Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-01-28

have wisely CORE ed this defect, The la "
OF the UGited ), ates act on the citiE gems inde /.
1 pendent OF the state authorizes The viz
lators OF the laws Of the Union may be bro
to justice and compelled 10 obedience with,
our consulting the states. or IN any way in :
termeddng with the portion of sovssirnty
reserved to the state governm en,s The
friends of the government will therefore have
a rallying point, and find protection in he
avs of the United STATES. This princip' e
we'll attended "a will be found 20 have an
impor,an, influence in the preservation of
! the Union.
Whatever may be the real motive, the
| ostensible complaint against the govern
| ment at this time is the war. I think / am
warranted in saying that no we'll Informed
| man, free from British attachments, is to
| be found that denies that the injuries in
! icted an the persons and property of our
citiz- by Great Britain afforded on the
principles of the laws OF nature and nations
| justihable cause of war. These injuries
| were avowed persisted in and justified by
the British ministry. Satisfaction for the
past and security for the future, directly &
perensptoriy denied before the war was de-
ciared. The war must therefore be consi-
dered, legitimate legal war, ia the view
If civilized nations and as it respects our"
selves, constitutionaly declared. 1t must,
however, he admitted, that there are con.
siderable number of respectable citizens in
our country, who think that it would have
been wiser to have borne in quiet the inju"
ries inhic ed on us, than TO nave encountered
the calamities incident to a state of war, TO
redress them; that on this question of pub =.
Tic policy the government misjudged. The
result of the frequent elections since the
4 g
this is not the sentiment OF the majority Of
the nation. Bur in compliance with the de-
sirss of the minority, the government has
done every thing towards obtaining peace,
that uld be done consistently with the safe
ty and honor of the country.
Very soou after the war broke cut, our
government, IT answer 10 a commune alton
foom Adm. Warren, offered the British go
vernmenc To treat of peace, and for nearly
| two years have had CommisaioEers in Eu.
rope for that purpose. These commissions
ers, with full authority from the 60, ern
| ment, have offered the enemy reasonable
| terms of peace these terms have not bee,
| accepted, but Oil the other hand the enemy
have set up unreasonable and Illuminating
demands on US, such as no man in our cum
| try has yet been found so destitute uf ,ir,ue
and public spirit as TO advocate the accep.
lance OF
lie appears to me that man who opposes
| the prosecution ot the war, is bound to say,
| that the conditions nj peace offered by the
enemy is such as ought to have been accep:
ted, otherwise h i involved in the absurI
dity of acknowledging, that we cannothave
peace, and vet declaring by his actions at
least that we must not have war. can,
did examination of the communicative
| contained in the dispatches from our com
| missioners in Europe, mus, carry conviction
| to every mind, that our government is seri-
ously disposed to peace. Should it, howev-
er, SO happen Ehat the enemy should offer
us such terms of peace as ought to be
accepted. anu contrary to cry reasonable
expectation the government should be SO
insensble to its duty and regardless of the
interest of the nation as to reject them, we
should stand in need of no partial conven~
ton at Hartford or elsewhere to stop the
progress of the war. The unanimous voice
of a free people would be heard no ad.
ministration would be hardy enough to re-
fuse to listen to it.
In our present situation we have no al.
formative eft, but war or submission. AT.
ter the glorious stand made the last cam
paign against tine power of the British EN-
PR, nothin short of the basest coward'Se
ID" loul'St treason Can Suggest Lne latteC.
Heaven has committed to our kee ling an
invaluable stake, NJ less than the liberties
and indeDeHdence of the only free govern.
ment on earth. A remembrance of the vir.
tues of our ancestors urges to tn, perform
ance of pious duty posterity requires il
| at our hands nothing more is wanting u
the accomplishment # this great oblect
than love of country. With a strict ob
servance Of thi; vital princip OF free gov.
ernents AID rational reliance on an all
wise d over ruiIng providence, we hay
| look forward with confidence to u happy
issu to thu confc: in which we are enga~
ged.
| have not the presumption to saw that
! in making the foregoing observations, I
have not been more uhd-r the influence of
feeling than wisdom. 1t is difficult, howe.
| yer, TO judge correctly Of the nlertStS Of
the nation, without feeling FOR its happiness
and prosperity. II an APOLOGY is waning
Tor touching on the subject az all, it is to be
found in the momentous crisis in the affairs
OF our country, calling for mea sures of a
| decisive and determined character.
| WILLIAM PENNING ION.
| Nez,JeTSsy ian II, 1916