part15-第14章

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one　to　another　of　our　own　ports。　　It　is　not　long　since　they　impressed

at　sea　two　nephews　of　General　Washington；　returning　from　Europe；　and

put　them；　as　common　seamen；　under　the　ordinary　discipline　of　their

ships　of　war。　　There　are　certainly　other　wrongs　to　be　settled　between

England　and　us；　but　of　a　minor　character；　and　such　as　a　proper　spirt

of　conciliation　on　both　sides　would　not　permit　to　continue　them　at

war。　　The　sword；　however；　can　never　again　be　sheathed；　until　the

personal　safety　of　an　American　on　the　ocean；　among　the　most　important

and　most　vital　of　the　rights　we　possess；　is　completely　provided　for。




　　　　　　　　As　soon　as　we　heard　of　her　partial　repeal　of　her　orders　of

council；　we　offered　instantly　to　suspend　hostilities　by　an　armistice；

if　she　would　suspend　her　impressments；　and　meet　us　in　arrangements

for　securing　our　citizens　against　them。　　She　refused　to　do　it；

because　impracticable　by　any　arrangement；　as　she　pretends；　but；　in

truth；　because　a　body　of　sixty　to　eighty　thousand　of　the　finest

seamen　in　the　world；　which　we　possess；　is　too　great　a　resource　for

manning　her　exaggerated　navy；　to　be　relinquished；　as　long　as　she　can

keep　it　open。　　Peace　is　in　her　hand；　whenever　she　will　renounce　the

practice　of　aggression　on　the　persons　of　our　citizens。　　If　she　thinks

it　worth　eternal　war；　eternal　war　we　must　have。　　She　alleges　that　the

sameness　of　language；　of　manners；　of　appearance；　renders　it

impossible　to　distinguish　us　from　her　subjects。　　But　because　we　speak

English；　and　look　like　them；　are　we　to　be　punished？　　Are　free　and

independent　men　to　be　submitted　to　their　bondage？




　　　　　　　　England　has　misrepresented　to　all　Europe　this　ground　of　the

war。　　She　has　called　it　a　new　pretension；　set　up　since　the　repeal　of

her　orders　of　council。　　She　knows　there　has　never　been　a　moment　of

suspension　of　our　reclamations　against　it；　from　General　Washington's

time　inclusive；　to　the　present　day：　and　that　it　is　distinctly　stated

in　our　declaration　of　war；　as　one　of　its　principal　causes。　　She　has

pretended　we　have　entered　into　the　war　to　establish　the　principle　of

‘free　bottoms；　free　goods；'　or　to　protect　her　seamen　against　her　own

right　over　them。　　We　contend　for　neither　of　these。　　She　pretends　we

are　partial　to　France；　that　we　have　observed　a　fraudulent　and

unfaithful　neutrality　between　her　and　her　enemy。　　She　knows　this　to

be　false；　and　that　if　there　has　been　any　inequality　in　our

proceedings　towards　the　belligerents；　it　has　been　in　her　favor。　　Her

ministers　are　in　possession　of　full　proofs　of　this。　　Our　accepting　at

once；　and　sincerely；　the　mediation　of　the　virtuous　Alexander；　their

greatest　friend；　and　the　most　aggravated　enemy　of　Buonaparte；

sufficiently　proves　whether　we　have　partialities　on　the　side　of　her

enemy。　　I　sincerely　pray　that　this　mediation　may　produce　a　just

peace。　　It　will　prove　that　the　immortal　character；　which　has　first

stopped　by　war　the　career　of　the　destroyer　of　mankind；　is　the　friend

of　peace；　of　justice；　of　human　happiness；　and　the　patron　of

unoffending　and　injured　nations。　　He　is　too　honest　and　impartial　to

countenance　propositions　of　peace　derogatory　to　the　freedom　of　the

seas。




　　　　　　　　Shall　I　apologise　to　you；　my　dear　Madam；　for　this　long

political　letter？　　But　yours　justifies　the　subject；　and　my　feelings

must　plead　for　the　unreserved　expression　of　them；　and　they　have　been

the　less　reserved；　as　being　from　a　private　citizen；　retired　from　all

connection　with　the　government　of　his　country；　and　whose　ideas；

expressed　without　communication　with　any　one；　are　neither　known；　nor

imputable　to　them。




　　　　　　　　The　dangers　of　the　sea　are　now　so　great；　and　the　possibilities

of　interception　by　sea　and　land　such；　that　I　shall　subscribe　no　name

to　this　letter。　　You　will　know　from　whom　it　comes；　by　its　reference

to　the　date　of　time　and　place　of　yours；　as　well　as　by　its　subject　in

answer　to　that。　　This　omission　must　not　lessen　in　your　view　the

assurances　of　my　great　esteem；　of　my　sincere　sympathies　for　the　share

which　you　bear　in　the　afflictions　of　your　country；　and　the

deprivations　to　which　a　lawless　will　has　subjected　you。　　In　return；

you　enjoy　the　dignified　satisfaction　of　having　met　them；　rather　than

be　yoked　with　the　abject；　to　his　car；　and　that；　in　withdrawing　from

oppression；　you　have　followed　the　virtuous　example　of　a　father；　whose

name　will　ever　be　dear　to　your　country　and　to　mankind。　　With　my

prayers　that　you　may　be　restored　to　it；　that　you　may　see　it

re…established　in　that　temperate　portion　of　liberty　which　does　not

infer　either　anarchy　or　licentiousness；　in　that　high　degree　of

prosperity　which　would　be　the　consequence　of　such　a　government；　in

that；　in　short；　which　the　constitution　of　1789　would　have　insured　it；

if　wisdom　could　have　stayed　at　that　point　the　fervid　but　imprudent

zeal　of　men；　who　did　not　know　the　character　of　their　own　countrymen；

and　that　you　may　long　live　in　health　and　happiness　under　it；　and

leave　to　the　world　a　well　educated　and　virtuous　representative　and

descendant　of　your　honored　father；　is　the　ardent　prayer　of　the

sincere　and　respectful　friend　who　writes　this　letter。