Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-10

produced the re by the honorable d, ansac
tious OF the English at Washington.
N. Y: Ga.
Paris. Oct. 2.
Il 10 most assurcdly not without the most
painful feeling that our readers will have
Perused the details we have given them.
respecting the capture and desfruc ioa Of
the capital Of the United States of America
Thus, then, the war is prosecuted In the
New World with the same character Of fu.
~ as for 80 long a period spread desoIAtion
over the Old 1t there EXHIBITS the same
| spectacle OF devastation aud horror. at the
moment when we Aattcred ourselves with
the prospect of beholding the revival, even
IN the pidst OF battles, OF those principles of
humanity and the law of nations. which Dol,
ished and civilized people ought never 10
violate. Was it intended TO furnish him
with an excuse. who was Justly charged
wlth trampling uoder foot al, those princi.
Pies by initiating his ~basbarous. example 7
what the English who reproachsd him
w.tn such force and justice. with spreading
pillage and confagration wherever he went
with running and destroying the towns that
submitted to his armies, now make tliems
selves masters of Washington, plunder and
Lay waste, blow up all its public establish.
nlents and public edi6ces, and carry oil ia
their ships all that they no not choose to
destroy by FIRE and sword-k Is not an alb
solutely foreign city. and ts which no tic,
none OF those ancient relations, which dou-
ply Claim the rights of humanity. might
nave to ensure a less severe fate. that they
nave thus treated ; It is a city, which may
DC called English. which speaks the same
language. which has the same manners, and
IS composed Of Inhabitants whose fathers
In tie last war. which has divided Eng
lana from the United Sta.e Is, our wishes
= OUT ieehngs have been constantly in ia
sor o. the i;nglish arms. The English
.onoa'eo tue general enemy of Europe
American government seemed 10 have es.
poused the odious cause of cur ,vrsnt-;,
war. ed the active war made nncn Rim nv
isciarlng itself against England. whom we
considered as the soul ofthe coale iced powers
ahd whom We heartily wished 10 see Der
ioFnihs 2 art at .oace so brilliant and &c
nonorAo'e. We. moreover, bche!d in Mad
isoi ahu ms patty, adnerenss to those de
"oetAtc principles. which had Brought up
IN 10 SUCH : we wished. there.
io'e nat ris parry might fall But ho.,
NTH WAS 1t to be wished, that hostilities
aao ceased in America. as in Eurone q,
me TAI OF him who had given the .sip,al 70,
.ueui III all parts of the world 2 Wyhv !,
icast' has not war itself exoer;enced ,he
good effects of that why is IL conduc,ed
in tue manner of pirates, who land upou !
coast to rayase it, and then preciDitately
embark again. NOT feeling themselves suf6.
E~ciently strong TO occupy il and maintain
; their position f-Was it not in this guanner
THAT the English landed, to the number q
he Thousand, as it is said. at Washington,
and then fed, after having ruined. and as i,
were -swepr from the face of the earth one
OF the finest capitals in the world which
most forcibly struck by its nagniRcencc md
its establishments one of the most ceiebra,
ted travellers OF the present day, Md
HUMBOLDT! Is itthus that he hero whom
they bold FORTH with just pride to the ADM.
ration Of Europe. made war in Portugal n
Spain, in France
The English have often preached q, cx
~celient principles of morals and humanity
they have often and justly reproached their
enemies with violating those principles bu,
let them beware-their edifying sermon,
and their severe reproaches will lose much
of their force, IT they themselves com sri,
those excesses OF which they accuse Others
Their enemies assert, that it is rathe,
their W interest than that of humanity
which in general governs their morality aad
their conduct ! that at this moment. for In.
stance. when they are. no zeatously p,esdiu.
the cause Of tina Negroes, it IS less out 3
love for the Africans than from jealousy &c
the Frhnch Colonies we, indeed believe nc
such thing } but We must confess thar FIRE,
} quent examples. such as that which the,
have just exhibited at Washington. woulf
grievously emharaass their friends.