Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-02-24


IN the discharge of my public duty, ],
eonjure you to alter your course. urge
70 you the language of entreaty. be-
seech you, by your best hopes OF your
country's prosperity-by your regard Tor
the preservation of her government and
her union--by your own ambition, as non
orable men, of leading hereafter Ia the
councils of great and growing empire
| coniure you, by every motive which can
be addressed to the mind of man, that
you abandon your system OF restrictions
that YOU abandon it at once--and abans
don it forever.
The humble aid, which it would be In
my power to render to measures OF 60
yernment, shall be given cheerfuily, Ii
government will pursue measures which
| can conscientiously support. Badly as
think of the original grounds OF the war,
as we'll as OF the manner in which it has
been hitherto conducted, if even now, fail
ing in an honest and sincere attempt to
procure Just and honorable peace, 1t will
return to measures, of defence and pro-
lection, such as reason, and common sense
and the public opinion all call for,
my vote shall not be withholden from the
means. Give up your futile projects OF In
vasion. Extinguish the fires that blaze oD
your inland frontiers Establish perfect
safety and defence there by adequate force.
Let every man that sleeps on your soil,
sleep in security Stop the blood that
flows from the veins OF unarmed yeoman-
~, and women & children. Give to the liv-
ing, time to bury and lament their dead,
in the quietness of private sorrow Hav
ing performed this work OF beniticence
and mercy on your inland border. turn
and look with the eye ofJustice and COM
passion on your vast population along
the coast. Unclench the iron grasp of
your embargo. Take measures for that
end, before another sun sets upon you.
With all the war of the enemy on your
commerce, if you would cease to war it
on yourselves, you would still have some
commerce. That commerce would give
you some revenue. Apply that revenue to
the augmentation of your navy. That ma
Wy, in turn, will protect your commerce.
Let it no longer be said, that not one
ship of force, built by your hands since
the war, yet floats upon the ocean.-Turn
the current of your efforts into the chan
mel which national sentiment has already
worn broad and deep to receive it. A ma
val force, competent to defend your coast
againts considerable ornaments, to con-
voy your trade, and perhaps raise the
blockade Of your rivers, is not a chime
ra 1t may be realized. If then the war
must continue, go to the ocean If you
are seriously eontending for maritime
rights, go to the theatere where alone these
rights can be defended. Thither every in
dication of your fortunes points you. There
the united wishes and exertions of the natl
on will 60 with YOU Even our party d.
visions, acrimonious as they are, cease at
the waters edge. They are lost in attach
ment to national character, on that ele-
ment, where that character is made respec-
table. In protecting naval interests by ma
val means, you will arm yourselves with
the whole power of national sentiment and
may command the whole abundance of the
national resources In time, you may en-
able yourselves to redress injuries, in the
place where they may be offered and if
need be, to accompany your own flag
throughout the world, with the protection
Of your own cannon.