Star. — London, England, 1814-12-16 00:00:00

'i: )!.. 4 • t Tbi* clay was published, prior as. By Messrs. Rivingtons, St. Paul's Churth.yard, Londe*, Dedie.tted; by permission. to the Marquis of ElSTall i . LAU R CORONA ; or, A GAftoikvorßAys.. A 1,, r.! Poem, with Explanatory Notes on the Pall df Na. piton iluonapars, wad ce the pruesat glorious Palm This day was pub•isbed, in Thr-tst Volumes, Unto. prier 13•. 6tl. hoar.ls, THE FUGITIVE; nr, FAMILY INC 1 DEN'CS. By the AUTHOR of Private History of the Court of Enema, Romance Readers and Romance Writers, Stc. ece. Lloodon Yrinted for Black, Parry, and Co. Leadenhall street. . .• I i i 1 I \ , 4M!RIC4. SPEECH or THZ HON.. BIROS KING, OF MASSACHUSETS, 1N THE HOUSE OF BETHESENTATIVESI OCTOBER 22, AGAINA.: AN INCREASE OF THE TAXES. AS PRO POSED BY THE CO:WHITTEN OF WAYS AND MEANS. Mr. CRAIRSJAN —I feel that I owe to the Corn- Mince an apology for rising thus early in the debate, before gentlemen of greeter experience and of longer standing on this floor had an opportunity of ex pressing their sentiments. This course, however, I am compelled to pursue in consequence of what toil from the Hon. Gentleman fmm New York, yes terday, in debate , upon this subject. Had I been satisfied with the practical conclusion to which that lion. Gentleman brought himself, I should have re mained silent, and with him have united with the ma jority in voting for additional taxes. But this, alter the most mature consideraticn I cannot do.—No one lamentsmnre than I do, the distressing state to which our country is reduced, by corrupt men and ruinous measures. No one will go further in a correct and honourable course r to relieve her from our present emberrassments—no one can more ardently desire the return of the blessings of peace cn fair and honour- able conditions ; so necessar for the Government; so indispensable for the . But I do not think that the road printed out .y that gentleman, will lead directly to that clegineble . end. If the war, as he admits, and as every regecting man must admit, was inexpedient in its origin, and is ruinous in its prose cution, I haw seen nothing to change its character. As well might the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots. • If the Administration who de clered this writ were weak, corrupt, and wicked, as the gentleman will concede, have they too changed their natures ? and if not, can honest men possibly unite with them ? If, as the Hon. Gentleman correctly observes, the extreme depth of the follyrof these men, in declar ing and conducting the war, was such that even his intellihence could ant fathom it—if, as he says, they have' abused the confidence reposed in them, and lavished the blood and treasure of this nation, in foolish and wicked contests, can we in honour unite with such monsters ? Can we justify ourselves to our constituents, our consciences, or eur GOD, in assisting 1 to put into the power of such men the lives and the remains of the fortunes of our fellow.citizms ? I be lieve in GOD we cannot! But the Hon. Gentleman', attempts to justify his course by saying, that the na ture of the war has wholly changed--from offensive to defensive. is this iedeed the case? Where is the only efficient army which the Administration have? Is it not invading' Canada? Is it not carrying fire and sword into that country Anu.shau wee se riously told that this, on the part of the Administra tiothis a defensive war ? It is true, Sir, as far as respects the per pie et this country, and the State Go. In c rement s, it is a defensive war. It is true, Sir, that she yeomanry, the 'owners of the soil, are obliged to defend that, and their wives, their children, and their firesides, against the attacks of the enemy, along the whole e# your sea-coast ; while your Administration, who are bound by the Constitution to defend us are dreaming of the conquest of Canada, and are sending their soldiers in that direction, to places where we have little property, and few inhabitants to protect, but leaving exposed to the incursions of the enemy the whole Atlantic frontier. L;ke the dog in the fable, they catch at the shadow and lose the substance. The Hon. Gentleman has hinted, for he did not hazard the assertion, that some people in this coun try, and many in Europe, believe this war of French origin. I have no hints to give on this, or any other subject; but assert, as I beeve, and I believe it as I do ray existence, that this is a French war ; and I bave no doubt that a majority of this nation, and all Europe think the same, anal act upon that belief. I very well know, Sir, that this Government have lately pleaded not guilty to this charge, on the ground. ilo doubt, that direct evidence i f their guilt caannt be prodeced. So, Sir, in our Courts of Jus tier, ne terry day hear the most notorious .offenders plead the general issue of not guilty—and even be acquitted by their country, because their was not suf ficient evidence of their guilt : though every honest map in the nation believes them guilty. But let us hear what these Gentlemen, the Administration, say in their dt fence. " No reliance was placed oa the good offices of France, in bringing the war with Great, Britain to a eatisfnctory conclusion." But they date rust say thef did ,not rely en the good (Aces or power of the French tyrant when they declared that w a r. But they proceed—" he, the President, nevertheless knew that France held a place in the political system of Europe, and of the world, which, as a check on Erigland, would not fail to be useful to us." No doubt tie knew it, while France held under her tyrant, not hclds under her legitimate so vertigo, a place among nations, and all Europe knew it, felt it, and trembled, while our administration were courting his good offices. Like the contemptible jackal to the lion ; while the Imperial beast of France was greedily pursuing his prey, our dastardly admi nistratioteexeected to extort their dirty portion from i ts f ear s. f was induced to advert to this French origin of the war, for the purpcse of distinctly stating to the American people, that the allies of Europe, tie great a nd good Ai, xander the Deliverer, among the rest, all ao consider it : nay, more, Sir, they believe your a dministration only a branch of the power of the . lafe imperial; now fallea tyrant, which power they Are determined to destroy root and branch. Let not toe people then, of this , country, delude themselves with the hope of peace, while the present men wield the deethies of this nation. Foreign nations, Sir, /*VC no confidence ice the amicable professions of your administration; they, have forfeited all respect, and no honourable peace will ever be made with them Not, S - r, that . any foreign nation would pretend to di c tate to us, or in the smallest degree interfere wit! our internal regulations ; to this I would not submit,, from any nation. But the people ought to know, that England will not make peace with a set of men whom she thinks corrupt and wicked. Can we then Sir, ought we, to unite with such men in the •prosecution of this French war? Besides, Sir, do we not condemn the friends of this administration for 'Supporting such weak and corrupt rulers, and shall we not condemn ourselves if we unite with them in that support ? Honest men will decide. For these, among other reasons, I cannot unite in support of the present Administration. A shall now proceed to state some of the reasons which compel me to vote against the whole system, or rather scheme of finance reported by the Committee of ‘Vays and Means, whereby they calculated to raise from the people of this country, directly or indirectly, by new or increased taxes, 11,635,000 dollars. In addition to the sum of 10,800,000 dollars, raised in the same manner, or to be raked the present year. Making a grand total for the people to pay in taxes for 1815, T 2,435,000 dollars to the national Government, which does not and cannot protect them. Bctore I proceed to the reasons above alluded to, to hold up to the view of the American pe.ople two picture; ; one of the expense 4 a year in peace, the other of a year of war. The expense of our peace establishment before the war, was (as the late S. cretary of the Treasury, Mr. Campbell inf .rins in an able and faithful annual report made to the House of Representatives on the 21th of Sept. 1814) D. 7,000 non Interest on the debt, existing previous to the war 1.1u,0,0mt Making, . Dat,400,000 Ile further informs US that the sums authorhied by Cnngreu to be es?cnt:ed chitin: the year 1814, and for which aprropria tlon. have Leen niadc, are : Amounting in the whole to 1).47,e 6,17°. This sum the Go moment expected to provide as follow.: From the Gust - • 6,500,000 Sales of Public Lands - tit,o,coo Direct Tax and internal Dutie4 - ;800,000 Postage and incidental Receipt. - 50,1100 10,930,000 Loans and Treasury Notes - - 33,592,66 S Balance said to be in Treasury • 2,7t7,567 D.47,T70,172 Of the sum the Government expected to raise by loans, after begging and submitting to the grossest usury, they were deficient more than thirteen mil lions and a half dollars, according to the first and dashing report from the new Secretary Dallas, to the Committee of Ways and Means. This statement shews evidence in favour of peace 38,570,172 of cents. an amount which one year of war costs the people. 1 will now, Sir, by your indulgence and that of the Committee, state some of the reasons ' which compel me to vote against the war taxes; of these reasons, Sir, some will be local and others gene ral ; while our attention is directed to the interest of the whole, we might-not neglect that of any part. First—l shall vote against this report as a citizen of New England, because that section of the country wris not repres.o)ted in the Committee which made .t, aithough its inh.:bitaitt, if the taxes arc imposed, will be called upon to pay a large proportion c.f them. How this happsned, whether by design or accident, II know not ; nut such is the fact, that no Member from New England was put upon tilt important j Committee. But the Middle, SJutherp, ant: Wes t.r" Otal.G3, ‘l[lBi td the iIVIAC.I‘• I would tint ba understood to implicate the Honourable Spealier of this House, who appoints our Committees ; and who discharges the dates of his office with distin guished ability. It may hav Lean accident, or he may only have followed the examp:e of some prede cessor. Nur, Sir, wia.id I sogL:est that • the Com mittee is not composed of Gentlemen of ability and integrity. But, Sir, they cannot understand t::e in terest of that part ut our country so well as a Mem ber therefrom. They cannot have the feelings, the interests, or the views of citizens of New Esgland. New England appears to he proscribed, put under the ban of the empire. These things create suspi cions of designs against her rights and liberties. I cannot sanction this procedure by my vote. Second—This administration have, by 'their weak and wicked measures, so impoverished our citizens, that they have not the ability to pay these oppressive taxes. Shall we lay upon them additional burdens, when they are now almost pressed to the dust by those which you have already heaped upon them ? Let us hear what Mr. Secretary Dallas says upon this subject. " The wealth atlas nation, in the value and pro ducts of its soil, in all the acquisitions of personal I property, and in all the varieties of industry, remains almost untouched by die hand of Government." tsl i this, indeed, true ? Let me ask the farmer in the middle States the value of his wheat and flour, now spoiling on his hands : the merchant in the East, the value of his lumber and his fish, without purchasers, his acquisition of property deprived by the acts of the Government of the accustomed means of enterprise; the shp-owner, the rich return of his vessels, now only food for worms; the sailor and mechanic, the value of their industry in all its varieties. These will all exClaim o . that they have been sorely touched by the hand of this Government. That " the little finger of this oppressive Administration 'is thitsker than the loins" of the father of his country. That this Administration had afflicted them, as the great enemy of mankind was permitted to afflict the per fect and upright man, by touching all they possess, and they almost ready to " curse them to their faces." But what does the Chairman of. tile Committee of Ways and Means say on this subject 66 In Europe the price of agricultural products is not materially affect. ed by a state of war; tie produce of the earth is there consumed within the country in peace and war. —l'he situation of the United States is entirely diffe. rent—with an extensive and fertile country, and a small population compared to the erten' of our terns tory, we have annually a large surplus to export to foreign markets, over and above what is necessary for consumption. On the export of this surplus, wt4ch is cut off by war, depends in a great degree the ability of the farmer to meet taxes."—By this it appears, that the wealth of the nation, composed by the wealth of every individual in that nation, subject to taxation, does bi:t remain almost untouched by the hand of Government. And, Sir, I consider this war, for every purpose of misery and distress, as having existed for nearly eight years—since the embargo by Mr. Jefferson, in I SOCi. A constant hostility has, since that period, been maintained by the Govern ment against the industry, property, and enterprise of our citizens, by their restrictive and oppressive acts, whereby thousands of our citizens are reduced to beggary; to a situation that; scarce any change can be for the worse. In New England, too, Sir, we are obliged to pay to our State tax, county tax, and parish tax (the latter, some Gentlemen on this, floor may not understand) ; consider too, Sir, that our citizens are deprived of the usual means of ob taining supplies for these objects, and for the mainte nance of their families. Lumber, the fisheries and commerce, ware our chief dependance. Our lumber, which, before the war, found a ready market at ten and fifteen dollars the thousand, is now merely no minal at four or five. The bank fisheries are de stroyed—and it now seems, from the terms of the enemy, that we arc in a fair way to lose the best portion of our coast fi.hery. Our vessels are now confined to our ports. It must be known likewise that the inhabitants of the sea port towns in Maine were accustomed to receive two-thirds of the provi sions required for their support, in articles of the first. necessity, coastwise ; and in proportion as their means of purchasing provisions have decreased, the price of 1 I provisions has increased. Flour, which was formerly bought fur six or eight dollars, has for some time past been fifteen or sixteen dollars the barrel. Indian corn, which sold for seventy-five cents the bushel be fore t h e ss ar, was the last suinmer one dollar and al half and two dollars the bushel, and so of many other articles of prime uccessit t y. The consequence of this has been such as was probably expected and wished by the Government. Many, of our respects able citizens, sailors, and mechanics, have, for sub sistence, been forced into the ranks of your army, and marched into Canadaa Yes, Sir, 1 hive ta regret, nay, to lament, the fate of many valuable citizens, some personal friends, who have thus fallen victims to the diseases of that clime aa or to the sword of the enemy—far distant from their homes, with no friendly hand to relieve their suffering, it. saoth their distress; in death, they cast a fond recol• lection back upon their country, and the dear objects of their affection, then closed their eyes in despair.— With the hope of giving some relief, I have since en tered the dwellings of their families, once the abodes of prosperity and happiness—now of. wretchedness and woe. I have beheld their disconsolate widows, and helpless parents, in misery and want, and their children crying for bread : do then, 0 Goo, now their only supporter, according to the petition in thy prayer, give them each day their daily bread I But when the poor have thus cried, Madison has not wept ; 4 4 ambition is made of sterner stuff" than this. Third Reason.—As a citizen of New England, I am opposed to laying this additional burthen upon 'my fellow-citizens, because no part of the money, thus to be raised, will be applied to the payment of the expense incurred by those States in calling out and subt.isting the militia, for the defence of their soil and famines. This information we have from the Secretary 4 War himself, in his answer to the letter of his Excellency Governor Strong, upon that subject—that no part of the expense •thus incurred would be reimbursed, unless our troops were placed under the orders of the Commanders of their inili tat y districts. This is a species of command we know nothing of ; military districts ! —by what right, what authority, what usurpation established ?—they are unknown to our laws—unknown to our consti tution, and abhorrent to our feelings. For what purpose is our country t,errymandcred into military i cNtt..ts ? Can you inform me, Sir ? I did indeed I once hear on this floor the purpose avowed, for ! which they were established, and the use to which 1 they were destined ; I did hear an Hon. Gent:meth in debate, and I heard him with horror and detesta tion, alluding to some rumours of dissatisfaction in the East, thank his Gun, that there was within each 4 -military district of thiS country, a physical force sutlicient to put down the first movements of popu lar discontent. What, Sir ! arc we made a military despotism ? Must we be butchered, if we ~ !are complain of our wrongs ? Is this the rt-pub'oca form of government guaranteed to us by the con stitution ? Is this the freedom f o r wlech our an cestors fought and bled ? If so, then ‘Varrea and the succeeding martyrs of the It.. , vinuti.rn, died in vain. Ni, Sir, New England will not submit to it; no military despot small ever reign theme. I, too, thank my Gun, that there is within each State in New England, the bravest yeomanly of the country, hearts of oak, ready and deiernined to beat down tyranny and oppression under their feet. —But who are the °Hirers tinder whose command your President wishes to place our hardy soldiers I In Massachusets, he is an officer whom your Presi dent has recalled from a command in Canada, with every mark of disgrace—in New Hampshire is an officer who suffered himself to be taken by a handful of the enemy ; and of so little consequence was he in . the view of your Government, that they let him rest' in Canada unexchanged, until he almost became a subject of his Britannic Majesty. His pay and rations I however went on, which was some consolation. Sir, our militia officers would think themselves disgraced, and throw up their commissions, if they were ordered under such Commanders. : But, Sir, the principle on which this military gerrymander is formed, is what I must deprecate. It your President can thus divida the States into military sections, ens, place over each a General Officer, what prevents his appointment of all the subordinary officers in the same district , , ready i to take from our militia officers their commands as soon as they take the field ; thus violating, in the very letter, that part of the Constitution winch reserves , to the States respectively, the appointment of the of ficers of militia ?' There is nothing that will prevent his doing this, seeing he has the disposition, out the determined resistance of the people. Wno are accus tomed, ' to anticipate the evil, aad judge ht t:.e pres sure of the grievance by the badness or the principle ; they augur misgovernment at a distance, and.sneff up the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze.' It then, Sir, you will nut defend New England, New England will defend herself, and will keep her re sources for her own occasions. 6 , Millions for our de fence, but not a cent for tribute." Fourth Reason.—l cannot unite in supporting this Administration, with Mr. Madison At their head, be cause he has always shewn a settled and determined spirit of hostility against the enterprise, the com merce, the rights, and, above all, the patriots of New England. What, let me ask, was a Boston Port Bill, compared with a General Embargo ? What a duty on a few unimportant aaicles, compared with the taxes and oppressions which tivs Adininistra lion have brought upon this people ? As much as 1 abhor the tyrattny and orptes.:!ion of a Cri!tf.n, North, or a Bute, and their hireling associates in dif. ferent Ministries in England, against this country, 1. would not do them the injustice to compare them with a set of men and measures which would dis. grace them ! If a simple King of England, by his corrupt servants, chastised New England with whips. this Administration have chastised her with scorpio n .. A repetition of the same grievances will remind us of doe remedy. It may be demanded of me, if lan=I an= willing to abandon our navy and army, without pay. without. reward ; tar, very far from it. My semi. ments on this subject cannot be unknown or miitaketi. The steady bravery and perfect discipline of our ga:. lant seamen. evinced by their repeated and splent;irt victories, the heroism lately displayed by some 0 1 our Generals, their officers and troops, in many tan , guinary and successful battles,flash lik e lightning urn the surrounding darkness, rendering it more paipti t. —New England will not give up the ship, for ti seamen either I She is prepared to swim or sink, con. quer or die, with them. But, Sir, this administratiou has not the ability to reward them ; they have last the confidence of the people, and caunot command the resources of the nation. It will devolve on the first fast friends of the navy, to reward our bray:: tars, when the " trouhkd n.glit" of this admin:strution (Icp trls. And the sear of peace returns." In relation to the subject more immediately before the Committee, as to the increase of taxes, for tho reasons which I have given, and as t 3 the scheme of a National Bank, reported by Mr. Dally, for reasobs aphid, I may assign when that subject shall be taken shall vote against the whole. In ! - elation the detail of this business, as it respects a proper s`•. Itctian of articles or of equalizing them through the States, I shall endeavonr correctly to do my duty. THE ELECTIONS. • Munchusetts, Octot.er It seems to be hardly known, that an Eiectioe, exceedingly important to the interest of this countrv, is near at hand in this commonwealth. Our repre. sentation in Congress is at present nearly all federal. It consists principally of men in whom the State may solely confide its interests. It behoves us to chew that we place in them all that confidence which they 'deserve. It is important, if we cannot gain a majority in Congress opposed to the war, an object which is by no means hopeless, that we at least demonstrate that the conduct of the administration for two years past has gained them no popularity. Let there be no pretence fur saying that democracy is gaining ground in Massachusetts. Democracy is, in fact, still declining in this cord. inonwealth. There is great hope that the whole representation in the next Congress will be federal._ But to effect this object the people must du their duty. In some districts the friends of the war are already exceedingly active. Endeavours should be made on our part to counteract this activity. The hopes of our country have been raised by the late success of federalism in Vermont and Maryland. Let them not be depressed by any falling off in Mat. s:tchusetts, the strong hold of good principles, New York, Oct. It PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION—NO official returns have been received in addition to what we have Already I)ll,lislied. Dauphin county gives a majority for Sq. der o f Philadelphia, Cot. 17—Peramy We are yet unable to give the official return (4 - the votes in this district. We carr state, however, that the federalists have elected four Members of congress, t•,:o State Senators, three Auditors, and a Coituti Como.issicmer, for the district, besides the Members of Assembly, from the City and Councils. There has been a very great increase of federal r.puhlican vo:cs in Penusylvauia, in the election jur: d • Jed. VOTES FOR GOVERNOR. Wayne I 6,563 Stivdcr 19,292 CHESTER. AND MONTGOAIELY DISTRICT. ranaTasairii COMOAtiii+ _ _ S. Henderson (Fed.) 4763 101;it• Haim (Dem.) 4511 EQURTILINTM comaases. Wayne (Fed.) 4775 11.) ariing. on (t)em. ) 4781 Henderson (Fed.) 4770 klahn Wert. 4748 If the preceding s:Atement accurate, Samuel Henderson, the federal candid ite, i. elected to a seat in the present Congres , , And Isaac Wayne. a teden.l candidate, and Wm. DAs lingual, a •deinocratic can. didate, are elected Members of the 14th Congress. CIiASIURSBURG, (PENN), OCTOBER is. The following is a correct Statement of the Votes given for Members of Congress in the district com p:m:l of the counties of Franklin, Adams, and Cunt. bcrlind TEDZIALISTS. Edward 4426 Crawford 4116 Alex. Cobeao DLUOCRATS. Wm. Ma lay Win. Crawford - . 5834 - . 3654 COUNTIES 01P BERES AND ScHUYLKILL.—Joseph Heister, Esq. of Berks County, has been elected to a seat in the next Congress, in opposition to Mr. Cldree. the present Member. VERMONT ELECTION.—His Excellency Martin Chittenden is elected Governor, and his Honor Wm. Chamberlin Lieutenant Governor, of the State of Verniont. Two Members of the Council, and several Mem bers of the douse, were absent wheu the ballots tve:e The federal candidates for Councillors were chosen by a majoriry of from 100 to 200. In the choice of a Speaker—Daniel Chipman, Esq. federalist, was elected. Majority 29. Josiah Dunham, Esq. (federalist) was elected So. cretary of State for the year ensuing. Majority .52. Now Yori; , Octoba 2.. NEW JERSEY ELEETIOST.RepOrt of it Laving re% suited in favour of the fedcral cAndiJittcs is coots dicteLl. (krona 25.—The result of the recent elections ir. Vermopt, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, excites tLe best hopes in the friends of peace. New Jersey, it is feared, has ICtnrned to w ber lowif q ; iu tt.e mire" of democracy. Connecticut is always orthodox. CHRISTMAS PflitiltSll.—ltiany persons make it an invariable rule to present thcir frientii with a token of their esteem at this period of the year. and much dithculty frequently occur .in the choice of the Gilt, .t difficulty that need not esist at this moment when a present can be made which would be rich enough for :the richest, and not too great tot the priorest. viz. 4 tICILET or SHARE in rhe LATTUY I containing Fir including, two of 420.,ina4 And in s £lO,OOO, &c. &c. to begin Drawing on the !SC,: of I 1 t