The National Register. — London, England, 1813-04-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RF,47I,ST AMERICAN PAPERS. -..:-.... THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH. WASHINGTON, MARCH 4.-- At twelve o'clock this day, the Pre. silent of the United States elect, having attended at the Capitol far the purpose of taking the oath of office, delivered to the vast concourse of people assembled on the occasion the following specch : 66 AbOr t to add the solemnity of an oath to the obligations imposed by a second call to the station in winch my country has here before placed me, I find in the presence of this re spectable assembly, an opportunity of publicly repeating my prulmind sense of so distinguished a confidence, and of the re sponsibility united with it. The impressious On me are strength ened by such an evidence, that my faithful endeavours to dis chaNe my arduous duties have been favourably estimated ; and by a cansideration on the momentous period at which the trust has been renewed. From the weight and magnitude now belonginz to it, I •;linultl be compelled to shrink, if I had less reliance on tin• support of an enlightened and generous people, and feel less deeply a conviction, that the war with a powerlul nation, which forms so prominent a feature in our situation, is stamped with that justice which invites the smiles of HEAVEN on the means uf conducting it to a snccessful termination. 44 May we not cherish this sentiment without presumption, when we reflect on the characters by which this wor is distingui,lted ? " It was not declared on the part of the United States until it had been long made on them in reality, though nut in name-- e nntil argit inents and expostulations had been exhausted—until a positive de claration had been received, that the wrongs provoking it would not be discontinucd—nor until this appeal could no longer be de layed without breaking, down the spirit of the nation, destroying all confidence in itself and in its political institutions; mid either perpetuating a state of disgraceful sintfering, or regaining, by more costly 6atriiiep,s, and more seVere struggles, our lost 1 . .:A and re spect :meting the independent Powers. 4 " On the issue of the war are sta:,ed our national sovereignty on the high seas, and sertirity of an impotaant class of citizen,, whose oeenpations give the proper value to those of every other clans.- Not to contend for such a stake is to surrender our equality with whey Powers, on the element common to 0, and to violate the sa cred title vvhich every 'Heather of the 4 , ocit-ty has to its protection. " I need not call into view the milawfuloess of the practice, by which our mariners are thrill!, at the will of every cruising Offi cer, from own vessels into foreign ones, nor paint thee out rages inseparable from it. The proofs ate in the iceords of each successive Administration of our esovernnieet—and the genet sin • feting: of that portion of the American people have foand their way to every bosom not dead to toe sympathies of human nature. ig As 1;:f. scar was jut in its might, and necessary and noble in its ol,jects, we can reflect with a proud sati:faction, that in may- . ing it on, no principle of justice or houour, no usage of civilized nations, no precept of courtesy or iim»anity, have Waal infrioged. The war has been waged on our pint With scrupulous regard to all these obligations, and in a spirit of liberality which was never star passed. " How little has been the effect of this example on the conduct of the enemy? They have retained, us prisoners • v:ar, of the United states, net liable to be so considered noder the usages I ! of war. " Thoy have refused to.cons'Aler as prismicrs of war. and titivat ed to punish as traitors and deserters, pei sons einigrarhig witiamt restraint to the United States ; incoisporated by naturalization into our political handy, and ti3Oiting under the authority of their adopted cuttutry, ill open and liouourable tt ar, thr the maintenance of . its rights Anil satety. Saida is the avowed principles of a Govern. meta, which is in the practice of naturalizing, by tt.olisands, vita- I of (WWI' COUlltries, and not only of pcnnittilig but coniptilin4 them to tistilt its battles against their waive coulliQi. " They have not, it is trite, baleen it hito their own hands the hatchet and thelcuiti., devoted to iiidisthitainate massacre ; but they hive let loose the Sava es armed with the-e erne' instruments; have ailitriAl them aid° their service, and c.:rried them to b,ittie try their sides., clger to ultit their savake thirst w . .:11 the. hlooti of the and :0 tiutsh tire work of torture and death on maimed arid de- Senceless captives. And, what tva.: utver before scut). Briti.l Com manders have extorted. triciory over the iincongoi rable valour of our troops, by pi e,enting to the synipailiy of tio:ir chief awaiting massacre, froto their savage ci.ztcs. " And auw v-e Cid Non, in further contempt of the mode, Of; honourable wartine, supplying the place ut a conqueiing furce, by I Attempts to 4lisorganize our political society, to diNutember our :R. easfederated flepnblic. Happily, tike others, those will recoil on the authors; but they mark the degenerate councils from which they emanate : and if they did tint belong to a series of unexampled inconsistencies, might excite the greater wonder, as proceediug from a Government which founded the very war in which it has been so long togazed, on a enarge against the disorganizing and insurrectional polity of its adversary. " 4 To resider the justieatn• war on our part more conspicuona, the reluctance to commence it was followed lsy the earliest and strongest unolifestations of a disposition to arrest its progress. Toe sword was scarcely out of the scabbard before the puemy wa.• ap prised or the reasonable terms on which it would be reikiheathed. Still more lorecise advances were repeated, and have been rceei'.cd in a spirit forbidding eery reliame nut placed in the milital re sources of the nation. These resources ..re amply sufficient to bring the war to au ho nourable issue Our nation is, in number, more than half thai of the British Isles. It is composed of a brave, a tree, a virtuous, and an ostelligent people. Our conntry abounds in tile neeessarns, the arts, and vomiting of life. A L,en eraf prospirity is visible iu , comitenauce. The means employed by the Britisls Croniet to undermine it, have recoiled on themselves; have give,' it. Air national faculties 4 more rapid development ; and, dtait.ing or di verting die pillions metals from British eircula . i• a anel 3ritish have pouted them into those of the United St. t r e s It is a propitious consideration that an sinavoid,ble war Ai nid has- I:aind its seasonable facility fer the contribution- t( - wired tit -rapport it. When the public voice called for war, all knew,rnd stilt kt.ca, that without them it could not be carried on through the peti:.d vkincti it might la-t ; mid the pato toti-m, the good sense, and the ::.sae ~pit it of our fellow-citizens, are pledges for the eheerfn: - .ess with which they will bear eacis his share of the tonsillitis ;millet*. To render tne war short, mai its stteces. sure, aoimated and sv-te , otatic exertions alone are neeesary ; and the success of our arms now long preserve our country from themecessity of another resort to) them. Already have the gallant exploits of our naval heroes proved to the world our inherent capacity •to maintain nor rights ois one element. If the' reputation cf ism arms ha:. her:. tarown under clouds on the other, prezagiog Bashes of heroic enterprte assort that nothing is wanting to rorte-pontlent triumphs there also, but the discipline and habits which are in daily progress." IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. NON V. API; IL 5. Lord Visconnt Atrixti,LE, umveu the production of an Ac count of the Blitisli Ship% of %I ;ir oil the North Anieriraii Station distinguishing the v:trisiti , deseriotion , of force, on the tiro LI/koitlav °revery month, from April, 1611, to Ft2Ortiat . y hi t, itielusive, widen Was CI ilert'd accot (tingly. Lord GitEN VI LIU 100 Vt'll—" That tiletC he Lid hcfore the House a copy of the interrogatories put tt. the Jud;..4.s, in rclitet of the tlteet of the Ilt'W .V' lea! t.t tht Reveinte. and its provairial sy-telit auJ ationoi , tration iu NIA coinitty, mina the an sA% of Jtutges, or of aii=.• other official pc ..00 s t o %% s lum t h e . said interrogatoi i. , were midi ' se.l."--Ot d i cd. STIPENDIARY OiI:A.4ES BILL. TOe ()filer of the I for toe for! her re-eoto.of t ..ent of this 11P1 Belli!: movcit Ily the E•iist of FLtu hownv; Lord W a LAM; HAM ac- COE(llitgly took the. 01;:ir. Oh the urincipal that for revtil.iting the propo , ..il or cnr.p.,, aeroroiou, - to the anion et or v,din; or the 11st• utUn of Varishiotiers, and the eousequent 41!!ty 10 he pt i! . ;.role.d. the gre.,test ! .11-es% %vas (aid, and the itnit: Itkeo, it,u t.teli. pi,.et.. It was opposed by the 131-hop of of Ca:iter buiry, lissloy Citilisie, and °the: . ciat. sin it- Loll ••.a o c,. and v a rt, 4 :l ) tii,.approved of b the .Lorti Lore I.l.re' rough Lord Kedesdale, the Earl ot awl er i tcr:,, lie f mita the clause. _ 1 4 4,111 (i It EN vii.T.E awl E STANtioPt.; were of °pi:lion ta a the eldtwe required ..tone io,:eittilyeitt, In the cour%e of the farther tli.ete‘si'm of the eimi%e, it r&4 &v '<l aliietttimeots ou the motion, Ili L.irti: tit enviho. Hirrow,,), :.tan -11-spe, one or tvo. tv.r tk. Ri•w c) .,•lo Bt tiiit,tton beiii put, wit% dgrcet to Dy ti: utvi4too, 'flu retitaillii;g clause.: and provi,;iotts of t some farther discwsion, awl with a few scut by their Lordships.—Adjourhed. itte.l ti:c.t. (At rise i:e Coltimitl(e vi //Loa a the ; tlir cour , e of teudinctits, were geed to APRIL 11.