Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1815-01-12

on orr name and all the misOrtunes OF our country
Are they the men, who before the war was declar-
ed. spoke Of its dreadful mpolicy portrayed the
defenceless condition of the country pointed daily
10 the weakness Of your means, warned you, that !
your frontiers would be swept bysavage dcsolaton,
and your G. es destroyed that your states would |
be exposed TO subj lgation, your union to dissou- |
ton and Il most IN the agony Of despair, invoked |
YOU 10 save your wives, your children, your coun
try from the sufferings and evils of The conflict
o. afc ti,ey the rnsa WHO forgetting all the sacred
duties which bound them to peace, byoyed up by
the tansitogy buzzes Of amob, vain with little
brief authority, hurried along by the fatal influence
of party, without necessity, and without mercy,
plunged Their country, defenceless and naked, into
that lake Of blood, where she isyet swimming
The men, who resisted even unto death,
all your weak and wicked schemes Of com
mercial coertion, which spread distress over
the land, and conducted directly to this
war Or, those, who day after day and
year after year, adopted a course of oppres~
siye ard ruinous policy, succession of weak,
vet suicidal measures, from which, even
war seemed almost relief
Who are the guilty authors of our ruin
Those, who to the last moment, even in
the very brink of the bloody gulf, still
pointed to the white flag of peace and pros
ue rity, which Washington had erected
boisted the crimson banner in its stead
Who are the guilty authors of our dis.
graces p
The men, who when you had plunged in
the gulf, still spoke to you of peace, still
urged you to grasp the proffered hand of
the enemyp Or those who having tasted
s blood, continued to cry for havoc, madly
despising the only oser, which could issue
in permanent paciication 2
The nien, who constantly invoked ycu to
defend youf towns and coasts always pro-
tested against your unjust invasion of a
neighbor.ng province, and forewarnod you
that the frowns OF a just God, would cover
with defeat and ignominy ell your ambi
tious schemes of conquest Or, they, who
abandoning their own soil and and capital
sc ravage and dssolation, in the very spirit
of ignorance and gasconade, boosted the
conquest of Canada in six weeks and sent
an Hull TIERS to surrender in thirty DAYS
Who proudly proclaimed, that the finger
u heaven pointed to Qpebec. that her lofty
ramparts were already trembling at their
proves, and sent Wilkinson to be chas-
ed back, covered with the blacklist disgrace
Who for three years have bent all their
power to subjugate province, poor, thin
ly populated, badly defended, and in every
instance have been overthrown and dis
comfted
Upon whom, sir, shall the good genius of
this county frown ?
Review these facts and tell ne who in
truth are the authors of this wide spread
ruin, this black disgrace which shrouds the
American name
Let me not be misunderstood No doubt,
our gallant frigates have giided the nation
al escutcheon with the brightest beams of
glory, TO the unbending spirit end gal
liant condect of the American soldier 10
man is more sensible OR armies in the
north, during the past summer, have fought
with an heroic bravery worthy the best
days of our reyolution. Their gallant lead
ers are entitled to every need of applause
But all this resolution and all this gallantry.
but shrouds the cal inet conductors of the |
war in tenfod darkness
How have the bravery, and the resolu.
ton of our armies been applied To ac-
compiish the unhailowed schemes Of ambi- |
tion--to carry desolation and death into a. |
conatry. feeble, and pacific, ard always
the friend of our republic, until you forced |
her to become our enemy. And how, even
IN TINS work OF UNJUST desoiatIon, how have |
they been directed In manner, weak |
and foolish beyond example, Look to the !
Niagara. How has the life OF man been I
made the sport of imbecility and ambition ! (
What hecatombs of human victims have |
been sacrificed, in an unmeanins contest
for a Canadian fortress. of no use to our
country, finally abandoned as worthless
The fields of Chippewa, of Cornwall, of
Bridgwater, and of Erie are still smoking
with human blood, crying for vengeance.
q sir, the authors of this war ca mot be
guiSless. tell them, in the final day of
retribution, when the rulers of nations shall |
be summoned to answer at the dread tribu-
nal, the disgrace, the misery, the ruin and
the blood which now covers this land. will
lie with tas weight Of mountain on their
souls.