The National Register. — London, England, 1811-12-15 00:00:00

NAL REGISTER. attei. ~RiN ; ~, .2Q7E; ILI': MAL' DIsQUISI t ' No. 194.. • '''l'"akilibn'‘ PRESIDENT .IviADISON'S SPEECH. • . (Cpitillued.from our last.) • After having set Soitlf.soine of our imputed' of- fences, in the. most aiming light, this document pro ceeds to point out to Congress the line of conduct they ought to adopt. Unlike France, we had al ways actc.i openly. We had not pretended to re- peal our Decrees, enticed the Americans into our harbOurs, and then put in force provisions which they thought had ceased to exist. Yet our guilt, deemed far deeper than that of NAPOLEON, is made Uy the impartial Pe..i:sineNT to call for measures portending an appeal. td the sword. • 66 We have beftri,": he asserts, « that the -British 'Cabinet perse veres not only in withholding a remedy for oilier terangs so . Wrig and so loudly calling for redress, but in the execution brought home to the threshold of our territory ; of measures, which under existing cir cumstances, have the character as well as the cifect of war on our lawful commerce. With this evi dence of hostile iylntibility in tramp)in.g on rights into sis, and .corresponding with the national spirit and evectations." Here is not only a pretty clear intimation of the private sentiments of the PRESIDENT, And of his in clination for war, which not daring to advise openly, he recommends in a defensive shape ; but here is too an additional charge against us, worded . in such a manner that our offence may be construed into whatever is most injurious as well as most insulting to an independent state. The Americans are told that we have not only denied them proper redress for former wrongs, but have obstinately persevered in the execution of measures decidedly hostile, "brought home to the threshold of their territory." Who, on reading this Speech, uninformed of the conduct we have held, would not imagine that we had formed a cordon of troops along the frontiers of the United States, to prevent the free circulation of their persons and their goods throughout the Ame rican Continent? But what are those measures so designedly unexplained ? If we err in our concep- 46 5 0 PICK ETT*STREET, VPRAND, NEAR TEMPLE BAR. • SUNDA:Y,:DECEMBER PM. solely to the obscurity in which he skilfully involves certain-parts of his official communications. Those very offensive measures, calling for " an armour and attitude" of war, consist of a very friendly but firm remonstrance made through our Minister to* the Government of the United States respecting their invasion and occupancy of the greater part of the . Floridas. Bound by a solemn treaty, the terms of which have been proclaimed to the whole world, to assist the Spanish nation in its struggles with fo- • reign enemies, were we to prevent the French alone from subjugating a brave and spirited people, and allow American plunderers to ro!) them of their dis-, taut provinces, because the Mother Country could not supply arms and men for their defence As faithful Allies, we attempted to check injustice be fore it had grown into hardened iniquity : to rescue the Floridas by a timely interference in negotiation from the grasp of an invader, before oppression had settled there too deeply to he uprooted by other means than the fury and violence of war. This written interference, this moderate, but manly avowal of our intention to maintain the integrity of the Spanish territory against all foreign enemies, ' this request that the American Executive• pause before- it c.ornrnitted an act of open ,;e, are distorted ,into measures which have the character as well as the effect of war. The char racter, perhaps because we bold out hostility in per. spective, should the invaded provinces not be re' stored ; and the effect, because the Government of the United States feels itself compelled by the der nunciation, either to abandon its prey and abstain from iniquity, or to commence in .defence of its oppressive acts, a war as impolitic as it must be unpopular. This is probably the true explanation of the repeated attempts made from that quarter to start and multiply unreal grounds for war, in the hope thus to entrap the feelings and se cure the approbation of a people led by different views and torn by factions, but easily blinded. After showing what an hostile disposition the Speech of Mr. MADISON is calculated to excite against us, we shall examine the tone which it hold; towards France. It is that of humble remonstrance, not of threatening authority. In our case, a call for what is termed redress is made, 'which dog away the idea of reciprocal arrangements : in a Wog is required ilvaa- us, whilst the THE NATIONAi out ng, Conitinttl ' fiLIBtI3IILD AT -No. 4 4, PICK ETT* brUM,iO an ft Lf.314.L . Q v vv!..44,4,••••• c y • which op. indfirOc", c,111 . ,, :T10(11.34 . 11 1 . Con, and thi gra; Wilk eel the.flutot.of putting the rnitea into an armour and - an attitude demanded by the. cri- injustic, Lion of them, let the PIiZaj.D4NT •l•• • d, every cling is regutrea Arqui4 - wio‘go w•b7 Ye?. IV. No. ccra. „s c .. • .6 -iv • ` X • to •.• • • •ts • s ‘• • * .t ..14i. ;#1 7 • *2 ^ , • r • •• 0 • ••• • . 1 • PRICE 9(li elm ■