Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-04-22

4
mates and sustairs an elevated fitness Of CHI
racter and conduct, is the only justi6abl
cause OF war, and, if necessary, the princi
pie ought to be maintained by all the sa
Lcrihces or war in its worst shape No Wa
is Iustihable or necessary, which is waget
merely for pecuniary objects, five can sup
pose such war. for all wars involve ex
pense and loss greater than the amount o
any pecuniary objects for which they can b,
waged. On the ground of interest merely
they would not theref,rc be justihable, and
there is to be superadded, what cannot be
| valued in money. the expenditure Of human
iiie.-Bus the value of every thing is found
ed on the security with which it is enjoyed
One unpublished violation of right provokes
| another and another, until all security is
destroyed, and therefore it is necessary to
resist giving infractions of eeouniary right
by sacrifices beyond the value Of the right
| itself, because resistance is necessary 20 the
security OF all other peculiarly rights. Nay
to the security of all other rights. Security
OF rights is a POLITICAL thing-It is the pro-
lection OF government-it derives it's value
and great portion ofits'power too, from a
faithful and unrelaxed application Of it to
all the rights and interests of a nation, and
Is diminished in its value and in its power al
so, Wy any failure to afford the protection
which rs due by government TO the subjects
ana the N crest under It's control. To aban-
don any rltdrestis to abandon all, and to
protect one is to protect all-war therefore
was Wa5ed to- protect one political right is
waSed to protect all Political riShts-no war
Is, IN cnnSequeuCe. made tor any given right
merely as such, but for all the rights and i'm
terests which are bound together in natl.
On under the social anu ciyitcompacts.-
10 compare the expediture .aud loosses of
war with the value OF commercial objects,
winch may bc the immediate Causes of war,
is to talk idly and 10 forget the true end Of
all war and the first great pun !. ose of govern
men, security. great..a,a;..( Sir James
Mcintosh) has said, Tie paramount. in
terest OF every state, that which comprc
hends all others is security" Will you
ihen, 1t may DC enquired, go to war to a
Nense the intraction OF the smallest right un-
der the protection OF government, and tor
TINS object Jeopardize every other and spill
the blood OF your ieliow-citizens f--Certain-
y not. There is a fitness, which Cannot be
dehned III anticipation, but which is easily
discoverable when the occasion occurs,
which determines When war is necessary.
~ may depend upon the mature of the injn
~, on the Character which the nation has
acquired, on its abrlity to aveDge the injury,
On the character of the nation which has
inflicted the injury, and thousand other
circumstances.
Tue question ought always e. be, wha,
becomes the nations? What is due 10 the
national honorf What is necessary TO sus
tain an elevated fitness OF character and
conduct IN the nationf If the injury sus-
tanned be ono which cannot or will not pro-
oably be repeated,it Sis less necessary to a
verge IT. III the nation be poor and feeble
1t tiay be obliged TO submit to the violation
OF q great right. LII it be great and power
fui 1t must sometimes resent a smaller in
Jary-it may sometimes disdain to notice
considerable aggression upon its rights-in
short, IN no INSTANCE is the expsnce of the
war rule which will prove it lust and me-
cessary, or otherwise in every Instance is
national honor, that is, a fitness of character
and Conduct, the rule By which its neces~
sity ana JuStihdble chaG Scter are determine
Die. Generally when nation is arlc to re
Sist with effect the infraction of important
pecuniarysrights, n.seems indubitable that
an elevated fitness of character ana con-
duct requires resistance. but this oblira
ton is Increased and is :esz1doub, full when
any OF the sovereign rigntsof a nation are
Infrlnged, as in gross and reiterated insults
to the national flag, RabItUai violations of
the personal liberty OF its subjects, invasion
OF It's territories aud the like--these are as
sauits upon Its independence and there is no
room left for an enquiry into the ftne., of
resistance--lt may indeed be supposed to
change from question of expeGjency to an
act OF necessity-it is a struggle for self pre-
servation--the nation acts upon principle
winch IS inherent III the meanest insect.
and OF Which nanimate matter is not direst-
ed the worm when trodden on writhes in
IN resistance as we'll as anguish, and the re-
action OF inapimate matter ssemS To be the
repulslve aet or seh preservation.
What then did an elevated fitness Of cha =
racter aud conduct require of. the Amer
Can government in relation to G.. b. at the
msment Warwas declared} What does il
stu require l repeat, the war is a iust
and necessary var. This will be proved
by adverting TO the causes of the war;
What then we're the Causes OF the yarP-
They were principally new and before un
heard OF blOckades, The orders in Council
which have been generally so called by
way OF pre- emlnence, the spoliatiuns of our
! commerce under various uniounded and i'm
sulting pTetcXts, and the impressment of
our seamen. | am not permitted by the cir.
| cumstauCes under which / address YOU to
| so It length mo any of these subjects. But
may ask what On the ocean did we enjoy
| but by the sulferanCc OF Great Britain -
| What insults, what injuries had we rot sat.
iercd' When did they begin, when, though
| they may have been varied in character
where they relaxed in degree, and whcr
were they probably to cease! will stor
to notice one or TWO Of the argument,
which have been offered by the gentlemen
OF the opposition ON this part Of the subject