The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-26

have arerted, perhaps for ever, this unna-
tural war Hut suppose in this / am mis-
taken, yet have we not every reason TO be-
Ieve that IL the French repeating decree
had been known to England, she would
have modified her orders in council, and
continued peace would have been the con.
sequence. Surely 1t is preposterous &c
pretend, if those orders had been revoked
that yet war would have been declared
The very reverse is proved, by all the acts
ofour government. In the message of the
president, at the commencement of the
'war-sessjon of congress, the orders il
council are the burden of the complain
--impressment is not even mentioned. Ii
all the correspondence between the tive
governments, which preceded the war, tn,
"orders In council" constitute the grea
topic of discussion.
In the correspondence which commence
led between Mr.. Foster and MIR. Monroe
on the Soth of May 1919, and continued al
most daily, down to the very declaration o
war, the repeal of the orders in council
was the only subject of discussion-ane
that alone was demanded, as sine qua no,
to resolution of a friendly intercourse
ImPressment, though always subject OIL
difference between the two nations had ne
yer been by our government for momen,
considered as sufficient cause of war
Hence In the arrangement with the British
minister, Erskine, not word is said, not a
stipulation made on that subject Hence
in all the correspondence which imme.
diately preceded the war, the subject
of impressmcnt is rarely If ever mentioned
land hence, in this house and the senate
the act declaring war passed upon the sole
but delusive ground, that France had mo-
aifcd or repealed her DEGREES and tina,
England had refused to revoke or modify
Aer orders. Let me appeal to the mem
5ers OF this house who voted for the war
Would they have dared to have done that
deed upon the subject of impressmen,
alone am sure they would no,-I speak
9ot from personal knowledge speak
from all that preceded, that accompanied
and that followed that dreadful measure
The subject, of impressment was never
swelled into that hideous form, it now
wears; it never became a dog of war;
until when the orders in council were re-
voked, and an armistice demanded by
England, it was dragged forward to repel
the demand and to justify the administra-
ton for " wading deeper and deeper in
blood" But let gentlemen on this floor
answer what they will, of this am certain
the people of this country would never
have joined in the quixotic expedition
The cant o" free trade and sailors rights, d
heard only in the woods OF the west where
no trade exists, and no sailors are to- be
found, could not have drowned the voice
of commerce, of agriculture, of Justice ant
Of peace. Let gentlemen on this floor an.
swer what they may, tell them, they couid
nor they durst NOT have plunged, this ma.
ton into war if the British orders in coun.
Gil had been repealed or modified. But
those orders in council would have been
repealed or modified, if the French decree
had not been concealed.
On this subject no doubt can exist
And never was / more astonished than
when yesterday heard the honorable gen
tleman from South Carolina (Mr. Calhoun
deny this position. Upon what grounds
does he place this denial First, upon the
letters of Mr.. Foster to Mr. Monroe,
which preceded the war. Sir, that cores
pondence have perused, and a more sin
guar, equivocal, weak and indistinct COR
respondence / have never seen. 1t is un-
deniable, that IN some paragraphs of Fos-
ter's letters, distracted from the residue
something Inc tuS poSiuon ol the non. gen.
tleman may be found. But even these alb
stracted from the rest are declared by Mr.
Monroe hinsseLffo he eqaiuocai. The whole
correspondence clearly proves that Mr.
Foster never intended to declare, and ne.
yer did defnitively declare, that il an au.
thentic instrument repeating the French
DEGREES, SO far as they violated the neutral
commerce of America should be produced
England would not revoke her orders in {