Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-23
From tn. saless Gazette.
MR.. PICKERING's LETTERS.
LETTER 1.
To the PEOPLE Of the United States.

Having it in contemplation publicly
to express nv sentiments on the enor-
NOUS LOANS called for by our rulers
to enable them to prosecute the war a.
| yaipst Great Britain: it seems proper
first TO make some observations Oh the
war itself for if it be Just and necesSa,
ry,t the best efforts ofevery citizen should
be used for its effectual support, and Its
speedy and successful issue; but II 1t
be unjust and unnecessary; lit derives
it's origin from the maievolent and sell
ish passions, yelled in the garb OF honor
and pa,rotism-it cannot be too strong
" marked with terms of reprabation.
Mr.. MADISON's WAR
Has been already examined, and Its
character deineated by one of the ablsst
writer's and best citizens of our country.
It would be alike unnecessary and I'm.
proper to travel over his ground.
have long entertained the opinion,
that the few men who for the last twelve
years have moved all the springs ofpub-
lie action-d directed all public measures
and aimed 20 fix the destinies OF our
eountry-iutended to involve 1t IN war
with Great Britain to indulge their IN
veterate hatred of that country to sub
serve the views of France !; and to Sc
cure themselves in the possession OF
power. For to the passions and preJu-
dices of the people in favor OF the French
and against the English, which those
men have zealously and perseverlngiy
excited and cherished, they are deeply
indebted for the power now in their
hands. This is SO true that for many
years past their partizans have deemed
it sufficient, to ruin any man IN the eyes
of the people, to pronounce him TREND
to Great Britain or In their language
of vulgar abuse, British tory And
this is the lot of every independent citl-
zen who expresses his adherence OF
the abominable acts of the French, and
condemns the mischievous and unwar-
rantable measures of his own govern
ment.
While France assumed and bore the
name ola republic, protesting the broad
est principles of liberty; and uninform
ed as were most msn (nyself among the
nu,nber) as to the nature OF French IL
berty and French republicanism, the A.
meriean friends of Fran,e had an apollo
gy for their French partialities-partlal-
tiles for " sister republic"
But few years were sufficient to show
that in the name of liberty, the rulers OF
republican France put in practice the
most horrible and merci!ess tyranny at
home, and the most ambitious and I'm =
principled projects of conquest, IN re'a-
ten to all the neighboring nators a.
mong them, oyerturning every govern
ment and state which bore the name OF
republic. But this display oil the most
detestable tyranny s. ambition by France
abated nothing in the zeal of certain
portion of Aer American partizans tor
her cause not even when the govern
men, of that country seized by a single
tvrant, exhibited the mos. teroC'ous,
cruel and bloody dsspotisn that ever at
ficteA the christian world "A demon
straton that the professions of liberty &
republicanism, with which those French
par,izans filed the public ear, were all
false and hollow. The real lover Of JUS
tice and liberty, the frieha to the riS hts
of mankind, mnst instinc,iyely hate W
rannv, under every form, and however
exercised, whether by many, by few,
or by one. Why the same men hate
England, and with passion probably
surprising their love to France, may be;
accounted for : but the investigation,
| would require more detail and lllustra-
ton than time permits, or occasion re-
requires Suffice it to say, that this hatred
on one hand, and love and subscrvleney
on the other, while they contributed to
preserve the public power in their
! han.l4, eGeclually barred settlement,
Of our differences with Great Britain -
| l should speak more correctly if said,
that the scope and indulgence given to;
| those passions, combined with the love
! OF power, originated some, and have
| aggravated and maintained all those diff
ferences. say further, that the course
| of their proceedings and their own Off
cial documents are sufficient to satisfy,
discerning, candid and appropriated in
uuirers after truth, that it has been the
invetera.e determination Of the Presi-
dents Jefferson and Madison not to make
a general treaty, comprehending all the
subjects in question with Great Britain,
Il I, e.,
and independence. go still further. &
add, on my responsibility at the bar of
truth-and, if Mr.. Jefferson please, at
the bar of justicc-That amidst pro-
fusion of amicable professions towards
Great Britain, and multiplied declara-
tons of a sincere desire to adjust all diff
ferences between that country and the
y. States; and when he had been long
carrying on negotiations for general