Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-06-16

Dractised Cpon our governments ~
French Emperor, which it compor.s nos
With their policy to represent IN ITS lrus
colors; or by the conceaiment OF ' n:a,,
| important fact by our goyerntne,n''s,nIsA
it was their duty to disclose io'he an''
ricaD people.
While many Of the most uprisnt ana :,
| intelligent men have uniformly oshe y
| aid maip,ained ,ast the British ofoers
I! in Council afforded to our country ~
mst cause of wer, the doubts OF oshs' :
nave probably arisen from divesuhs
| them of their declared character oi.u'esI :
surts of re,siiation upon the cohduo'' VI
her cpcmy; all dispassiopate persons :
will admit that this was question OF
international lsx, which it was not ~.
cumbent upon government 70 oes'.e'
whatever were the sentiments OF It's ~.
| dlyi,lual members. Ii should have sur
feed for the practical Statesman TO u
auiae, whether under existing circuth-
stances, the interest or honor OF 'he
country rendered war inevitable, ana
whether on supposition IF the affirmative
Justice or expediency demanded the Sc
lection Of Great Britain for an enemy
But the authors Of the war appear"ts
have confined their attention te the hfsl
of these questions. They admit that as
the injuries inflicted upon our com
merce we're professedly incidental to
their state Of hostility with each other,
and were no, justified as acts OF di.ect
acgression upon the Gag OF the United
States, it wss at least optional with Tins
goyernmentto con.innc to treat them as
Of Ibis character and 10 oppose them by
remonstrance, until the Rational honor
demanded more decided and vigorous
course Of proceeding But is it not true
that the uuexanpIied fury and peculiar
character and extern Of the European
contest; the power Of the principa! par
ties in the war, the com plants al admi-
nistraion against both, the rcn!n;enes1
Of our situation aud eur incapac!ty at
bringing into operation against them any
effective means Of annoyance our dcs-
titution of competent fleets and armies,
The stote of our finances and the exaGp-
pic of other natoas is 1t not true, that
these and other circumstances combined
to furnish the most fas,idious homo" with
dlspensa,i1n from ordinary rules and
obligations. and fair apology Tor avoid
ing altogether, or al least for postpoDlng
until fully prepared, tbs last ard terri
ole resort of nations /? No precedent to
the disadvantage Of the country, and no
abandonment Of jus, rights, could nave
been inferred from this lorbealaDce.
Besdes-In whose estimation was the
national honor endangered Were we
bo1nd To .dishonof OURSELVES IN the OPP.
nion of Frapce, that we might preserve
the good eraccs Of Britain, er TO EN-
b9oii ourselves with tie later, that our
chivslrous spirit might be respected by
;hc former? Or were The unresisling
vassais Of French power among The Ma
tons of Europe .o'be the afhiie:s OF our
honor? DC Wa, it desirable to secure
the applause Of other neuifais who would
willingly bestow upon Us tsHlr admira-
ton in exchange for the profit TO be de-
rived from avoiding our example =
Certainly when TIE passions OF these
evil times shall havessubsldedh the Ame-
ricap natian vii! be Convinced, as the
people Of Massach nse,ts are convinced,
that this is not war OF honor, interest
or independence, bat the miserable Ca
tastrophe of pln or policy founded on
the pride of system, and in haired OF
one nation and raltlplity to anothef-
passions which in their march towards
the great objects OF local aggrandize-
ment and party power have trarDpicd
upon the Interests Of The Union, AID
threaten those Of New EnsIapd with
final destruction.
While The friends Of q commercial
policy in our country have reason to la
ment the jealousy and precipitancy,
which have prec!udsd Us from reaping
the advantage of state of affairs which |!
can never never be expected to recur |
the advocates for republican govern.
men,, throIghnu; the world will deplore !!
the failure Of this experiment of the ca
paci,y Of sacb governments to ,hun the
"a ults and vices incident to other forms.
No essay was ever made under elrcnm.
stances equally favorable. Aloof and
distant from tie s'orms which rayaged |
Europe the ni.cl.tiun Of mankind was |
directed lumanis these states as the sane
tuary Of the oppressed and the chosen |
residence of liberty and peace. The |
harrassel subjects of other govern !
1,enis, whose lives ard fortunes are de- !
voted TO war at the ned of a master, re- |
garded with envy the condition Of great |
people who holding the ssord in their
own hand would not permit it to be
welded for she purposes of ambition OF
conquest of vanity or revenge. But
this deiusion has vanished, and unless
better counsels prevail, we shall hence
fnr,h be distiHg uished from other rcpub- !
Tics. only by the increased facility with