raise from the stocks a navy capable of annoying the com merce of this country, as well as to provide for the other expensive services of war. Let it be considered, that under the present system, and from its natural effects, we are ob liged to convoy even now all our trade on the Atlantic, by a force which ships of the line only can assail. America therefore could hope to annoy us only by means of a public ma rine, and consequently very heavy burthens must be laid on a people, who in the interior are poor in every thing but landed possessions, who do not now contribute to the state, the postage duties included, above 700,000 dollars, and among whom a small excise duty, a few years ago, produced a serious

rebellion.

The author is far indeed from wishing to depreciate the power, or the public spirit of the American people; for whom, as a nation, he feels great predilection and esteem. Their strength is of the best kind; it is defensive and internal ; and their spirit, he doubts not, will, like that of the race from which they sprung, rise superior to every difficulty, when the public safety or honour requires its exertion: but the self-interested men, who would push them into an unjust quarrel, must not be suffered, without contradiction, to magnify by these preposterous threats, their powers of annoyance, in the hope of inflaming one great people, and intimidating another.

These idle menaces seemed the more to demand notice, because they have lately been sent to our newspapers in the form of an extract from an American print, with the imposing title of " American State Paper" in front, and with a scandalous insinuation, that the paper was published under the sanction of the executive government of the United States. (See the London papers of Dec. the 16th).

There can scarcely be a fouler libel on that very respect, able government, than to ascribe to it such a senseless and insolent composition as this; which is plainly of French

manufacture, or else the work of some neutralizing French agent, who has caught the style of his employers.

The dignity, as well as wisdom of the American government insures to us, that if it saw cause of complaint or expostulation, the channel would not be a newspaper essay; nor the manner, the vague abuse, and absurd menaces, contained in this pretended" State Paper!" The subject of complaint would be better defined than by the old jargon of "lawless violence," &c. the great principles in controversy would be calmly discussed, and an appeal would be made. to our understanding and our justice; not to our avarice, and our fears.