Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-02-26
War! War =!
TO EDITORS AND OTHERS, FRIENDL'
TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE!

promote It's principles, is not so much by
discussing these principles in the alb
stract, as by soizing upon those occa-
sions which are not unlreguenily occur
ring, when some particular contention a.
mong nations or prospect Of such con
tention agitates the community, and
showing the guilt and folly of War, in
reference to such a particular CASE
With these views, we are very glad 10
receive the following article, and we ask
the aid of all Editors, Religious and Po-
litical, who are friendly TO the cause of
Peace, in bringing it before the commu-
nifty aJbot's Religious Magazine.
The French Government owe our Gov
ernment few millions of dollars. The
King of France has admitted the debt,
and promised to pay it, The legislative
assembly, however, whose province it is
to raise all money, refuse to appropriate
any for that purpose, for they say that
the debt was incurred by occurrences in
the reign Of Napoleon, and that there
have been two or three Revolutions in
France since then, and that the present
Government is not accountable for the
conduct of its predecessors.
TO recover this debt, the President Of
the United States, recommends in accor-
dance with invarable custom, that any
body and every body, be authorized to
fit ou, privateers,--pirates, in every thing
but the name,--and capture every
French vessel, they can find, till the a
mount is thus recovered. Under simi-
lar circumstances, perhaps every civlli-
zed nation would feel authorized TO a
dopt the same course.
Let us look at the consequences Of
this course. Congress pass resolutions
authorizing the equipment Of ships to
capture French vessels, wherever they
may be found. Information is imme.
diately communicated by the French
Ambassador, to his own Government
Is it for one moment to be supposed tha,
a nation so proud and SO powerful as
France, will allow our ships of War to
be chasing and capturing her defence
less Merchantmen' No one has dream
even of its possibility. Then comes
War, War to the knife. We arc fitting
out our ships with the instruments of ra-
pine and death, and France is doing the
same. Does any one suppose, that with
our twelve millions of inhabitants, we
shall find it chid's play, to whip France
with her thirty millions. Thirty to twelve,
are fearful odds, even for yankee cour-
age to face. And are the countrymen
of La Fayette, and the soldiers Of Ma
poleon cowards? Will they turn upon
their heels, at the first smell of gunpow-
der? 1t will at any rate tax the utmost
energies of this Government, to meet
successfully the conquerors Of Europe.
| American pride will not submit to de-
feat, and we may rest assured that the
pride of France will not bow in subjec-
ton to this infant republic. The demon
of War will be let loose, in his utmost
fury aud deadlincss, and every ear will
be made to tingle with the tidings of
conflagration and blood. What then
are the certain expenses we incur, with
the vain hope of recovering few mil
lions of dollars?
| /. We expend three or four times
that sum, in raising an army, strength
cning iortifcatons, equpping and sus'
tanning ships of War. A few millions OF
dollars is but mere trihe in carrying on
War with France. One single ship,
with all its stores and ammunition, will
cost nearly half million. And a chance
shot from the enemy, may sink it AT
once with its twelve hundred men in the
depths of the Ocean. We must fill the
Atlantic with such ships, to meet the
fleets of France--to defend our extern
dcd coast--a and TO protect our merchan-
dize We shall hardly have begun the
War, before we shall have expended
three or four times as much as we are
trying to regain. True we shall cap
ture some French ships, but that is a
game which France can play at, as vel
as we. As our commerce is more ex-
posed than hers, we shall probably lose
moro than we shall gain. The bells
may often ring the merry peals of tr'-
umph, but as often they must toll the dis,
NAL knell Of defeat. What delightful
cruising ground the French will have a.
long the shores Of the Mediterranean, oil
off ST Helena, gathering up our home
bound lndiamcn. How easy to pick uF
our London and Liverpool and Havie
packets, and how many American gen
ilemen will probably have the privilege
Of being chased by French priyateer
and Of passing few months IN French
prison ship. And under such clrcum
stances will it cost US q triae to deiene