Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1814-04-02

cause Great Britain subjects portion of her
subjects TO the necessity ol fighting her EN-.
emies--and ye, this is the only cause of
war. say the only cause, because the of
fetal document contains no other, which
wen the authors of the war can pretend now
70 exist 1t is indeed true that the war par.
ty have pretended that the British employ
many Amarican sailors in their service. and
he repeated restrictions upon and final des.
truction Of our commerce would seem To
give plausibility to such au ssserllon and
if this be true is i, cause of war II thou.
sands Of our fellow citizens are deprived Of
bread at lone, and can get IL abroad, and
20 abroad to seek il /; is this a cause for the
continuance of war The manifesto shews
it was not cause OF declaring the war
But how is the fact in regard TO seamen
The merchants are the only persons who
can give Information. lnqeite of them.
they will tell YOU tina, We had before cur
commerce was destroyed, tn times NOR,
foreign sailors md these moslly Bni.h)
in our en- ALIGNMENT than the d fish had Of
our men in theirs
beg that these assertions may not be
taken upon ,rust--it is TIE duty Of every
good ciIizen TO enquire and intorm himself
OF the facts necessary to form a correct
Judgment in political matters and unless
he does this, how can ne know that he
shall act correctly when he is voting TO,
uo!ic officers Inquire hen, inform your.
selves, fad out the political character OF
men BY their measures. By their fruits ye
shat knorv them.
But were the declarations made by tie
war advocates, to support wicked Cause,
Is consonant 10 truth as they are opposite te
1t; were ii true, that Great Britain claims
the right to take american, instead ofBritsA
ilors yet, can any christian, vino Sc Ks
to learn, and strives 10 practice his duty, be
the advoca,elo war upon ouI unoflendine
and friendly neighbors, the Cai.sdisns? /
Great Britain had made laws to violate til,
rights 0. our seamen upon the ocean-sha.
We find christians among us, men too, whc
boast their attachmen: 10 fies dom and ind,
pendence, TO justify re,enging AN imagi at,
or eOen areai avrong upon people whom
we acknowledge to'kaye done us no injury
Shall they who claim descent from piou
ancestors. who rriss as invaluable the bles
sings oil eedom and Jude pendence, visit a,
unoflrnding people with war to rob them o
the blessings We so highly prize ourselves
blessings which cost the best blood Of on
fathers to gain?
Are We Christians and do this ! No, m,
friends; no precept Of The Gospel breathe
such . doctrine. Are we even trsene an,
do this ! Alas Move are slaves To III
viles,, the most ignobie passions -Itis tn
very temper Of Satan.--Can we expec, I
retain our own freedom and independenc
While we seek TO rob the Canadians of the !
RIGHTS mo, of there Is rlgh:cou
Con, and that there is all nature cries a
loud" he will visit with his seyerest iudg
ments, such daring violations OF his com
msndments.-Rshec, then, my professin,
friends, VIVA, ye have done, what yc ale no,
doing and whose cause ye, by your conduct
espouse - beseech you, that you do no
shrink from the investigation. Exam
inc yourselves, and your conduct, briny
them to the ties, OF Gop's word If you d,
this faithfully, you will find that the sup
porters of this war, are fighting in the ranks
Of antichris: "UAer3ore, my brethren
come ye out from among them, and be ye sen
arate thai ye be nor i.drtakers Of their sins
,hss yr receive mot Of their fiagues."