Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

At a time when the picaroons of Great Britain took our vessels and detained them for adjudication, though sailing under a neutral flag, it will readily be recollected that the antifederals in this country, both in Congress and out, clamoured aloud for war. Measures were even taken to plunge us into that situation—not by ourselves, but in conjunction with the French—that we might unitedly go and chastise Great Britain. This business was managed so artfully as to enlist the passions of many well-meaning men, before they had reflected upon the impracticability of such a Quixotte-enterprise. And when President Washington thought proper to try to accommodate the differences between the two countries by pacific negotiation, and nominated an envoy for that purpose, the antifederals reviled him—his judgment, his patriotism, his integrity, were all arraigned and condemned, like suspected persons before a French revolutionary tribunal. No calamity could have befallen Mr. Jay sufficient to gratify their malevolent hearts. Often did they wish that the Algerines might catch him, and inflict on him the severest torments. Often did they wish that the British would confine him in an iron head-case and collar, (as the southerners do their refractory negroes) and feed him on bran and water. Often did they wish that Heaven would hurl its lightning in vengeance at him, that he might never reach land. These things I have heard; heard them from democrats—and were it necessary, I could name the persons, the times, and the places. But, as they are fast declining, I hope they will shortly sink into irremediable forgetfulness—at least, no act of mine shall ever contribute to rescue them from oblivion; even to consign them to their better merited infamy.

War was then the desirable object with the benevolent, the disinterested antifederals—it was vociferated in the hall of the democratic society at Philadelphia. From that dark cellar issued in opposite directions; it bent its course north and south, flying with the rapidity of lightning, until it had reached the remotest bounds of our land; and, like the destroying angel, it marked its progress with fire and blood. Nothing would satisfy them but a war with Great Britain. The latter, however, listened to pacific terms; our differences were pacifically and honourably adjusted, and our antifederals still kept up the clamour. But the times are now changed. Great Britain is indemnifying and remunerating those from whom she made illegal captures; and France has assumed the right of disposing of our commerce. She has taken from us five to their one, without even a 'pretext' in her justification—for, should any one say that the British treaty was a 'pretext,' the position will destroy itself; since they began the captures long before that treaty was made. But let us look a little farther. What has become of the antifederal clamour for war? Our loss of property, and the insult offered to our flag by the British, was then the avowed reason for going to war; and this without even trying a pacific negotiation. But, since the French have commenced their ravages upon our property; committed our seamen to prison-ships; taken from us more than five times the number of vessels, and more than ten times the sum in property; since they have almost annihilated our foreign trade—notwithstanding pacific negotiation has been tried and failed—notwithstanding the nation has been grossly insulted in the person of their commissioners—notwithstanding the pacific negotiation has been resorted to from time to time, and failed, hitherto, under aggravated insult—notwithstanding the antifederals avow their unalienable affection for the dignity and independence of the United States, not a lip is now heard of war. In the short term of two years, from the sanguinary yell of the tiger, they are softened down to the soothing bleating of the lamb. How happens this? Let them furnish the reply. Mr. Gallatin, however, thinks, that if the French now refuse to render us justice, he shall, after the event is promulgated, be for union and energy to obtain it. Mr. Gallatin, in the true Jesuit style, always qualifies his declarations like the heathen soothsayers of old, in that cautious ambiguity which will admit of various construction; and he does not want for that ingenious sophistry which enables him to construe them to suit the present occasion, be that what it may. But now nothing is heard from the antifederals but encomiums upon the great, the generous, the terrible, the invincible republic. Nothing must now be done but to deprecate her rage, to flatter her ambition; to kiss the rod with which she is scourging us. How comes it to pass that the antifederals are so changed? Why were they formerly so resolute to go to war with Great Britain, and now so averse from it with France? Is it because the former had given us more cause than the latter? This is too flagrant a falsehood even for them to pretend. Is it because we were better able to cope with the former than the latter? Who pretends this? It is too absurd even for Mr. Nicholas. But, if they, what shall we gain by going to war? (Why was not this enquiry advanced three years ago?) I will undertake the answer. We shall get rid of French influence; we shall get rid of Frenchmen; we shall get a protection for our commerce; and we shall silence the violent philippics against our constituted authorities, which our antifederals are incessantly disgorging upon them. But how is it that the antifederals are so changed with respect to war? This question is worthy of being repeated. The truth is, they are not changed; it is the object of vengeance which is changed. Formerly it was England; now it is France; their mother, their sister, their nurse, their dear, loving, affectionate concubine, (for she merits all these titles in their opinion) is now the intruder. But her hallowed hands are not to be resisted; her consecrated steps are not to be molested; her religious rites of pillage, murder, conflagration, rapine, and atheism, are to sanctify the temple of reason and philosophy, where mankind are to become perfected; to this temple our antifederals are aspiring, and I am ready to agree that they are fit candidates for admission; they have already passed their noviciate; and in two years more, if French influence is not checked in this country, they will graduate fully entitled to a diploma. You will therefore observe Sir, that this seeming inconsistency is reconciled. The antifederals are not changed; but since this is the case, that France must feel the influence of a war, if we do fight, they think it a pity that so kind, so pure, so holy, so perfectly disinterested an object should ever be sacrificed.

Vid. Debates on the motion of the committee, to whom was referred the state of the Union to report by bill. I presume Mr. Gallatin will remember it, if it should be for the interest of his party. But should he forget it, I shall not.