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Editorial
November 4, 1812
Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Editorial critiques war advocates in Congress for claiming honor and solid advantages like conquering Canada, questions satisfaction with poor results, and argues that repeated discomfitures won't rouse the nation but debilitate it, using analogies to schoolboys and medicine.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
COMMUNICATION.
Some of the advocates for War in Congress, said that "our honor required the measure."
Those gentlemen will, no doubt, be satisfied with the result of it so far. We have acquired honor, both by sea and land. Other members had in view some advantages more solid: a redress of grievances, to be effected by the conquest of Canada, &c. &c.
Will the latter gentlemen also be satisfied? Thorough Going ministerialists say, that our late discomfitures will be, instead of calamities, advantages, "by rousing the country." How far, let me ask, is this rousing system to be pursued? To justify a declaration of war, it would seem, for an ordinary capacity, that the alleged injuries we had received, ought to have been sufficient to rouse us. I have seen at school, two boys engage in battle with very little hostility, and the contest continued very languid, until one of them gave the other a smart lick in the chaps. This roused his antagonist. This had a good effect.
But none of the by-standers would have thought that a succession of these rousers would have procured victory for him who experienced them. In medicine, too much stimulus never fails to produce debility in the patient.
Some of the advocates for War in Congress, said that "our honor required the measure."
Those gentlemen will, no doubt, be satisfied with the result of it so far. We have acquired honor, both by sea and land. Other members had in view some advantages more solid: a redress of grievances, to be effected by the conquest of Canada, &c. &c.
Will the latter gentlemen also be satisfied? Thorough Going ministerialists say, that our late discomfitures will be, instead of calamities, advantages, "by rousing the country." How far, let me ask, is this rousing system to be pursued? To justify a declaration of war, it would seem, for an ordinary capacity, that the alleged injuries we had received, ought to have been sufficient to rouse us. I have seen at school, two boys engage in battle with very little hostility, and the contest continued very languid, until one of them gave the other a smart lick in the chaps. This roused his antagonist. This had a good effect.
But none of the by-standers would have thought that a succession of these rousers would have procured victory for him who experienced them. In medicine, too much stimulus never fails to produce debility in the patient.
What sub-type of article is it?
War Or Peace
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
War Honor
Conquest Canada
Rousing Country
Discomfitures
Ministerialists
War Declaration
What entities or persons were involved?
Advocates For War In Congress
Ministerialists
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Critique Of War Declaration And Its Discomfitures
Stance / Tone
Skeptical And Critical Of War Advocates
Key Figures
Advocates For War In Congress
Ministerialists
Key Arguments
Honor Required War But Results Have Not Acquired Honor
Conquest Of Canada Intended For Redress Of Grievances But Satisfaction Doubtful
Discomfitures Claimed To Rouse The Country But Excessive Rousing Leads To Debility
Initial Injuries Should Have Sufficed To Rouse Without Further Defeats
Analogy To Schoolboys: One Rousing Lick Effective But Succession Counterproductive
Medical Analogy: Too Much Stimulus Produces Debility