Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-13

Sia'eu, that wishing no act OF theirs to
exist, which could give reasonable
plea for unjust conduct towards them,
they would not suffer the employment
OF the seamen of foreign nations engaged
IN war, in their public or private vessels.
AS this was not done, foreign nations
had right to conclude. that they did not
regard the evil as 80 great an one, as to
hazard the peace of the country in op.
position to it, because, as a just nation,
they would have ceased themselves from
lnjuring others, before they demanded
from them to arrest an abuse which
had Its origin in an injustice committed
by themselves-For no man can doubt
that in point Of interest, we gained more
By the employment of British seamen in
our merchant service, than we lost by
the partial impressments of our own.
But | will venture to pronounce, that
there is not an honest man in the society,
let his politics be what they may, who
will not at snce say, that the impress
ment OF seamen from our merchant ser,
vice was never considered Of Hsetfa as :
sufficient cause of war; and of course
that the making it one now, for the con-
tinuance it, is oae of those wicked pre-
fences by which an ambitious and preju.
dicedExecutive may at any time ruin the
liberties and happiness of the country,
by the expenditure of millions to in
crease his influence, by raising large ar
mics, & placing the farmers in the pow
er of his tax-gatherers, armed mercena
ries, and cormorant plunderers.* If, as
Mr.. Speaker Clay asserts in his polite
speech on the army bill, we may shift as
we please the causes of the war, and
make that cause for continuance which
was not a cause for its commencement,
why have not eur western heroes made
the destruction of the tomahawk and
scalping knife sine qua non of peace,
and determined that the war shall not
cease, until the Indians shall be given up
to the mild, humane and Christian for.
bcarance of these unprecedented men.-
As the practice of granting licences &
chusing their market is, according to
Mr.. Madison's idea, both anti.christian
and immoral, is it not also to be conclud.
ed, that the abandonment of this conduct
is to be another prerequisite to peace;
and let nae ask if the war is to continue
until we shall cause G. Britain to give.
up every principle which our immscu-
late Executive may think at all ispro-
per, when will il have an end, and what
must be our situation during its CONT
nuance?t When wallowing under the
load of taxes, and goaded by the inso-
lence of exacting officers, the farmer
turns his eye towards the peace and hap.
piness he has lost. in vain will the pre-
tended cry of national henor, or retubl-
can PRINCIPLES, by hi, oppressor, mitigate
his sorrows, or arrest his vengeace -
Is it not astonishing, that men who have
protested themselves so tremblingly
live to the safety of our seamen, should
have suffered whole session to pass off.
without the smallest notice of their real
misery, by confinement in Algerine dun
eeons und surely, whilst Mr., Speaker
Clay was INDUCING himself in fustian
defamation upon the subject of i'm
pressment, his ballad quotation would
have much better suited the case Of our 7
unhappy countrymen yoked to the carts
of inGdels, or pining in their iails, and
our gallant little Navy would have been
of infinitely more service to its country,
in chastisiug the violence of these
wretches, than in the useless waste OF
the blood of Christian people.
A VIRGINIAN.
ASA proof Of the above assertion,
look at the Resolutions drawn up, in the
Virginia Assembly, by the very man
who now urges US to war on this &C
count; when this very business Of i'm
hressment Of even or o1un seamen, Is
stated, as no just or proper cause for GO
ing to war, and where it is SO emPhatl-
cally stated, that being so far removed
from the vortex Of European contests,
srar could be justified upon no other
Ground than that OF defence. Look al
50 at his arrangement with Mr.. Erskins,
where it was never mentioned, as neces.
.ary to conclusion Of differences. Do
we not perceive in this, as in all the
conduct of Jefferson and himself, an art
Gnl endcayor to set aside every effort
made BY G Britain to an accommoda.
ton, and always to fly to some ne'0 de-
nund, to which they hope she cannot or
will not accede.
tits worthy of observation, that Mr.;
Madison never supposed the licensed
trade, carried on between this country
and France, anti christian and immoral
or the combining it to particular ports
as a, all improper At least, If he DID,
GO Ca..> has reYcnied his