they weld this polpt to the
king of G tst b ain ? WIZ shey say
that the slaves OF George the TL;'d have
! q right to seize and drive into captivity
The tfecmen Of the American states /
d- r,iard an apswer-yea cruay- There
IS TO difficulty III understanding The
| question TIE gentleman from New
| Yo,k Nj. G:oovenor) il adse,ting to
| the cores pende, &c between Mr.. Mon
roe and Mr.. Foster, fleets grea, diff
| cuhy N understanding its meaning,
Cannot see wherein this difficult, lies
the language is plain, void OF aFnbieu ily,
conveying distinct ideas, in clear and
unequiyocai expressions. Tie same
gentleman has the modesty 10 tell you
that Dir. Monroe and Mr. Foster did net
understand tAe nearing ofthe words
octuaRy and Internationally What. sir |!
yuur Secretary Ct State, who has visited
| in the character Of an American minis
ter nearly half the courts of Europe-he
whose literary Requirements have done
| honor TO this nation, not understand the
meaning of the common English words
actually and Internationally u! Mr.. Fos-
ter, TOO, the accredited minister OF the
fsst-anchore isle" sent by the British
government upwards of three thousand
miles 10 negotiate upon delicate ard
difficult points, is charged with the like
ignorance Sir, the gentleman who In
troduoed these resolutions, (Mr. Web
ster) il he has ever read his name .sake's
spelling took, (and no doubt he has) can
readily expound them Even school
boy Can tell you their meaning. / feel
no great sollcitude or tenderness about
The reputation Of the lite British minis
ter, but surely be ought Gst to DC SUBJ
jeci 10 this. imputation.
In one ide. advanced by the opposi.
ton, perfectly concur: If the execu
tive bad received a copy of tie French
decree previous to the declaration of
war, ard had withheld il from The Bri.
fish minister, / should say he deceived
the execrstioD Of bis country The no
nCrabie gentleman Who has manifested
such critical skill In lans usge might
have drawn its character In terms Of
blackes, import, and would subscribe
to it !; bat | know, with meal Certainty.
that the answer Of the President will
dissipa,e every idea of that kind-it will
shew, that, in the whole OF this trans
action, he has conduct j with fairness
aud uprightness, and fom a de,ire 10
prevent a conflict between this AID any
n