Virginia Argus

FROM THE BOSTON CHRONICLE.

Town Meeting Remarks.--The Essex Junios in their late town meeting manoeuvres, have led their friends in Newburyport, &c. into difficulties. The Boston notification to call a meeting embraced a partial repeal of the embargo in favor of Spain and her colonies, Portugal and her dependencies." The resolution offered by Mr. Mason contained a similar proposition--but finding that a partial repeal would lead to a war with England, as violating our treaty, they artfully dropped this part of the business, and recommended a total repeal. It is evident the proceedings in Newburyport were penned in Boston. as they contain sentiments exactly similar to the arguments advanced by Messrs, Mason, Otis and Gore, on the opening of the meeting. But on more mature reflection, and in Consequence of what Mr. Jarvis observed, they retracted from the principles they at first contemplated. But as the meeting in Newburyport was on the same day with that of Boston, the doers of the business had no time to inform the Newbury Junta of the proposed alteration. If the President should comply with the request of the Newburyport addressors, it would more probably lead to a war with England than any thing that could be adopted. Admit that their request should be granted, and that we were permitted to go to Spain, Portugal, &c. would not the English construe this as favoring those nations in preference to themselves? and would they not charge this country with a violation of its neutrality in giving succour to one power in contest with France which we denied to them? Beside, as the probability is that the greater part of our shipment to Spain, &c. would finally fall into the hands of the French, the English would resent this partiality to them as an artful deceptive plan to furnish Bonaparte with supplies rather than the Junta of Spain. If the republicans should take this ground and comply with the wishes of our wise men of Newburyport, it would be the most effectual method to give the French a full supply of our produce, and under pretence of going to Spain and her colonies, Portugal and her dependencies, Bonaparte and his veterans would receive the most ample assistance. These busy bodies, who act under an influence from Boston, should be cautious what measures they adopt : and for this purpose, should in future delay their town meetings for a few days after a Boston meeting so as to be sure they are in union with their brethren in this quarter. It was a great pity that the folly of the Junto was thus discovered to them by Mr. Jarvis, for if they had adopted the measure as they at first proposed, the President in complying with their request might, (if he had a partiality for France) give them all the succor (to the exclusion of England) which they could possibly wish. What must the British nation think of their friends in Boston and Newburyport on a request of this nature?

First by declaring, that the English would protect our property while going to Spain Portugal, &c. and afterwards find that this very supply was converted to the use of Bonaparte's troops which he had lately sent among them. The very proposition o repeal the embargo partially, shows the folly and ignorance of the American Junto, and must become a subject of regret to the Spanish Junta. The late accounts from England must convince every man of information of the futility of the pretended revolution in Spain in opposition to Bonaparte. The absurdity of Mr. Otis' anticipation of the success of the Junta is evidenced by the statement made in the Centinel of Saturday last. Even in the House of Commons it is treated with ridicule, and considered by Mr. Whitbread a mere La Vendee, and as ending much in the same manner. The Junta appear deficient in ammunition, muskets, and all implements of war. At the same time, Bonaparte's energies were not relaxed. He had ordered large bodies of his legions to march to Spain, the great passes into which he had in possession; and was busy in replacing them by other troops from Prussia, Poland, and Silesia." After reading this account in the Centinel, how absurd it is to find Otis. Mason and Gore eulogized for their speeches in town meeting. when every word they said is contradicted by the English papers. How ridiculous must the Newburyport addressers appear, to petition the President to open our trade to Spain, &c. in order to assist the Junta, when all the great passes into Spain are in possession of the French. and legions of French troops are daily pouring in from Prussia, Poland, and Silesia ! How ridiculous must the "wise men of the east!" appear to the President of the United States, who after being charged as a friend to France, should be requested by those who are their inveterate enemies- to repeal the embargo just far enough to help Bonaparte to supply his new recruits in Spain and elsewhere.

To bring this business to a conclusive point of reasoning, the letter of Mr. WILLIAM GRAY to the editor of the Salem Gazette [in this day's paper] will furnish ample documents. His integrity cannot be impeached; & therefore what he says must be believed. His character is well known in the mercantile world, in Europe, Asia and America. This gentleman's opinion is valuable ; and when contrasted with Lawyers Otis. Mason and Gore, they must sink into insignificance What do these three Lawyers know of mercantile affairs, in Comparison with Mr. Gray? They can talk. and declaim : but as to any real information on this business, they are destitute of those essentials on which to form an accurate conclusion. One month's knowledge acquired in Mr. Gray's Counting-room, on this subject, is more than they can obtain in seven years studying of Coke, Littleton, and all the musty volumes within their offices. They may be adequate to make a plain question perplexing in litigious cases between their clients, but the principles of commerce, our intercourse with foreign nations, and the safety of pursuing a voyage are subjects of which they are ignorant Mr. Gore Says, "war is preferable to our present situation:"-Mr. Gray declares war would be a greater evil than the embargo.-Here then, we are at issue -Mr. Gray and Mr. Gore-one, a merchant well acquainted, not only with the theory, but the practice of commerce : and the other, a lawyer, unacquainted with both-one, an independent merchant, who has traded with all parts of the world, and the other, a Lawyer, whose principal agency has been with the English, and who has imbibed a strong partiality for that country, in which his father resided during the American war. Can we doubt which is the most authentic authority on which to place our dependence? The former knows the evils attendant on war, he being in this country, during the revolution : but the latter was a boy at this period, while his parent was protected by that government which employed a banditti to lay our towns in ashes, and which sacrificed thousands of our citizens in guardships. Should war take place, on whom would the burden fall? What proportion would Mr. Gore pay, in competition with Mr. Gray?- Should war take place, what proportion would a few nabobs in Boston pay, to the whole body of yeomanry? The descendants of those who found an asylum in England during the American revolution, may think war a trifling circumstance, but the real citizens in Boston, and in the country, cannot but reprobate the man, who would prefer a war to the embargo. The refugees knew nothing of a war, as their fathers never paid a copper towards it; having staid among the enemy till the object of independence was obtained, and then returned among us to partake of the blessings of the acquisition.-Such men ought to be ashamed to talk of the blood and treasure of their forefathers

The proceedings of the town of Boston. are to be sent (like the orders of the Spanish Junta) into the country to be adopted. Remember fellow-citizens, they were approved under the loud huzzas of about 700 persons, that war was preferable to the embargo. This is the declaration made by the last speaker on the question-it then you adopt the measures of Boston, you pledge your farms to vindicate your assertions, and become responsible to all who dissent from the payment of taxes. We, again say it is better to trust to the wisdom and responsibility of the constituted authorities, than to vague, uncertain declarations of our Junto in Boston.