The National Register. — London, England, 1812-01-05 00:00:00

JAN. 5. in COuncil 'Must be -preceded, not only by the practical I abandonment of the Decrees of Berlin and Milan, so f: as they infringe the neutral rights of the United S.ar.€s, I:tit by the renunciation on the part of France of the w"cole of her system of commercial warfare against Great Britain, of whieh those Decrees otiginally formed a part. This system is understood to consist in a Course of measures adopted by France and the other Powers on the Continent subject to, or in alliance,with tier, calculated to prevent the introduction into their territories of the pro dutOi and manufactures of Great Britain and her colonies, and to annihilate her trade with them. However hostile these regulations may be, on the part of France towards Great Britain, or however sensibly the latter may feel their effects, they are nevertheless to be regarded only as the ex pedients of one enemy against another, for which the United States, as a neutral Power, can in no respect be responsible : they are, too, in exact conrmity svith those which Great Britain has herself adopted a nd acted Upon time of peace as well as war ; and it is not to be presymed that France would yield to -the unauthorized demand ot America what she seems to have considered as one of the most powerful engines of the present war. . Such are the pretensions upon Which Great Britain founds the violation of the maritime rigllts of the United States—pretensions not theoretical mergy, but followed, up by a desolating . war upon our unprotected commerce. The ships of the United States, laden with the products of our own soil and labour, navigated by our own citizens, and peaceably pursuing . a lawful trade, are seized on our cvm coasts, at the very mouths of our harbours, condemned and confiscated. Your Committee are not, however, of that sect whose worship is at the shrine of a calculating 'avarice and while we are laying before you the just complaints of our mer chants against the plunder of their ships and cargoes, we annot refrain from presenting lc the justice and Lurnanit of our country the unhappy case of our impressed seamen. Although the groans of these victims of barbarity for the loss of (what 'should be dearer to the Americans than life) their liberty—although the cries of their wives aed children in the privation of protectors and parents, have. of late, beep drowned in the louder clamours at the loss of property,- yet is the practice of forcing our mariners into the Bt itish navy, in violation of the rights of our flag, car ried on with unabated rigour and severity. If it be our duty to encourage the fair and legitimate commerce . of this country by protecting the property of the merchant, then indeed, by as much' as life and liberty are more esti mable than ships and goods, so much more impressive is the duty to shield the persons of our seamen, whose hard and honest services are employed, equally with those .of the merchants, in advancing, under the mantle of its laws, the interests of their country. To sum Up, in a word, the great causes of complaint I:4•ainst Great Britain, your Committee need only say -1 hat the . United States, as a - sovereign and indepedient Power, claim the right to use the ocean, which is the com mon and acknowledged highway of nations, for the pur poses of transporting, en their own vessels, the products of their own soil, and the acquisitions of their industry, to a market in the ports of friendly nations, and to bring home, in return, such articles as their necessities or convenience may require ; always regarding the rights of belligerents, as defined by the established laws of nations. Gre tain, in defiance of this incontestite ritrlit, captur e American vessel bound to, or returning from, a -pot our commerce is not favour,Td; enslaves our team, r Till?, NATIONAL REGISTEPx• in spite of our remon4,rances, perseveres in these aggres. sloes. To wrongs .Fo daring in character, and so disgraceful in their execution,it is impossible that the people of the United Statei should remain indifferent. We must now tamely and.quietly submit, or we must resist by those means which God has placed within our reach. • Your Committee would not cast a shade - over ale Ame rican name, by the expression of a doubt which branch of this alternative will he embraced. The occasion is DOW presented when the national character, misunderstood and traduced for a time by foreh'n and domestic enemies, should be vindicated. If we have not rushed to the field .of battle like the nations who are led by'the mad ambition of a single Chief, or the avarice of a corrupted Court, it has not proceeded from a fear of war, but from our lo've of justice and humanity. That proud :pirit of liberty and independence which sustairA out fathers in the successful assertion of their right against foreign aggression is not yet sunk. The patriotic fire of the revolution still burns' In the American breast With a holy and unextinguishable flame, and will conduct this nation to those high destinies, which ate n.,t less thv reward of dignified moderation, than of exalted valour. But we have borne with injury until forbearance has ceased to be a virtue. The sovereignty and independence of these States, purchased and sanctified by the blood of our fathers, from whom- we received them, not for our. selves onlyi but as the inheritance of our posterity; are'de. liberately and' .systematically violated. And the period has arrived, when in the opinion of your Committee, it is the sacred duty of Congress to call lord) the patriotism .and resources of the country. By the aid of these, and With the blessing of God, we confidently trust we shall be enabled to procure that redress, which has been sought for by justice, by remonstrance and forbearance in vain. Your COmmittee, reserving for a future report, those ulterior measures, which, in their opinion, ought•ro be pur sued, would, at this time, earnestly recommend, in the words of the President, That the United States be im mediately put into an armour and attitude demanded by the crisis, and correspoJidirg with the national spirit and j expectations." And, to this end, they beg leave to sub- I mit, for the adoption of the House, the following reselue tions : 1. Reza/v.-4. That the Military Establishmeht, as authorised by the existing laws, ought to be hunucliately complet ed by caling up the rank and pro -encourage enlistment of the troops; and that, to uneoui . age en listments, a bounty in lands ought to he given in addition to the pay and bounty now til'owcd by law. •1 hat an additional force of ten thousand , regular troops ought to be immediately raised to serve for three yeai-s ; 'and that a bounty in lands ought to he given to encourage.enlistment. 3. That it is exledient to authorise the President, under proper regu lations, to accert tl,e servic.! of any Lumbe.r of volunteers, not Lice. (ling fifty thot.a3l.l, t) ly., organized, trained, and held in readiness to act on suclisi.rvic. is the raigei cies of the Government may rtquiie. 4. Tllat :he President be authori-ed to order out from time to time, i such detachments of the militia, as in his ()trillion the public service may require. 5. That all the vess.:ls not now in service belonging to the navy, and. worthy of repair, be immccliatolly fitted up and put in commission. 6. •t hat it is expedient to pert:it our merchant vessels owned etch'. sively by resident citizens, and cornisiamled and naviga.ed solely b ci , tizen to arm, under proper regulations to be prescribed by Few, 1.1 s, if. ', deience, a d all unlawful proceedings towards them on the high Eit'S. ACTION WITH THE INDIANS. EXTRACT OF A LETTLR li::();.1 GOVERNOR HARRISON TO THE SECRI.,TARY CIA WAR, D.\TI.:) NI:Al*: T H E "•• '...,!:1t b. ( ti 1 I V , ( f • 1 e, 5 4 Ili 4. r t e n t r s i , s p n it c , T c, :w w „ A r s . : +i ti -cie• ••• - ii .- • - it es t' el y haV? 1:•*n(11,7 :tOrr.1•1(.1!, the of yehtereay tPrrinatcd a,•ti i z'o.• ri:y OTt whet e viT'Anle 411 t:le. Their p:;:cipiture vqvit.g a men, , number vi the un the ticld, the st:‘)-..:!1,,,,t .1,;:n