Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-08-09

she boldly and openly avowed her reasons
ana declared war, she would never perhaps
nave had the opportunity of stealing the
Fleet at Copenhagen. 1t was necessary
therefore for the safety and success Of what
she considered her policy, instead of decklr-
Ing warto so with the smiles of friend, that
she might be the better enabled TO act the
assassin and to obtain the object of her per-
hdy and plunder.-This is war in disguise.
Ana such has been the conduct of Great
Britain towards us, and such the fatal
though Undectared war that she has been
waging against us for many Years. Our
property could not so out of our own wat crs,
| without being subject to-their capurc, nor
our citizens without being subject to their
captlvity.-Our soliciIude to prevent this
| state OF things was unayailng and our eff
forts only met with contempt. The only
alternative left for us TO choose, other than
base and dastardly submission, was that of
resistance, or in other words, of DECLARING
war. Where then is the spell about these
words with which the British party endea-
Vor to enchaat and delude us into the opin
ION, that our own government is the seeker
and the author of the WARP 1t must be
impossible that the nature and order of
rhings can be SO strangely misunderstood
and inverted as to induce any one honest
man to believe it.
In the preceding number the writer
could not forDear from entering into some
remarks upon the anxiety aud sensibility of
inns party among us towards Great Britain
IN regard to the existing contest IL Europe
ana that according to the facts and the au
thority OF Mr.. Fox that Great Britain had
been equally guilty of persidy and the wan
ton destruction OF human nature with any
other Nation.--'Fhat she was not at all en-
titled to the sympathy of the friends Of
peace, the friends of religion or the friends Of
manklnd--That 1t was the ruling princi
pie OF the war party in 1900, as it is of the
! same party now, TO look upon "peace as a
dangerous ard difficult extremity Tie
| open and unblushing avoWal Of this princi
| pie brought forth the following impressive
| ejaculation from MIR. Fox. "Oh, pity the
| condition of man, Gracious God and save
us from system of malevolence by which
we are taught TO consider war rs the natural
state ct man, and peace bat dangerous
! and difficult extremity" Hence it follows
| from this principle of their external policy,
! that thozc nations who will not give up their
rights and resources at her command, are
properly esteemed the objects of open en-
| nifty, her power. and destruction. Many
attempts have been made to justify this
! principle Of endless warfare. 1t was re-
| repeated saying of The Emperor of France,
that ,ile TWO Governments could rot exist
together This for time served as an
apology for the iIihdman spirit of the party.
| BUTT was soon proved to the shame and
confusion OF those who used il, that they
Themselves were the very first to entertain
that idea, the very first TO express it, and
| the only one q embrace it and to act upon
it as declared principle. The ruthless anS
ambitious spirit of France has been charge
!, and excuse with them time cut of mind, and
| cannot be said to be made with any parti-
cular force or application now. They have
railways urged it against tho kings of France
! And there never was a period CT prince,
! when and TO whom it was more applicable
than 70 Louis XIV, of whom gUeat Histo-
| rian speaks in very magnificent terms, but
says Of him that tho' he managed his en-
terprises with skill and bravery, he was I'M
| fortunate in this, tkat he neUtT got good
and fir 1trs,encs far 7ynr. Is Bona parte
| worse than this ? Can any thing be said oil
him worse than this Even at that distant
day it was the cry of the British ministry
that all who did not unite in their views ard
opinions were under French influence.
! The spirit and policy of the party have
continued to keep up those cries for the
purpose Of justifying theiracts of aggression
and wrong upon neutral powers under the
miserable hypocricy OF resisting univer
empire aud fighting the battles CT the world
So that we most evidently perceive thai
those last charges of party passiun, such a:
that of French iLi5ae9.ce, and desire foI
the Gallo Sceptre, to wave Itself unresisteC
over the world, are truly ludicrous and IN.
founded. And in regard to America thai
they existed long before she became an in
dependent nation. Notwithstanding this
that they prevailed before, and ever since
the days ofthe Grand Nfonargne, they are
used and reiterated upon every occasion
now, az if they were secrets found out OF
yesterday, or truths very freshly drawn fron
some very recent events Whatever Tx
complaints Of Great Britain, OF her stipen.
diary agents, an6 hor mercenary journalist.
may be, they cannot be, in the language oil
Mr.. Fox, "that the Emperor OF France
has generated new crimes--nor hat he has
promulgated new iscilief, but that he mas
adopted and acted upon the principles 81
the House Of Bourbon" Such an extrava.
CANT, unpTrcipled and mad course of con.
duct as Ibis on the part OF Great Britain
! aud her friends, cannot certainly find an
| advocate or an admirer unless they are to
be met with in the hospitals of insanity. But
| yet we are told that Great Britain is the
| bulwarl. of lcial order and religion and the
world's last hope. Ii the christian religion
is to be understood as intoxicating peace and
good will among men, we would fain enquire
| how it is to be fulfilled by the principe OF
"peace being dangerous and difficult ex-
tremity :" Such are the gross a6surdties