Freedom's the pearl of life, the poor man's store, But I was informed by a patriotic plebeian, that I would meet with no encouragement for a work of that description. Hence I directed my agent to disseminate them in other parts of Maryland and Virginia, and for my part I did not sell one myself in the above three towns. The reader is humbly intreated to pardon this digression which does not properly belong to the subject, but to which we now return by boldly asserting that no victory during the war so effectually aided our just cause as this cowardly catastrophe, because it first united the hearts of all republicans in support of their general government, and at the same time disgusted all civilized nations at the barbarous mode of warfare carried on by England against the arts as well as the arsenals of the United States. After this mortifying but most fortunate event the American arms were triumphant and an honourable peace was the fruit thereof. In this short but sanguinary conflict, we have taken the following public vessels from the enemy. Of packets, which are king's vessels, generally first rate vessels, from 200 to 400 tons burthen, armed with 10 guns, we have captured the following, viz. 1 Ann. 2 Carteret. 3 Duke of Montrose. 6 Francis Freeling. 8 Mary Ann. 9 Manchester. 11 Nocton. 12 Prince Adolphus. 15 Princess Elizabeth. 17 Townsend. 18 Lady Mary Pelham. 10 Morgiana. The preceding are public vessels; of private vessels, Niles' last list is 1551, which have been brought safe into port or destroyed. Including the recaptures, it may be safely stated that we have taken at least 3000 vessels from the enemy. Before I proceed to give a more particular glimpse of our military and maritime victories I will take the liberty to introduce my "Persuasive to political moderation," as it is in my view the most important part of our compilation and lies nearest my heart. A Persuasive to Political Moderation, &c. It is most assuredly the duty of every rational being to do all possible good to his fellow creatures not only with a disinterested view of profiting them, but also of pleasing our common Creator. And in order to do good to men, we must accommodate our admonitions to their passions, their prejudices, and their local prepossessions. To cause the sons of error to see its fatality; docility, mildness, and moderation must be used. The grand work I desire to accomplish herein, is no less than a union of all republicans in the United States for the prosperity of the republic. Was my power equal to my will, there should be but two parties in the United States; namely, whig and tory; the friend and the enemy of kingcraft. And though I would not advise my compatriots when they feel the hour of their dissolution approaching, like the father of Hannibal to take their children to the altar, and swear them to eternal hostility against the invaders of their country's liberty and independence; yet would I stimulate by the most reasonable argumentation the votaries of republicanism, to inspire their children with a just detestation of monarchy by presenting them with this, and similar publications for their serious investigation. The present attempt, although romantic, is surely excusable. To break down party prejudice, to allay the impetuosity of political intolerance, requires a more powerful pen than mine. The late war has given all parties and politicians in our country clearly to see the deletereous and gigantic evils which are most likely to be produced in our solitary republic by political animosity and party strife. Our representative republic and federal government was in danger from this cause, which will again and again produce the same effect, if not remedied or removed, and it is the duty of every friend to his country to use his individual endeavours to contribute his aid, in order to accomplish this great and important object. If there are worshippers of royalty in the federal ranks, I verily believe there are also domestic tyrants and intolerant politicians in the democratic ranks. I abhor the spirit of intolerance, both political and religious; appear in what party it may it is most destructive to the public weal, and should be exploded as the bane of the republic. Surely the strong should always be ready to extend the hand of charity to the weak! There are many, no doubt, true republicans in the federal ranks, and not a few fought, conquered, and died, in defence of the republic in the late war. These things should not be forgot by the powerful party. To each surviving hero, as well as those who are sleeping on a foreign shore, every tribute that is due to virtue and valour should be paid. Surely the worshippers of kings, dukes, marquises, earls, lords, and the Lord knows only what, are justly despised and execrated by all true republicans, in the federal as well as the democratic ranks. The ser vile worshippers of what they call "legitimate monarchs" in monarchical countries, I pity from my heart, because they are hood-winked from youth to age by their tory scholastic and eclesiastic teachers, so that they live and die the victims of po litical delusion; but men who were bred and born in the United States, and with the best political ́information practical as well as theoretical, and who, notwithstanding, long for, sigh for, pray for, preach for, write for, and act for a royal government; such men, if such men exist in the United States, I have far less charity for than for the highway robber: and I do verily believe they are as hateful in the sight of Heaven as they are in my I sight, and equally an enemy of God and man. feel nothing but love and charity to all mankind, my bitterest enemies included, and could circle them all in one kind embrace-these miscreants only excepted, if there be any such in the United States. Even the royalists who have slaughtered tens of thousands of the population of Spanish America, because, forsooth, they willed to be free, and fought for independence, I feel charity for, because they are blindly led on against their fellow citizens by the prejudice of education, and think they are fighting for and supporting a just cause; but not so with the American royalist. Who, I ask, can read the following recent intelligence from Spanish America, and not feel pity for the one party and detestation for the other: Barbadoes, March 20. INTERESTING DETAIL OF RECENT OCCURRENCES ON THE SPANISH MAIN. "We published on the 6th ult. important information received by the way of Curracoa, respecting the operations of the belligerent republicans and royalists, in the provinces of Venezuela and the Carraccas. The army of the royalist party, under Bovis, had taken Barcelona and Cumana, and was then marching on towards Maturin, near which place a battle had been fought, in which the republicans, under Bolivar, had sustained considerable loss. |