Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-09-20
"PUl' TIE SADDLE ON rHE RIGHT
HORSE"

1t is often alledged that OUR eoyERS-
MENr IS responsible for the blood split and
n,sery occasioned by THE WAR, because
We COMMENCED 1T. This is not true
WE DID NOT COMMENCE FIT
WAS BEGUN BIZ BRITAIN lie was not
only BEGUN by her, but she HAD CARRI.
Ed 1T N F9RMASY YEARS AGAINST US,
before sce had struck her blow, or given
her a saucy word. SHE had NOT, it is true,
formerly Declared war against us bur il il
equally true, that she nad actually qUared
and facessantty prosecuted it She had Sc q
ed nearly thousand of our vessels she
had coniiscated millions of our property-
hehad ensiaved thousands ofe5hr citizens-
size had cut oil a large portion of our fade,
or exac ed t'eute for Carrying it on--she
had harrassed our commerce aud seugh-
tered our people on our own coasts and in
our own harDors--sac had armed and en-
bodied the savages against MS on the fron~
ters--anl cunulic,ed many other hostile
acts, without provocat,on or iustifcatIon.-
WAS NOTsTHIS MAKING WAR Up
ON Us , Did it require formal dectaraA
on To make these ACES HoSTILEf When a
i'oo6r enters your house, and proceeds 10
kidnap your children, aud pinnder and de
slroy your property, are YOU not to CONSIDER
him as q r066er until he tremendously in
suchS And after YOU have ,ried eue,.y nos
si6te means 10 prev all ON him to desist, and
he persevres IN his nefarous purposes, but
aTuses yon with COL words, until you find
there is no hope that peaceable means wal
rescue your children or recover your pro-
perry, or preserve what he has not yet got
Aold OF, and you attack him with such wex-
pons AS you have TO compel him 10 rel!aquis.l
ms booty lis ne then to turn round and tell
sou that you commenced the quarrel, and
chat you are responsible for N the harm
that ensued from itf!! Would not this be
most audacIoes ip rim ?-And il audacious
| In him what would you think Of one If gcE,'
children who should step forward, jzsIffy
GtLthe ro66er mad done, accuse you vt BE
ginning the atfray, and assert that YOU were
justly chargeabie with all the evils shat
should result from il /? That had you re
NAMED quls,, nobody would have been
mart Say Reader, / put the question
panty and piamply 70 you, what would you
after snch treatment from 6rolbe,, tnink
OF sucn language from chiiQl Do Nuot
smut yOur eyes to the truth, nor harden
your heart against reason, merely BECAUSE
you call your elf Federaist-ans wer con :
scientiously and fairly, be of 7phat i,arty you,
may, fvHaE 70outd you think ofSuch a child (
Fct IuSt such as this conduct OF ro66e7 Is
described towards you, has been the cod
duct Of Britain fo7UerdS y4ncyzea Juss Snc.i
languages as fhis child IS represented as mol
ding to his father, do nlny dng5icans hold
towards thSlr DUN Government
Men OF sense, and reflection and principle
--OfaH IarAes--is such conduct just, or
proper or expedientS Is it not calculated
20 make your enemy persevere ia her injus-
tice and iHiquityI Put yourselt in the
place fthe son IN the case have put
how would you act then d? And ought you
not to act in the same manner between Bril-
fatn and yonr cgvn Country, as you would
IN that case act between the Ro66er and
your Father?-{ appeal to your Justice, 70
your DUTY, TO yoKr INTEREST how you
ought to act! There are nov Dur two par
ties III the C ntest, BR (TAIN * AMERICA
THE ROBBER and YOUR PATENTS
- Winch side will 700 tNke1-whose cause
viii you espouse For your decision you
must answer 10 your co .cie.9ceS your coUN-
TRY and your GOD 10 them leave
you.
LLrhI~ Honse