^oi ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



civilized and commercial world. 

 But whatever may have inspired 

 the enemy with these more violent 

 purposes, the public councils of a 

 nation, more able to maintain than 

 it was to acquire its independence, 

 and with a devotion to it rendered 

 more ardent by the experience of 

 its blessings, can never deliberate 

 but on the means most effectual 

 for defeating the extravagant mea- 

 sures of unwarrantable passion, 

 with which alone the war can now 

 be pursued against us. In the 

 events of the present campaign, 

 with all its augmented means and 

 wanton use of them, he has little 

 ground for exultation, unless he 

 can feel it in the success of his 

 recent enterprize against this me- 

 tropolis and the neighbouring town 

 of Alexandria, from both of 

 which his retreats were as preci- 

 pitate as his attempts were bold 

 and fortunate. In his other in- 

 cursions on our Atlantic frontier, 

 his progress, often checked and 

 chastised by the martial spirit of 

 the neighbouring citizens, has had 

 more effect in distressing indivi- 

 d nals and in dishonouring his arms, 

 than in promoting any object ol 

 legitimate warfare. And in the 

 two instances mentioned, however 

 deeply to be regretted on our part, 

 in his transient success, which in- 

 terrupted for a moment only the 

 ordinary public business at the 

 seat of government, no compensa- 

 tion can accrue for the loss of 

 character with the world, by his 

 violation of private property, and 

 his destruction of public edifices, 

 protected as monuments of the 

 arts by the laws of civilised war- 

 fare. On our sido we can appeal 

 to a series of achievements which 

 have given new lustre to the Ame- 



rican arms. Besides the brilliant 

 incidents in the minor operations 

 of the campaign, the splendid vic- 

 tories gained on the Canadian side 

 of the Niagara by the American 

 forces under Major-General Brown, 

 and Brigadiers Scott and Gaines, 

 have gained for these heroes and 

 their emulated companions the 

 most unfading laurels, and having 

 triumphantly proved the progres- 

 sive discipline of the American sol- 

 diery, have taught the enemy that 

 the longer he protracts his hostile 

 efforts, the more certain and de- 

 cisive will be his final discomfi- 

 ture. On the Southern border 

 victory has continued also to fol- 

 low the American standard. The 

 bold and skilful operations of 

 Major-General Jackson, conduct- 

 ing troops drawn from the Militia 

 of the States least distant, parti- 

 cularly of Tenessee, having sub- 

 dued the principal tribes of hostile 

 savages, and by establishing a peace 

 with them, preceded by recent 

 and exemplary chastisement, we 

 have guarded against the mischief 

 of their co-operations with the 

 British enterprises which may be 

 planned against this quarter of our 

 country. Important tribes of In- 

 dians on our North Western Fron- 

 tier have also acceded to stipula- 

 tions which bind them to the in- 

 terest of our United States, and to 

 consider our enemy as their's also. 

 In the recent attempts of the 

 enemy on Baltimore, defended by 

 militia and volunteers, aided by a 

 small body of regulars and sea- 

 men, he was received with a spirit 

 which produced a rapid retreat to 

 the ships, whilst a concurrent 

 attack by a large fleet was suc- 

 cessfully resisted by the steady 

 and well-directed fire of the fort 



