Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-08
. ALEXANDRIA:
S4TURD1Y, SovExsER 8, 1917.
SOUTH AMERICA.

That the North American"is no less
anxious than we are that the country
should adopt measures b.Iitting an hon
orable and high min,led people, we are
not di posed to coutroVert, and we hope
he will judge Of US with the same liberali-
ty and candor, though we differ respect
jig the measures that would come under
that description. The difference betS cen
US is, that he would take one road and
ace another 10 reach the same end. lie
does not deprecate war more cordially
than we do; but will he say that there
are no cases in which, with view on the
one .kand to our own future security,
and on the other to our moral duties,
(which, let men think what they will, are
as imperative on nations as on iEdiviiu'
als) war ought to be met with frmness.
Whether this country, in the very act OF
imp!orins and receiving from other ma
. tons the aid which enabled her to secure
her independence, did or did not virtual
ly pledge herself to stand in the came re-
lation to others, having an equally just
, cause with herself, in which those bcne-
iicent nations stood to her in The hour of
need. is question respecting viii h we
know that much may be said on both
sides bot, in our conscientious juds-
ments, little ought to be said on any but
one side.
While we maintain this doctrine, how
ever, we are Tar from harboring in our
brains Or hearts that romantic spirit which
turns he blind side to danger, and fixes
its eye only on the possible glory Of an
exploit. Were cor country to be enGan-
gered in its territory, in its power, in its
freedom, or 10 the most unimportant Of
its political ipstitutions-apd above all,
were it to put one feather Of its honor in
danger os being plucked, we would be a.
mons the first to cry sroP. For to haz-
ard any Of those in any cause foreign to
ourselves is 70. hidden by justice and by
virtue, Those who are entrusted BY the
coDmanity With the guardianship Of their
rights would be objectionable in attempt
ire ii; but it is because cur moral duties
to tie world are in this case enforced By
manifest sound poiicy-because, while VIC
assist the oppressed to break their chains,
we shall strengthen the barriers Of our
territory, increase our power, fortity our
Institutions by endless bulwarks Of con.
ssnia! nature, and cap the everlasting
morunent we have already erected to
our national ,ncr, that we are SO earnest
on The subject
And first let US say that. with respect
10 the laws Of nations, the IraudfuI, Gun,
Ming, mean preyarications BY which the
kiSg 0! Spain has aggravated the various
insults and cutrases lie has committed a
gairst this country. have, in the eyes OF
God and man, absolved u. from all bonds
Of that kipd-nay, the insulting tricks By
which be has hafllcd our supplicatinns lur
Justice, involve in them a practical deri-
sion and contemptusus defiance more rra-
vokirg than the original sftnees. Ey
the ouc the despot robbed US OF our
means and violated the persons oi our
citizens by the other he tarn'shes our
national fame by di,dainlally tIiumPting
| over submission. Where now ere the
heroes who, when Spain was Ieagued e.
/ sainst the jacobia government Of France,
| could scarcely be restrained by the Wis
dom and authority of Washington, and
the energies Of the federal government,
from rushing on the Spanish colonies
not to aid the oppressed inhabitants in
| effort, 10 be free, but to reduce them to
subservicncy to the rule Of Robespiere
and his fslloassi Are they all gone, OF
have they only wheeled about ,
Disavo~ing all views Of making our
do,l;,cs with the rsso!ted colonies mere.