Virginia Argus. [volume], March 11, 1813, Image 2

About Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
alacrity, conveyed their baggage a distance
of upwards or sixty mile*, through frost and
snow—tints manifesting an intrepidity of
character which rivals that of Greece or
Koine.
In the battle ol the ICth, on the first on
set, the savage* raised their accustomed and
horred yell. But the noise was drowned in
the returning shouts of the brave assailants.
They advanced bohlly to the charge and
drove the enemy ;:i alt directions. (>i» tt>e
first fire, sixteen of the savages were dis
tinctly seen to fall.
Iii tuc battle of the 22d, the British ad
vanced in platoons to charge the pickets
keeping up a street fire. The men within
the pickets, with the most determined bra
very and presence of mind, reserved their
fire until the enciny advanced, within point
blank shot. They then opened a cross -fire
upon the enemy—their pieces well levelled
—and thus they mowed own his ranks in
such a manner, as mulcted all his efforts
vain, and compelled him to retire. Well
may the enemy nckgowledge, that he had a
dear bought victory.
\Vc have said that the British officers trea •
ted their prisoners with haughty superci
liousness. VVe might have gone farther, per
haps, and said with provoking insolence
When an American officer urged thencccs
sity of having the wounded put under the
care of suitable surge.ms — he was taunting
ly answered, “ the Indians arc excellent
doctors!"—“ Yes” replied the American
with spirit, *• you have proven it on the
morning of the 23d,” alluding to the mas
sacre of the wounded.
Although aur brave men were made cap
tives and disarmed, their spirits were un
broken When offered the parole, for their
signatures, they demanded to know who
*• were hi* majesty's a/lie*"—Kven British
effrontery was staggered at the pertinancy
of the enquiry. The “ compunctious visit
ing^ of nature” deterred them from acknow
ledging the savage9, and they eluded u di
rect reply, by answering “ his inajeaty*sal~
lies are known /"-—Yes! truly are they
known. They arc recorded in letters of
blood !
Why are these disclosures made ? To
show the people of the United States the
merciless enemy they have to contend with.
To awaken he dormant spirit of the nation.
To steel their hearts and nerve their arms,
for an awful display of that retribution which
the cruelties of our unrelenting enemy just
ly entitle him to :—
We close this article with the following
statement furnished us by a gentleman in
the staff department, who was an eye wit
ness to the massacre of the wounded.
"On the morning of the 22d of January,
at revellie beating, the detachment under
gen. Winchester, ut the river Raisin were
attacked by a party of British and Indians.
The officers and men were ready at their
posts to receive them, inasmuch as they
were informed the preceding evening an at
tack would be made. The detachment con
sisted of about 750 men, of whom about 500
were protected by a temporary breast-wot k
composed of rails and garden palling. The
remainder who had joined us the day prece
ding the action, were encamped on the right
somewimt detached, and unprotected by a
riy kind cf shelter. The attack was made
with great violence on the troops, without
tiic shelter, who maintained then* ground a
bout fifteen minutes, when an order was gi
ven to retreat within the picqueting. In the
confusion, that order was mistaken for a
general retreat. On their retreat they were
attacked by a large body of Indians, who hud
been stationed on our rear in an adjacent
wood, previous to the attack. The retreat
ing party were thrown into considerable con
fusion. Gen. Winchester, cols. Lewis and
Allen, pursued and endeavoured to rally
them, which proved ineffectual. The par
ty finding a retreat was in vain, resolved to
sell their lives at the dearest rate, and fired
until the last. Few of them arrived saie at
camp. G« n. Winchester and aid, and his
son and col. Lewis, were taken prisoners.—
The part) who remained in the breast work
kept up a constant and warm fire, un il ele
ven o'clock, when a flag was brought in by
gen. Winchester’s aid, informing u% he had
surrendered us prisoners of war, ami re
quested our compliance. A surrender took
place and the men inunedia'ely marched olF.
About 450 capitulated. The wounded, a
m noting to 64 were left nn t he ground tin
der the care of Drs. Todd and Bowers, the
two surviving surgeons, with a promise of
protection from the ctmimanding officer, col
Pr.ir.t'ir, and that the wounded should be
carried on the i.'xt morning in sleds to M tl
den On the morning of the twntij third,
about ku urine, a large body of Indian* came,
plundered the wounded of their clou thin!',
and every thing of value, and tomahawked
and acalfu.d all that were unable to march ;
among wit >m were some valuable officers,
particularly capt. Hickman. The remain
der were taken prisoners, as they termed it,
and many are either killed or are still in
their possession. Our loss is estimated at
about 200* killed. Kentucky has lost of her
choiscst sans, particularly Col. Allen.
Among the ifficeis killed, we i«c<H<<t
capt. Simpson, (a member of Congress)
c.tpts Mead, Edwards, Price, and M Jra
ken,—and many very valuable subalterns.
The loss of officers was Considerable. The
loss of the enetny could not be ascertained.
They acknowledge the victory a dear one.
Their loss of regulars df the 41st regiment
was estimated at 150, in making three unsuc
cessful charges. The force of the enemy
was estimated by many of the British officers
at 2000 and several assured me their loss
exceeded ours. During the wli»de of the ac
tion, a henvy canonadc was kept up by six
pieces of ardllery. Great preparations are
mak* ig atM tide i for ILtrrismi’s reception.
£very male from 16 to 60 is drafted, and
many were on their march *.o Maiden. In
dians are collecting from every quarter. It
is supposed a force cannot be collected nt
Malden to exceed 1600. The Queen Char
lotte, Lndy Mary, and one other vessel, is in
the harbor, nnd thev arc preparing to build
several other ve«-els on lake Erie, the ensu
ing spring. Manv ship carpenters arrived
nt Malden, and more were expected. "
* Wc have since heard of the arrival of'a
number of the left wing at Fort Winchester,
(Defiant c) and at gen. Harrison’s head quar
tn Fhe actual loss in killed and MUR
DlidED, doe9 not perhaps, exceed one hun
dred.
For the Mercury.
At a meeting at Erie. Pennsylvania, ofse
yevtl oi the uhicqj* who survived the battle
ot J-'renchtown, on the river Raisin, of
which the following is a list of their names.
Captains Uriel Sebrce, Samuel L. Williams,
Richard l'.lcdsoc, Coleman Collier, and Hen
ry Janies;—Incuts. Rymlon Compstock and
| -Higgins;—(Ensigns Thomas W. Chirth
and James I, llarron ;—Capt. Williams be
ing chosen chairman, and John Iiieklcy, one
of the volunteers appointed Secretary, the
following resolutions were unanimously u
dopied:—
WHKnr.AS, it ts deemed necessary that
our fellow citizens should be informed of the
late perfidious and brutal acts of the British
government performed by their officers, at
the battle of Frenchtown.
Resolved, That the following statement
of the conduct of the British officers be ex
hibited to our countrymen:
When t Jen. Win* Iiester was taken pri
soner on the 22d Jan. 1813, bring brought
before col. Proctor, the British commander,
he directed the com mantling officer of the
Americans (major Madison) to surrender,
major Madison refused so to do, unless
those who surrendered should be free from
savage massacre ; this was agreed to.
The British officers pledged themselves to
protect the wounded, and to convey them
to Malden the next morning. The arms of
the officers which were surrendered, were
promised to be returned to them at Mai
den.
Capt. Hart. Inspector to the N. W. army
was among the wounded ; his friends tiller
ed to carry him with them, but they were
prevented trom doing so by the interference
ot Capt. Elliot, a British officer and an old
acquaintance of capt. Hart’s, who promised
him special protection, to tuke him in his
own sleigh to Malden—where lie insisted
fie should remain in his own house until lie
should recover.—These were the promises
of the British—let our countrymen see how
they W’ r.* fulfilled.
At the break ui day next morning, the sa
vages were suffered to commit every degra
dation upon our wounded which they pleas
ed. An indiscriminate slaughter of the
wounded unable to walk took place ; many
were tomahawked, and many were burned
alive iu the houses. Among these unfortu
nates who were thus murdered, it is with
regret & sorrow we have to name the gal
lant and brave officers captains Hart and
Iickman :
Tlte arms of the offioers were never re
turned, and every species of private pro
perty remaining in the tents belonging to
both officers and soldiers was plundered by
the savages.
Resolved, That in consideration of the
high respect we hold both officers and sol
diers who were thus cruelly murdered by
permission of the British commander tol
Proctor and his subaiterans - and of those
who gloriously fell in the field defending the
only tree go--eminent on earth, that each of
us wear crape on our hat and left arm for 90
days.
Resolved, That a similar proceeding tes
tifying their respect for the memories of
tltose who were murdered and slain be re
commended to our brother officers and sol
diers who survived the action.
S. L. WILLIAMS, Chairman,
JOHN BICKLEY, Secretary.
February 18th, 1813.
Washington City, March 2.
TilF, LATE SESSION.
The second session of the twelfth Con
gress havingjutt closed, it may be well to
take a brief review of its proceedings.
The nation had been placed in a state of
war, under circumstances peculiarly disad
vantageous; we say disadvantageous,because
from the nature of our government, it was
impossible to make those provisions antece
dent to a declaration of war, which are in
dispensable to it* successful prosecution._
Ours is a government, whose operations
must be slow and limited ; we rejoice that
it is so ; therein consists its freedom and
its happy aduption to perpetuate the bles
sings of civil liberty. It was therefore, no
doubt, that the last point of endurance had
been reached, before a resort to war : and
chat, when war was resorted to, no other
provision had been made for it, than the au
thority given to reise an army and that
but a few weeks previous to the declarati
on of a war which was to be carried on by
that army yet in embryo. There was, more
over, throughout the nation, an evident de
ficiency of military science ; the swords,
which the revolutionary war had beaten
out of plough shares, had so rusted in their
scabbards, that it was difficult todraw them
forth. There were defects in our military
systems which experience alone could reme
dy. Since the last session of Congress a se
ries of unfortunate operations had thrown a
strong li. lit on those errors which were
most prominent, and indicated (he remedies
proper lobe applied.
The first care of Congress therefore was,
to provide the means, and regulate the ar
rangements, for a more vigorous prosecuti*
on of the war. As they had declared the
war, It became their duty to carry it on ;_
and to this object did they principally do
vote their attention at the late session.
Among oilier acts, Congress passed laws
for raising twenty thousand men for 1 year,
as a substitute for those requisitions hereto
fore too frequently necessary to make on the
volunteers and militia ; for increasing the
pay of the present army ; 'rum its better
organization of its staff; for appointing an
additional numberof general officers: for
raising ten companies of rangers; and for
the establishment of expresses to the head
quarters of the armies. These acts arc
calculated to remove the impediments to
the recruiting service, and to obviate defects
in the civil and fiscal arnaugetnents of the
army which had becomebut too evident.
For die prosecution of the war on the o
cean, with means better adapted to cope
with those of the enemy, to which no doubt
they were further induced by the gallantry
displayed in the actions of the little naval
force we now possess—they passed laws for
hui'ding tour seventy four gun ships, and se
veral frigates and sloops of war. They al
so passed laws to amend the net authorising
letters of marque and privateering, and to
grant pensions to persons wounded on board
of private armed vessels.
They also passed a law vesting the pow
ernf retaliation in the President of the U
nited State*—a power which the savage
barbarities of the enemy imperiously require
ed, if the Kxecutive do not, as many con
tend it does, already possess it.
Of a commercial nature, but few laws
were passed. The most important act of
the session, perhaps, was that directing the
remission of bonds given by merchants F«*»*
goods recently imported from C»reat l>. .tarn.
In our opinion, the passage of tout law y as
more than a mere act of grace ; it was a li
beral, if not a lavish donation to the in t > i
tcrs. We hope the eloquent and ace n
pl'.shcd Carolinian, who most strenuously
advocated it, may not liiul luniscW di .ap
pointed in the effect lie predicted it »0"1:1
accomplish on the mercantile eonutnii ity,
by inducing them to rail} round then* g"
vernment and exhibit that liberality in its
support, which it lias shewn to their inter
ests. We are sorry to say, we fear it wni
liave no such cfleet—that, so tur from cal
ling forth their gratitude, as might have
been expected, it will not even conciliate
l their irood will.
The only other commercial law of a gene
ral nature, other than those relaxing under
particular circumstances the non importati
on law, was an act to encourage the manu
facture of iron wire by imposing a duty on
its importation.
On the subject of the bill regulating the 1
employment of foreign seamen in the public
atul private vessels of the U Slates, our
opinion has already been expressed VV e
trust it will produce good YYe shall uot
he disappointed if it do not.
I he proceedings of Congress at their
close were not of that character on which
we delight to dwell. In consequence of the
conflict of opinion between those who are on
the one hand so fond of corriniurce as to
leave it wantonly frte, and those who are
on the other perhaps sufficiently disposed
to embarrass it with regulations, two bills
from the House of tteprescniatives were
lost in the SeYiate, which would have totally
changed the face of our commercial in
tercourse, and as their proposers aiul advo
cates hoped, have restored fair trade and
honest enterprise to the vantage ground
which fraud and desperation now usurps.
As they did not pass, perhaps the less we
now say about them the better. VVe can
not, however, avoid expressing our asto
nishment at the inconsistency of those Re
publicans and Federalists, or by whatever
other name they hail, who vehemently, we
had almost said vociferously, opposed the
partial suspension of the non importation
act proposed by the crmmi.tee of Ways and
Means, and yet opposed a bill prohibiting
exportation to the enemy and her allies.
The only effect ot unlimited exportation &
prohibited importation must be, to systema
tize and familiarize the base and detestable
crime of smuggling, uutil lately unknown a
mongst us.
JN'af. Intel.
OUR RELATIONS WITH FRANCE.
To the House ef Representatives of the
U. States.
I transmit to the House ofRepresentativi s
a Report of the Secretary of State comply
ing with their Resolution of the first iust
JAMES MADISON.
March 3, 1813.
The Secretary of State to whom was re
ferred the Resolution of the House of Re
presentatives of the first instant, has the
honor to submit to the President the enclos
ed papers marked A and B.
All which is respectfully submitted.
JAMES MONROE.
Department of State, March 3,1813.
(A.)
Extract of a letter from Joel Barlow, Esq.
to the Secretary ,f State,
dated Pahis, May 2, 1832.
“ I have the honor to enclose herewith the
copy of my note of yesterday to the duke of
Bassano. The importance of the objects U
the urgency of the occasion I hope will jus
tify the solicitude with which I have pressed
the propositions. ^
'I'he result, as far as It may be known
within a few days, shall be trasmitted by the
Wasp. The Hornet sailed from Cherbourg
the 26th April, with orders to land a mes
senger in England with my despatches for
Mr. Russell, but not to wait a return from
London.*’
Enclosed in Mr. Barlow’s letter of May 2,
3812, to the Secretary of State.
Extract oj a letter from Joel Barlow, liiq.
to the Duke of Basnano,
dated Paris, 1st May, 1812.
In the note I had the honor to address j
your excellency on the 10th November last,
the spirit of the Engli.,h government was so
far noticed as to anticipate the fact now pro
ved by experience, that its orders in coun
cil violating the rights of neutrals, would not
be revoked. The declaration of the Prince
Regent of the 21st of April, has placed that
fact beyond all question. In doing this lie
has repeated the assertion so often advan
ced by, his ministers and judges that the de
crees of France of a similar character are
likewise unrevoked.
You will notice that he finds a new argu
ment for this conclusion in your excellency's
late report to the Emperor concerning neu
tral rights, in which you avoid taking notice
of any repeal or modification of ther e de
crees, or of their non-application to the U.
States. VVe know indeed thHt they do not
apply to the United State*, because we do
not suffer our flag iu.be denationalized in
the manner evidently'contemplated by the
F.mperor in the rule he meant to establish
But it would have l>ccn well if your Eccl
hnev had noticed their non-application to
the United States, since his majesty has uni
formly done it in his decisions of prize cau
ses since November, 1810.
“ It is much to be desired that the French
government would now make and publish
an authentic act. declaring the Berlin and
Milan decrees as relative to the U. States
to have ceased inNovcmbcr 1810, declaring
that they havu not l»cen applied in any in
stance, since that time, and that they shall
not be so applied in future.
The case is so simple, the demand so
just, and the necessity so urgent, that I can
not withhold my confidence in the prompt
and complete success of my proposition.”
Extract of a letter from Mr. Barlow to Mr.
Monroe,
dated Paris, 12th May, 1812,
“ After the date of my letter, of which I
have the honor t« enclose you a copy,, t
found from a pretty sharp conversation
with the duke of Bassano, that there was
a singular reluctance to answering my notes
of the 1st of May. Some traces of that reluc
tance you will perceive in the answer which
finally came, of which a copy is here enclos
ed. This though dated the 10th. did not
come to me till last evening. I consider the
communication to be so important in the
(••.’sort crisis of our affairs with In; gland
'•i . i despatch the Wasp immediately« to
c' Vitto Mr Russell, with orders to re
■'.v:i with his answer as soon as notsiblc.
I am confident that the President will ap
prove the motive of my solicitude in this af*
•dr, and the earnest manner in which I
• cessed the minister with it as satin as mv
•viwjcdge of the declaration of the Prince
enabled me to use the argument that
'*v t *ngv«] to the si.bj.ct: Wlien in the con
eersatian above alinded to, the Duke first
produced to inc the decree of the 28th of A*
pvil, 131*, I made no comment on the
strange manner ia a Inch it had been so long
concealed from me, and probably from you,
I only asked him if that decree had been
published. . He said, no, but declared it had
hern communicated to rny predecessor here,
tul likewise set t to Mr. Scrrurier, with or
der-*, to c .mmunicate it to you. I assured
him it vnis not among the archieves «f
this legation ; that I never before had heard
1 f it ; and since lie had consented to answer
my note, 1 desired him to send to me in that
official manner a copy of that decree, and of
any other documents that might prove to
the incredulous of my* country (n t to me]
tliat the decivts ol Berlin and Milan were
in.good faith and unconditionally repealed
with regard to the U. States. He then pro
1 tnised me lie would do it, and he has per
formed his promise.
I 'end you a copy of the April decree, as
likewise the letter of the Grand Judge and
that of the Minister of Finances: though the
t vo latter pieces have been before Commu
nicated to our government and published.’*
The Duke of Tuusano to \1r. Darlottu
TRANSLATION.
Paris, IQih May, 1812.
SIR,
In conversing with you about the note
which you did me the honor to address to
me on the 1st of May, I could not conceal
from you my surprize at the doubt winch
you had expressed in that note, respecting
the revocation of the decrees of Berlin and
Milan. That revocation was proven by ma
ny official acts, by all my correspondence
with your predecessors and with you, by
the decisions in favor of American vessels.
You ha\e done me the honor to ask a copy
of the letters which the Grand Judije and the
minister of the Finances wrote on the 25th
Dec 1810, to secure the first effects cf that
measure, and you have said, sir, that the
decrees of the 28th of April, 1811, which
proves definitively the revocation of the de
crees of Berlin and Milan in regard to the
Americans was not knoun'oyou.
I have the honor to send you as you have
desired a copy of these three acts, you will
consider them without doubt, sir, as tor
plainest answer, which I could give to this
part of your note. As to the two other
questions to which that note relates, I will
take care to lay them before the Emperor.
\ou know already, sir, the sentiments which
his Majesty has expressed in favo: of Ameri
can commerce, and the good dispositions
which have induced him to appoint a pleni
potcntiaty to treat with you on thatiiuoor
tant interest.
Accept, air, &c.
(Signed)
The Duke of Bassaxo.
[Tranult:ti'.n ]
Falc.cc of Si Cloud, .i/iril 28th, 1811.
Napoleon, Emperor of the French. See. &c.
On the report of the report of our Minister
of Foreign Relations.
Seeing by a law passed on the 2d March
1811. the Congress ..t the United States has
ordered th*- execution of the provisions of
the act of non in’erenurse, which prohibits
the vessels and merchandize of Great Bri
tain, her colonies and dependencies from en
tering into the ports of the U. States.
Considering that the said law is an act of
resistance to the arbitrary; pretensions, con
secrated by the British Orders in Council,
and a formal refusal to adhere to a system
invading the independence of neutral pow
ers, and of their flag, wo have decreed, and
do decree as follows :
The Decrees of Berlin and Milan are de
finitively, and to date from the 1-t day of
November last, considered as not having ex
isted, (non avenus) in regard American \ ea
sels.
0%^ NAPOLEON.
By the Emperor,
The Minister, Secretary of State.
(Signed) The COUNT DARU.
(».)
MTt. BARLOW TO THIS SECRETARY OF
STATE.
FarL, Oct. 251/;, 1812.
SIR—By the letters from the Duke of
Bassnno and my answer, copies i f which
are herewith enclosed, you will learn that
I am invited to go to Wilna, and that I have
accepted the invitation. Though the pro
posal was totally unexpected, and on many
accounts disagreeable, it was impossible to
refuse it without giving offence, or at least
risking a postpoeement of a negociation
which I have reason »o believe is now in a
fair tvay to a speedy and advantageous
close.
From ihc circumstances which have pre
ceih*<l and which accompany this propositi
on, I am induced to believe that it is made
with a view of expediting the business.-——
f here may indeed be an intention of coup
ling it with other views not yet brought
forward. If so, and they should extend to
objects beyond the simplicity of our com
mercial interests aiu^ the indemnities which
wc claim, I shall not be at a loss how to an
swer them.
I shall have the honor to write you, as
soon as possible from Wilna, and shall re
turn to Paris without any unnecessary de
lay.
I remain, &c.
(Signed) J. HARLOW.
( Tran illation.)
THE DUKE OF BASSAKO TOMR. BARI.OW .
Wh.ua, 11 Oct. 1812.
SIR — — I have had the honor to make
known to you how much I regretted, in the
nrgociation commenced between the U. S.
and Prance, the delays which inevitably at
tended a Correspondence carried on at so
great a distance. Your government has de
sired to see the epoch of this arrangement
draw near. His majesty is animated by the
same dispositions,ai»d Aiding to assure to
the negotiation a remit the most prompt,
he has thought that it would be expedient
to suppress the intermediaries and to irons
fer the conference to VVilna. Ilia majesty
has in consequence authorised me, air, 10
treat directly with you. If you will come to
this town, I dare hope that with the desire
which unimates us both to conciliate such
i ••(>»• tniit iii'nexts, we will immediately
1M* cimbled io remove all the diHicuhicii
which until flow have appeared to impede
tli'* progress of the negociutlon.
I have apprised tiie Duke of l)all>er;<
that his mission was thus terminated, and I
have laid before his majesty the actual state
of the negociution, to the end thu t when you
arrive at Wilua, tlie dillerent'questions i>c
ing already illustrated (ecluircie«J, either
hy your judicious observations, or hy the in
structions I shall have received, wo may,
sir, conclude without delay an arrangement
so desirable ami so conformable to the mu
tually amicable views of our two govern
ments.
Accept, sir, See.
(Signed)
THE DUKE OF BASSANO.
MU. 11A U COW TO T!IC DIKE OF BASSAXO’
CAxtract.l
Hauis, Oct. 25th, ,U2.
“ SIK—In consequence of tin; letter >ou did
me the honor to write me on the 11th‘of this
month, I accept your invitation, .nclleu\e Ha.
rU to morrow for Wilna, where I hope to arrive
in 13 or IS days from this date. .My Secretary
of Legation and one servant will compose all
m> suite. I mention this to answer to your
xtreine goodness in asking the question, and
jour kind oflcr of finding me a convenient
lodging'. . I hope the tronhle you will give your*
self in this will be h% little as possible.
1 lie negotiation on udiicli you have done me
the honor to invite incat \Viln.«, is so com
pletely prepared in ill its parts between the
Duke ol Dalbcrg and inyself, ami, as l under**
stand, sent on to you tor your approbat ion
about the 18th of the present month, that 1 am
perstiaded, if it could have arrived bt-lbre the
•date of your letter, the necessity of this meet
ing would not have existed, as lain confident
; that his majesty Would have found the project
icasonablc and acccptalde in all its parts, and
wouid have ordcicd ilia; minister to coucludu
atid sign both the treaty of commerce and the
convention of indemnities.”
Washington, March 5.
\ csterday being the day on wh.ch com
menced the second term of Mr. Madison’s
re-election to the Presidency, he took the
oath to support the constitution of the Ut»i
n d States, administered to lim, by .Chief
Justice Marshall, in the presence of many
members of Congress, the Judges oftbcSu
preme Court, the Foreign Minis’crs, and a
gi cat concourse of Ladies and Gentlemen.
1 he President was escorted to the Capitol
by the Cavalry of the district, and received
on his approach to the Capitol by the seve
ral \ oluntecr Corps of this city, George
town, and Alexandria, drawn up in line for
the purpose. The day was fine ; the sun
si. ::c brilliantly, as if to welcome it; the
it.r. earauce of the military, the Marine
Corps an*1 Volunteers, was unusually ani
mating. Ko accident occurred to mar the
cere monies of Is day. The scene was re
a’.ly brilliant; at the same time it was so*
le.nn and truly Republican.
brotn the JaOndon Star of December 15.
The President begins with congratulat
ing the nation un being in g-Qoef health ! the
compliments of the season then follow—-such
as the defeat of Gen. Hull, and the no less
disgraceful affair nfGen. Reitaclaer. Gen.
H i iison, however, the Fabius, cui datur
rt H'ituere rent—has now a lnrge militiaforce
under him, and a few regulars. So far we
have no occasion to be alarmed. The dis
patches of their defeated generals have
made us fully.acquainted with the base se
mi-metal of which these same militia arc
compounded ; and as for the few regulars,
we must presume, that with such coadju
tors, they will continue to think discretion the '
better part of valor.
1 he capture of the Guerriere, as might
be expected, is spoken of in the language of
triumph. Here we must confe-s there is
some ground tor feeling sore; for it has con
jtiisd up Hie phantom of an American Navy
to frighten the tenants of the nursery, and
will tend more than any other circumstance
to procrastinate the war. The hopes wnich
the Americans have built npm'heir navy
in a contest with.Great Britain, must lie de
stroyed ere we can hope for a permanent
peace, they must, in fact, be beat into sabiuis
sioii; and, while they have a single frigate or
a gunboat capable of floating,they will never
acknowledge the superiority of the British
dag. It is, indeed, highly ridiculous to hear
America talk of maritime rights. What
means has «/ie ofcnforciug them?
b’rom the Rational Advocate.
Such is the style, in which the London
journalists think fit to speak of the message
of the President of the United States to Con
gress. And indeed when their fellow la
borers here set them the example of libel
ling the government of this country in the
most injurious and approbrious terms which
the language common to the two nations
can afford—it is not strange they should
follow it. Although the stipendaries of the
British government, on both sides the Atlan
tic, exult in such an insolent manner over
the disasters winch have attended our arms
on the borders of Canada—yet history
will record the truth respecting them_and
will attest that is to a want of discipline, and
not of valor, that these disasters are to lie
imputed. In every instance, without a sin
gle exception, where out* troops have been
permitted to measure their swords and bay
onets with the enemy, they have proved
themselves worthy descendants of the con
querors of Saratoga, Trenton, and Mon
month. Ah in the former war of indepen
dence, so in the present-on one Hale has
been exhibited valor, humanity and magna
nimity-on tlie other insolence craft, and
cruelty. The employment of the Indiin
sai ages to make war upon a Christian a ul
civilized people—a people of kindred blood
—will fix an indelible stain upon the char
acter of the Lnglislr nation—will forever
mark it with the stamp of unprincipled
barbarism. If the imbecility of Hull has
drawn after it a train of misfortunes—aye
we the only nation that lias had incapable of
threacherous generals?
/\nouicr tone is assumed respecting oar
naval triumphs. The affectation ofdjplor
,n£ them only as tendering to procrastinate
the war—is truly ridiculous. At the very
time this paragraph was penned—the Mj
c-dnnian was safe in a port of the U. States
— and had added another trophy to th e at
chievements of that valor—of which a rii^ht
idea is formed, when it said—that while vjt
have a ait, gle frigate or gun boat capable r/
floating, we will never acknowledge the au
furiority of the Brill h fog.
According to these doctors of the law of
nations, might makes right—and asurmW
the position that tve hav* no menus i f e;;f r~