Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-04-28

vas it 4 question OF the evils and suffer-
ines Of war; for I never believed that
they would be so great as they were de-
picted by many, nor thought that war
when necessary, as We all admit that 1t
must sometimes be, ought to be Stunned
on account Of It's evils and sufferings. ]
moreover think that war has Its good
side a. well as Its bad, Its benefits as
well as its mischiefs, and that it is use
full for every nation, at least once in each
succeeding generation, to be engaged IN
war. 1t represses the little vices, and
brings forward the great virtues OF the
human character II accustoms men TO
submit to privations and suffering tor the
sake of principle or OF honor. II calls
them OF from the pursuit of gain, ana
engages them in the pursuit OF glory
It raises talents and courage above mere
wealth. Itimparts yigor and enerss
10 the national character, which con.has
after the war is over, and animate al 'pe
pursuits of peace. Hence the moss.
.tlourishing and distinguished nations 10
modern, as we'll as ancient times, rave
always been those that fought most ife-
quentIy. 1t was, therefore, not Oh ac-
count of its losses or Its caia'Hi'ie'
chiefly, that deprecated the war. :
Still rs. was it with me aIestloh OF
power; forI had no wish to engage 10
public lite myself, and / can say Inc
same from my personal kno"ieuge'
concerning the chief men OF the party
with which am connected. All that
we desired, was to see the country well
governed :; and if that object were at
tanned, we should have preferred seeing
the government in the hands OF Mr.. 9et'
ferson, Mr.. Madison, and their friends,
as being most likely to please the mass
of the people, many of whom had con-
ceived prejudices, most uniounded IN
deed, but very strong, against inc oP,
posite party.
But my invincibls objection to the
war, nv dread aud horror on the sub,
iect of it, arose from a thorough con-
viction of its necessary and inevitable,
tendency TO chain Us % the chariot
wheels of Bonaparte, to bind us 10 his
alliance, to ingulph us In the bottom
less pit Of his dominion, and reduce US
to the conditions of all the vassal ma
tions whom he has deluded and devour-
ed. believed, and still firmly believe,
that had he been successful in Europe.
as was confidently expected here when
the war was declared, this country would
have been at this moment effectively,
and very soon ayowedly, under his do.
minion. His minister here would have
been az absolute as the French minister
was at Berlin or Munich, and our go.
yernment would have been the humble
and passive instrument OF his dominion.
His edcts would have assumed tor a
while the form of acts of Congress, but
that would soon have been laid aside, &
all who dared TO resist would have
been destroyed BY popular violence o.
military execution would have shared
the fate of De Witt or of Palm.
That the authors of this war, in ge-
neral, intended to produce such effects
/ by no means believe. But, in such
cases, infatuation does as much as wick
edness, and sometimes even m?re ). &
when see how many other countries
have had French chains rivetted upon
them by their own hands, how their own
folly, prejudices and passions have been
used as the instruments of their subjec
ton and slavery, and observe the same
course commenced, the same means
used here, and the same causes in ope
ration, l cannot but believe that the re-
suit would hare been the same. hope
we should have made struggle, but
we should have had our own govern
ment against us, with all the pains and
penalties of treason in its hands, and
must have commenced the struggle with
halters about our necks.
say that / do not by any means con-
slider the authors of this war, -, gene.
raj, intending to produce such effects:
but cannot acquit them universally.
When I see the most bawling PATH
OTIS, in so many other countries uni
formly assuming the character OF French
partixans, wherevera fit occasion oc-
Cured. and uniformly becoming the
bumbies., blindest, and most active IN
strpments ofFrench despotism, in hopes
Of being rewarded by part otthe sPons
of their fellow citizens, or a sort OF sub
ordinate government of their ensiaved
country, can I suppose that the same
description Of persons are not prepared,
in due time, 10 act a similar part here,
or have not been indnced by the hope
of seeing such time arrive, to Join IN
the measures calculated to bring it
comics, ! cannot. When so many
wolves in sleeps clothing have been
sound in, other countries, can we believe
,Ss, there are none here? Can we
,, for instance, that man who
.honid move in Congress to subject A.
s.;.,n ci,;zens universally to martial