Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-03-19

redress is never obtained by declaring
and prosecuting an offensive war !
should wish to be understood, that where
the war is declared on aceoun, OF an IN
Jury committed, wrong done, you do
act if you conquer your enemy obtain
redress. If he has taken your property,
if you can find it take it back, but by in
vading his country, killing his subjects,
and plundering their property, you gain
no redress. The injury still remains
and all you have done is the same that
ne has. He has done an injury to your
citizess, and you have done an injury to
bis; what nearer are you to your rights
than at the beginning "A thousand
wrongs can never make right, and by
prosecuting your war. you are as guilty
ss your enemy was for whose wrongs
you commenced it.
II your enemy has impressed your
citizens, and retains them in bondage
the slaughtering of his subjects, despoi!-
ing and plundering their property will
make the captivity of your citIzen no
more tolerable, than il the war had not
been commenced. His chains will still
gall his limbs, and he will still pine for
freedom. Should he die in consequence
of his thraidom, your wars and your
slaughter will not raise, the dead, or
soothe the Affections of his friends. 1t
an enemy has by force taken possession
of a part of our territory, the taking it
back by force would be defensive war,
because he is Oh your ground, he, invad.
ed you, and you have good and jusiiha-
bio cause to drive him away. Thi. is
diife'en case, altogether different in
principle from the war we are now pro-
scouting.
This war, sir, was either declared for
an injury done and passed, or it is for a
principle. 1t for the former it is war
0! vengeance, If tie latter it is war of
insoience and folly. AS Indifferent and
foolish as the Craus ades-6ght nation
because they suppose that national law
is one way; and you suppose they are
wrong-Now sir, will fyhing either al
ter the principle. or prove that you are
right, or they wrong mo sir, If you
conquer them it will prove you are supe.
rior in battle; if you get conquered it
will prove YOU are inferior--your rights
and your principles will be precisely as
they were when you commenced. They
will be as they were bat bow will stand
me account current Of blood and trea-
sure when placed against all the advan-
lagos derived from the contest? The ba.
lance against you sir, will be great and
You have filed your country with
widows, with helpless orphans, increas.
ed your pension list asd the national
debt almost TO bankruptcy, experienced
,ufferings and loss, distracted and divi-
1ed the people, ruined commerce, spread !
poverty far and wide, dsmoralised the |
Il, zess, and what have you gained .
Nothing.
All this mighty suffering is to obtain
IN object, OF which you have failed and
o establish the most wild and chineri-
al of all pretensions. That neutral
lags make neutral men and neutral
goods.
l am opposed to the augmentation OF
he army on another ground. We are
bout to negotiate for peace, if the exc
:utive is sincere why this enormous
:xpence; why continue this hostile at
i,ude The idea, if such an one exists,
hat the enemy are either to be conquer
ID or frightened into peace is certainly
bsurd, if he judges Of what you can do
rom what you have dene, he has nothing |
0 fear; or this score you gain nothing.
t is then bad economy, it profligate
Ise of money to expend vast many
aillions o! dollars for bounties and pay
o soldiers, when so fair prospect ex.
SITS of making an honorable peace.
There Is reason TO hope the President
will propose an armistice 1t will be
wise ard prudent measure, save mach
reasurc, and probably much blood. 1t
would hush the chickering's and quiet the
ears of The nation for. Whatever OPT.
ion gentlemen from the south may en-
crtsin, uine.tep.hs OF the people where
am acquainted, long for peace they
ire anxious for an armistice, and they
Y ould hail them as their brightest ble..
sings, they would welcome them with
With enthusiasm.
Gentlemen say we need the army to
lefend our frontiers. Sir, our frontiers
iced no defence, take away armies and
hey will be perfectly quit, & perfectly
ecure. Every incursion, which the
.nemy has made, has been either as a
etalistion for injuries dose them by our
roops, or TO prevent those troops from
invading them. The ishabitants on the
rontier have had sufficient experience
o apprehend any danger if our armies
re Withdrawn. Besides il we are TO
ave peace, or If We are to have an ar
nistice, surely there can be 10 necessity
# frontier defence, and if we need de.
kns 4. e I