Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-08-30

Sut No icdScS IL 10 De inferred that u
Britain declared war against US, and mol
we against her. Mark these words e.
(" The Var 6ro'f on the u. States." He
next calls on Us to return thanks for the
many blessings which We have enjoyed (;
and many have they been under the
Washington system and here every
genuine American heart will unite in
most grateful aspirations to "the Giver
of every good and perfect gift" and a.
mong other enumerated blessings, that
he has blessed us with a land capable
OF yielding all the necessaries and requi-
sites of human life, with ample means
for convenient exchanges with foreign
countries" But of what avail is such a
land and such facilities for commerce,
if the system of our rulers leads to the
prostration of all commerce., Why do
they insert this in the catalogue of our
blessings, whS every act of the present
administration has tended to annihiIate it
forever. Candor was at least expected
from Mr. Madison and his prime minis
ter Mr.. Monroe. 1t was not thought,
that in an act so sacred and so solemn
as that Of announcing ga day Of Public
Humiliation and Prayer" they would
have pretended to be friendly to that
commerce which every measure of their
policy has been hostile to. Every good
citizen must ante with the President in
returning thanks to God that he has
blessed the cultivators of our sell, and
the eXertions of our artists and manu-
lecturers "that he has bles1ed the U
States with political constitution, found
cd on the will and authority of the whole
people" guaranteeing to each individu-
al the security of person ard property
and the rights of conscience, and ia I'M
ploring him to "pardon our manifold
crapsgressions and awaken and strength
en- In oil Especially our rulers) the
wholesome purposes of repentance
and amendment that in this season
of trial and calamity he would pre-
side in a particular manner over. our
public councils and inspire all citizens
with love of their country and with
those fraternal affections and that mutual
confidence which have so happy ten
dency to make Us safe at home and re-
spected abroad" In the next sentence
an arttui attempt is made to blend the
just and inevitable war for our Indepen.
dence, in which we experienced SO sig.
nally the blessings of Heaven, in crown
ing it with complete success, with the
present wanton and unnecessary war;
and the Almighty Governor of the uni
verse is impiousIy told, that inasmuch
as he blessed these United States in their
efforts during that pIous and honorable
struggle Sand raised them to the sta
ton of an independent and sovereign
people, so he would now be- pleased in
like manner to Deslow his blessing on
our arms, in resisting the hostile and
persevering efforts of ths same power to
degrade US on the ocean," sc.
What degradation on the ocean does
Britain require from us, which she has
no, declared herself ready to submit to.
She reclaims her own subjects, when
found on board our merchant ships
She has proclaimed to the world that the
U. States have the same right to reclaim
their citizens when found OH board Bril-
fish Ships. This is an equal law to both
naliops-How then can we consider our
selves as degraded (? :, Why then should
the President call upon us the people to
pray for blessings in their efforts to Oh
tain that which is not denied them p
We must all however unite in beseech-
ing the beniicent ruler of the universe
that we may soon I" be enabled to beat
our swords into plough shares and to en-
Joy in peace every man the jruas Of his
n4t!stry and the regards Of his iaufhi
enferfrize," which have been SO long
withheld from US by the folly of our ru-
lers, by embargoes, non lmportations, *