STATE PAPERS. 



449 



5'ear, from the multiplied opera- 

 tions falling within it, have neces- 

 sarily been extensive. But on a 

 just estimate of the campaign, in 

 which the mass of them has been 

 incurred, the cost will not be found 

 disproportionate to the advantages 

 which have been gained. The 

 campaign has, indeed, in its latter 

 stages, in one quarter been less 

 favourable than was expected ; but 

 in addition to the importance of 

 our naval success, the progress of 

 the campaign has been filled with 

 incidents highly honourable to the 

 American arras. 



The attacks of the enemy on 

 Craney Island, on Fort Meigs, on 

 Sacket's Harbour, and on Sandusky, 

 have been vigorously and succes- 

 fully repulsed : nor have they in 

 any case succeeded on either fron- 

 tier, excepting when directed 

 against the peaceable dwellings of 

 individuals, or villages unprepared 

 or undefended. 



On the other hand, the move- 

 ments of the American army have 

 been followed by the reduction of 

 York, and of Forts George, Erie, 

 and Maiden ; by the recovery of 

 Detroit, and the extinction of the 

 Indian war in the West ; and by 

 the occupancy or command of a 

 large portion of Upper Canada. 

 Battles have also been fought on 

 the borders of the St. Lawrence, 

 which, though not accomplishing 

 their entire objects, reflect honour 

 on the discipline and prowess of 

 our soldiery, the best auguries of 

 eventual victory. In the same 

 scale are to be placed the late suc- 

 cesses in the south, over one of the 

 most powerful, which had become 

 one of the most hostile also, of the 

 Indian tribes. 



VoL.LV. 



It would be improper to close 

 this communication, without ex- 

 pressing a thankfulness, in which 

 all ought to unite, for the nume- 

 rous blessings with which our be- 

 loved country continues to be fa- 

 voured ; for the abundance which 

 overspreads our land, and the pre- 

 vailing health of its inhabitants; 

 for the preservation of our internal 

 tranquillity, and the stability of our 

 free institutions : and above all for 

 the hght of divine truth, and the 

 protectionof every man's conscience 

 in the enjoyment of it. And al- 

 though among our blessings we 

 cannot number an exemption from 

 the evils of war, yet these will 

 never be regarded as the greatest 

 of evils by the friends of liberty 

 and of the rights of nations. Our 

 country has before preferred them 

 to the degrading condition which 

 was the alternative, when the 

 sword was drawn in the cause 

 which gave birth lo our national 

 independence ; and none who con- 

 template the magnitude, and feel 

 the value of that glorious event, 

 will shrink from a struggle to 

 maintain the high and happy 

 ground on which it placed the 

 American people. 



With all go'oJ citizens, the jus- 

 tice and necessity of resisting 

 wrongs and usurpations no longer 

 to be borne will sufficiently out- 

 weigh the privations and sacrifices 

 inseparable from a state of war. 

 But it is a reflection moreover, pe- 

 culiarly consoling, that whilst wars 

 are generally aggravated by their 

 baneful effects on i.he internal im- 

 provements and permanent pros- 

 perity of the nations engaged in 

 them, such is the favoured situation 

 of tlic United States, that the ca- 



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