Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1814-09-19

wars or modern EUROPE no examples OF
the kind even among nations the mott
hottie to each other, can be traced. In
the courfc of ten years pat, the Capital
of the principal powers of the continent
Of Europe have been conquered, and
occupied alternately by the victorious
armies of each other, and no initance OF
fuch wanton and unjuitifable deitruction
has been feen. We mutt go back to
diitant and barbarous ages, to find
parallel for the ac,s of which complain.
Although theie acts of defolation invit.
ed, if they did not impofe on the govern
ment the neceility of retaliation,yet in no
initance has il been authorized. The
burning of the village Of Newark in Up
per Canada, poferior to the early outrage
es above enumerated, was not executed
OIL that principle, The village of New
ark adjoined Fort George, and irs deitruc-
ton was fulfilled by the officer who or
dered it. on the ground that it became
neceilary in the military operation there.
The act however was dliavowed by the
government. The burning which took
place at Long Point was unauthorized by
the government, and the conduct of the
officer fubjected to the inveltigation of a
military tribunal. For the burning at ST.
David's committed by ftragglers, the off.
Ger who commanded in that quarter, was
difmifed without trial, for not prevent
ingit.
lam commanded by the PreGdent, diff
tinctly to fate, that it as little comports
with any orders which have been iilued
to the military and naval commanders Of
the United States as it does with the ess
tabliihed and known humanity of the
American nation, 10 purdue fyitem
which it appear you have adopted. This
government owes 1t to itie.f, to the prin.
ciples which it has ever held facred, to
dilavow, as juftly chargeable to it, any
iuch wanton, crue.. unjuitihable warfare.
Whatever unauthorized irregularity
may have been committed BY any OF its
troops, it would have been ready, acting
on thefe principles of iacred and eternal
obligation, to dilavow, and as far as might
be practicable, to repair. But in the plan
Of deiolating warfare which your letter
explicitly makes known, aud which is at
tempted to be executed on plea 70 utter
|. groupdlefs, the Preiident perceivss
tpl,it OF deep rooted hoitih,y which, with
out the evidence Of fnch facts, he could
not have believed exiited, or would have
been carfied 10 iuch an extremity.
For thc reparatlon OF injuries, of what
ever nature they may be, not tanctioned
by the law OF nations, which the military
or naval force OF either power may have
committed, againit the other, this gov
eminent will always be ready TO enter in
to reciprocal arrange aents 1t is preiums
ed that your governmentwili neither ex-
pect nor propote any which are not
reciprocal.
Should your government adhere to
fyhem of defola,ion 70 contrary to the
views and practice of the United States,
70 revolving to humanity, anc repugnant
to the ientiment and ufages of the civil
zed world, whit it will be fecn with me
aeepea regret, j, mutt and will be met
with determination and conttancy be-
coming tree people, contending in a
juit cauie for their eiienlial rights and
their dcarett intereits.
l have the honor to be, with great COM
liberation, ir, your mott obedient hum
bic fervant.
(5igned) rs. MONROE.
Vice I'D Dir Alex Cochrsne,
Commander OF II. d. MajeRy's
fhips and vehels, SC.