Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

The following concise remarks on the capture of Washington, are from the pen of Mr. Van Ness, Editor of "the Examiner." Believing most fully in the truth and justice of them we would recommend them to the attention of all parties. And we would take this opportunity to mention that the Editor of the Examiner is a gentleman of distinguished political talents and eloquence, which have often been displayed on the floor of Congress whilst a representative from the state of New York. If Mr. V. should receive that patronage which his merits so justly entitle him to, he will be rich, not only in fame but in that also which is more substantial to flesh and blood; and his paper will be patronized in every quarter of the country, as one of the most valuable journals of the day.

The capture of Washington.

This dreadful event, which the enemies of American liberty and of the American republic will, all over the world, make use of, as an evidence, a conclusive evidence, not only of the imbecility of our republican form of government, but also of the baseness of the American character, it has become the painful duty of every public journal to record. In performing this duty on my part, I shall never cease to deny, that any greater portion of the disgrace belongs to the American people, than what might have fallen to the lot of any nation, Whose misfortune it might have, and often has been, to be subjected to rulers incapable of performing the high duties to which they may have been called. The inanity which has convulsed France and disturbed every part of Europe, has had an unrestrained sweep over the United States. But it is rather a matter of wonder, that so many were the proofs against its pernicious influence, than that its propagators should ultimately succeed in acquiring power and command. The confidence so long, so sedulously, so cunningly sought, and at last so completely obtained, by men who were capable only of "tickling the ears of the groundlings" with their deceitful and beguiling pretences, is the great and terrible misfortune, it is true; but it is the only disgrace, which can fairly attach to the American name, or to the American people. We have been deceived by the cunning of villany, we have been betrayed by the impotency of idiocy. Our misfortunes we must endure; and if we feel them like men, we shall the better dispute them like men, hereafter. The misfortune belongs to the country: the disgrace to the administration. That disgrace may indeed become ours, if we shall resolve to adopt it. But every wretch who shall be found soliciting his share of it, by justifying, or excusing, or forgiving the miscreant to whom we owe it, will be peculiarly and eternally worthy of it. And anxious as I now am to rescue the land of my nativity from this horrible reproach, I am prepared to say, that if a majority of the American people are indeed so base, so vile, so dead to the love of all that is brave and honourable, so eager, so voracious of disgrace, as ever to confide even in the minutest particular, in any single individual, who has had the least connexion with those counsels which planned that vile defence, which was but little, if anything, less than a traitorous abandonment of the capital; they will as entirely deserve the disgrace which has been prepared for them, as they may be sure to have it repeated and accumulated, until they shall be suffocated under it. But, I do not fear that. I do on the contrary most sincerely believe and trust, that the detestation of nineteen twentieths of the American people will adhere to every member of our contemptible cabinet ("O for breath to utter what is like it") as long as they are permitted to crawl upon this earth.

But fellow citizens be not disheartened, you are yet a great people, because you are a brave people. You have indeed confided in men unworthy of trust, but knowing them, you will be virtuous, you will be at least prudent enough to abandon them: and abandoning them, calling into the public councils the real talents of the country you will again be safe, prosperous and powerful. Our country is fruitful of resources: it abounds in men of talents, why should it not? Call these men to manage these resources, and all the hosts of Europe cannot endanger our independence.

It is not we, the people, who have done this thing. It is James Madison, James Monroe and John Armstrong.

But at this time I restrain the expression of that indignation which throbs in every American bosom. I propose in my next number to record the story of this calamity, because a few months or even weeks will dissolve some of the features which mark it to be the peculiar offspring of the acme administration.