Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-08-09
For THE ARGUS.
No. III.

y
tor, Peace seemed to have taken Zip her
abode with us, under a sort of implied COM
pact among all other states, that she should
not be disturbed in this her chosen asylum"
But the rapacious temper of Great Britain,
and the sanguipary principles of her minis
| try, which LOOKS upon "peace as DANCE
rous and difficult extremity" have forbid
den us the enjoyment OF this situation any
| longer. Unable to scduce us into alliance,
| to involve us in foreign wars, and equally
| so to fix upon us her schemes of commerce.
al monopoly and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, she has
| endeavored to enforce by her power, what
I she could no. eject by her art. Hence, it
| is that, in order to put stop TO this insult
ing and Injurious system OF malevoicnce
and wrong, we have been led to proclaim
our determination to resist them, or in other
! words, we have been driven to the necessi
| ty of declaring 7varo There is a mean
| ing attached to these words, which it may
not be amiss 10 notice, although il may be
perfectly unnecessary to the thinking and
informed part of Society. But as every So
| ciety has its weak parts, it is our duty at
all times, and particularly so in times Of
war, to guard and protect them from the
| views aud designs of the enemy, either from
a broad or at home. And that we have an
! enemy at home, we should out OF mere res
pect, if not for the intellect, at least for the
honesty OF every man, suppose that no one
would doubt or deny it. The meaning that
they endeavour TO give and to impress upon
the people without taking any cause or Cir
| cumStance into consideration is, tn at the
party declaring guar, IS eager for the con-
J fict, of Course in the wrong, and deserving
no COMMUNICATION for the consequences, no
matter how disastrous in their nature or
| how cruel in their manner OF execution.
/ That war would not exist were it not de-
| clared, and therefore the party declaring
| It, is exclusively the author OF every Gala
nifty.
Poor, pitiFul, and falae as this argument
is, it is used with great skill and industry
| But we should nope that it could only have
the eject OF shelving that those who use Il
are seditiousy striving to divert and direct
| the Indignation and resentment OF the PEG
pie from their proper object to that of the
| administration. Whenever we experience
| any uncommon or unexpected evil, we are
| told in the sett-language of the party, ''that
it was nothing more than what was be
expected" and with an aiT of malignant tri
| umph.--" so much for goihg to war;" there
by fully intimatiug that II WAS the fauit q!
| our own government. Even the miscres
OF the expiring and unresisting subjects Of
| their slaughter at Hampton, the piercing
4 shrieks Of the mother and the wife, toge.
\ Their with tine cries and tears of their viola
II ted daughters are only answered with the
Proclamation CT 50 much for declaring
zvar." We know that it is the policy of
most nations to endeavour 10 induce an
opinion and belief ''that they act on the
| defensive" for the purpose of giving spirit
| to their people and popularity to their meas
sures. 1t is therefore considered an object
of some considerable importance 10 commit
| wrongs and outrages for the express pur-
1 pose Of forcing and drawing from the suf-
i feripg part declaration of war;" In
doing this they make an artful and strong
| appeal to the honor, courage and patriotism
! Of the people, for the purpose Of procuring
lsnppiies with generosity and alacrity.
I They conceive themselves perfectly justiha-
bic in making any demands upon their ener-
gies and resources. as the idea is coRtinu-
ally held up shat they are imme diateiy ne
cessary for their self dsiehce. Agreeable
to this scheme of gimpositica,, we find that
tue NEST 9Rectihg, Addresses are made to
tae people Of Great Britain, TO represent
their ministry as Being anxious for peace
and accommodation with America and
that in return they have been met with a
\ declaration ojs5Var. The cause or the fact
4 ofGrea BritaiB's refusing 20 negotiate, and
having been actually engaged in making
4 war upon us, is carefully concealed and no.
thing else IS presented To their view but the
American declaration Of war. IL the same
way the British party in this country, and
those who are anxions 10 pull down the adj
mlnstration, are continually exerting them.
selves to- render the war unpopular and tc
lay the whole blame upon the American
1, Government. Hence, their indifference in
regard TO our Calamities, and their justihca-
4 ton in regard to British enormitics. True
4 1t is that America declared war sgains;
Great Britain. But is it not equally true
thas without declaring it, Great Britain has
actually been making war upon us in the
most flagrant and uneqaivocal manner
What more could we expect from her j.
she had even gone through the ceremony Of
declaring War--There would have been
degree of iranLness and openness in it,
which the policy of her councils has studi-
ous9 avoided. They knew that the people
OF their country were averse to it, they knew
that they had risen against their Orders in
j Council, and they knew that they were
anxious for accommodation and peace with
America, and moreover they knew that
they believed them to be in the wrong. To
have declared war ON their part would have
frustrated their prospects in every point
OF view. il would have been dangerous I'm
regard to their own people. it would have
been unwlse in regard TO the British party
here, and would two probably have had
the effect of diminishiDg their pros pect of
plumber. a declaration Of war from them
l Wonld have bcen a Iact:co, ,,,r.,,.,.,