The Sun.
London, England, 1814-12-23 00:00:00

QUEBEC PAPERS.

•• - .
NEWS FROM MONTREAL BY-I:AST NI.GHTS pb
QUEBEC, Nov. 17,--s later has, keen retOred
from ,Licut.-Gen. Drututuond •Feporting that, the
enemy e, acuated Fort Erie on the 5(11, after blow-
ing up the rYorksantldos:roying• the place.
The second reinforcement of troops had arrived
off Niagara on the 2.d: their disembarkation mid
advance indueed,the enemy to retire.
General Drummond has in consequence returned
to Kingston.

EXTRACT OF A ORNERAL ORDER, DATED HEAD-

QUARTERS,
" Niagara, Nor. 6,, 1514.
" Lieut.-General Drutnmond acquaints the
troops, that the enemy evacuated °Fort Erie yes-
terday, and rkreated to his own shores, having
first blown up the defences and completely de-
stroyed the place.."
The fleet returned to Kingston on the 10th,
bringing 'down the 41st -and a few convalescents.
General Drummond and all. his Staff came in
the fleet.

WASHINGTON, OM 27.—Mr,.Troup, of Geor-
gia. front the Military COmmittee,.reported-a Bill
for making further provision for filling the ranks
of the regular army by classifying the free male
population of the United States. •
Mr: Troup also reported a Bilt.'4 to '.authorise
the President of the United .States to accept the
services of volunteers who may. associate and or=
ganize themselves, and offer their services to the,
ficiFeemueiii of the United
Ur. Troup also reported a Bill "to proVide for'
the further defence olthetroirtiersof the United
States by authorising the President to augment •
'the present military establis.hinent"
[pis bill proposes to provide, "that in addi-
tion to the present military establishment of the
United States, there be immediately raised forty
regiments„ in such proportions of infantry, ar-
tillery, riflemen, and cavalry;
.as the President of
the United States may deem proper; to be enlist-
ed to serve ditring- the tear; • unless soonerAis-
charged,' and limited as to .service to the defence
of the-frontiers of the United States, &c. &c.")
The three bills were severally twice read, and
referred to a Complitteeof the whole.
Mr. TrOup also laid. before the House the,fol-
lowing letter' from the -Secretary at Wa'r to the
Military Committee

Department of Mar, Oct. 17.
~ • .
Sir,—The,great 'importance of the sugject," and the .other
&ties of the department, which could, not .fail to be very sen-
sifsly felt, at• so interesting a period, by a personwho bad just
' takeu charge of •it, are my apology for not answering your.
dihe 24th of September, arani earlier day, on the de-
fects of the present military establishment.
Due consideration has-been bestowed On the subject matter
' of that letter, and I have non' the 'tumour to submit to the
• Committee the-following report :—. •
1 That the present military establishment, auto ,nting
to 62,44 R men, be •preserved and made complete, and tbaf. the
most efficient means .authorised by the Constitution, and con-
sistent with the general rights of our feLow-citizens, be
‘adopted, to till the ranks, and with the least pe'ssible delay.
" 2. That. a Permanent force, consisting of at least 40;000
,ntra, in addition to t.ht present military establishment, he
raised tar the defence of our cities aid fientiers, under -
gagement by .the executive with such corps that it. shall he•
employed in t hat service within certain specified limits, and that
a proportional augmentation of General Officers of each grade
and other staff officers be provided for. '
" 3.. That the corps of Engineers be enlarged.
" 4. That the Ordnance' Department be-amended.".,
Respecting the Enlargement of the corps of
~Engineers, I
Shall submit hereafter a more rietiiiPed cOmmianica, tion.
For the proposed Amelidment of the Ordnance, Lsubmit a
Report of the Senior Officer of that Department, in this City,.
which is, arproved. • .
I shall be ready and happy to communicate'such further
remarks and details on these subjects as the Committee may
-desire, and request permission to suggest the result of-
further attention in, and reflection on,,entlClTlitary kstablish-
'mem seuerally, shouhl.any thing eitcur which maybe deemed
‘corthy its attention. I have the honour to be, &c.

JAMES NIONROE.
111.11. G. M. 'Tromp, ICjlairman, Miljtary
Coanuittce, Housr of Reiiresentatives.

Explanatnryobserrations, accompanying the Letter from the
Secretary at War to the Chairman of the Military Com-
mittee of the House of Representatives.
In-providing a force necessary -to bring this
war to a happy` termination„ the nature.of the
crisis in which we are involved, and the extent of
its daggers, claim particular attention. If, the
means are not fully adegnate to the end, disoolu-
'noire west inevitably ensue.
ii, is confidently presumed, that it is the inten-
tion of the British Government; by
.striking at the
principal sources of our prosperity, to diminish the
importance, if not to destroy the Political exist-
.ence of the United States. If any clotibt remained
On this subject, it has been completely removed
hys he dispatches from oil r 'Ministers at
which. tvere lately laid before Congress. .
A nation contendink for its existence against
an eileniy powerful by land and sea, favoured in a
peculiar manner bp-etraordino-y,- events, must
make great exertions, and stiffer great sacrifices.
Forced to contend again tor our liberties and in-
dependence, we are called upon fora display of
all the patriotism tt,ltich diitinguislied our fellow-
citizens in the first great struggle. It may be:
fairly concluded, that (like United States sacrifice
any right, of make any dishonourable concession
to Hie denianols of the British Government, the
spirit of the nation will be broken, and the found-
ation of their union- and independence shaken--
The .United States must relinquish no right, or perish
in the struggle. 1 here is no intermediate ground to
rest on. A concession do one point, leads directly to
the-surrender of every other. The result of tile
contest cannot be doubtful. The highest confi-
dence is entertained that the stronger the pressure,
and the greater the danger, the firsts
g,,rous will be the resistance, and the more sue-
c,-ssfut-and gkrions the result. •
It is tl>te avowe'l purpse of the enemy to lay
waste and :Ittstroy cities and villages, and to
desolate our co'tst, of have al-
ready been alforded• evi:iently his intention
to 'press the %val• a1p4.45-
toe whole extent of our
seafwariv, in the Jwtie of exhausting equally the
spirits of the people and the national resources:
There is also reastr.i to peesunte., that it is his lit-
teatiou to pre-.,4 the war in Canada on the ad-
joiAing Sta.:es, while attempts are masse on the
important points, city of l!':-ew 'York, and .other
with a view to the vain project of dismemberment
or subjugation. It may be inferred iiketvise to be
a part of the seh-erne to continue to invade this
part of the v.... Pion; while a separate force attacks
the State of Louisiana, in the hope of taking
posse,-.4siov. of the city, of New Orleans, and of

the mouth or the )11-ssis'ilp:pi„That great inlet and
key to the cominrce of .afl _char portion of the
United States_ lying westward - oaf the. Allegany
monntains.: The'peace in Europe having given
to ihi:cnenrc O large dispoSable force,- has essen-
tially-favolred these objects.
The advantage whio a great naval superiority
gives to the enemy,.; by -enabling him to• move
troops from one quarter to another, from Aldine
to the Mtssippi, a coast of two thousand miles ex-
tent,, is very considerable,.• Even a small force
moved in this manner for the purposes avowed by
the British Commanders,. cannot fail to be sen-
sibly felt, more especially .by those who are ex-
posed to it. It is obvious, if the militia are to be
relied on erincipativ for'the defence- of our cities
and coasts against their-predatory and desolating
incursions, wherever they may be Made, that by
interfering with. their ordinary pursuits of • in-
dustry, it must be attended.witir serious interrup-
tion and loss' to.thenk, and injury to the public,.
,while it increases the expellee. It is an object of
the highest importance, to provide a ,regular
force, with, the means of transporting it from one
quarter to. another along our coast; thereby fol-
lowing the movements of • the enemy with the
greatest .possible rapidity, and repelling the at-
tack ,wherever it may be made. These remarks
are equally true, as to the militia: service gene-
rally under the present organization of the mi-
litia, and the short term of service prescribed
by law. It may be stared, with confidence,
that at least three times the force, in militia has
been employed at our priilcipal cities, along
the coast, and in the frontier,,in marching to and
returning thence, than would have been ne-
cessary in regular troops ; and. that
,the expense
attentling it has been more Wan:_proportionally
augmented, from the difficulty, if
.not the impos-
sibility; of preserving the same degree of system
in the militia as in the regular service.'
But it will not he able to repel these predatory
and desolating incursions. 'To 'bring the war to
an honourable termination, we wrist- not he con-
tent with defending ourselves. Different feldhlgs
must be touched, arid _apprehensions excited in
the British Coyeroment. By pushing the ,cvar
into Canada, we secure the friendship of the In-
dian tribes, and command their services, other-
wise to be turned by the enemy against. tis : we
reheye,the coast from the desolation which is in-
tended for it, and we keep in our hands a safe
pledge for an honourable peace.
-It follows, from:lbis view of the subject, that
it will be necessary to bring io;-a_ the field next
campaign, not less than 100.000 regular. troops.
Such a force, aided in extraordinary emergens
by' volunteers and ,1 ill place ns above all
inquietude as to the final result of this contest.
It will fix, On a solid and imperishable founda-
tion, our union and independence; on s' hich-the
liberties and happiness of our felloW-Citizens so
essentially depend. It will secure to the United
States an early and advantageous peace—it will
arrest, in the•further prosecution of the war, the
desolation of our cities and our coast, by enabling
ins to retort on the enemy those calamities which
our citizens have been already dOorned to suffer;
a resort which selt-defence alone, arid a .sacred
regard for the rights and honour of the natitfo.,
Could induce the United States to adopt.
Tire- return of the regular force How in service,
before'yon, will Strew how many men will be
necessary to fill the present:corps ; and the return
of the numerical force of the present military
establishment, will stew how many are required
to complete it to tire number proposed. ,The next
and most important inquiry is, how shah these
men he raised ? Under, existing circumstances, it
is evident that the fil6St prompt and efficient mode
that can be• devis,d, consisteur with the, equal
rights of every citizen, ought to be adopted. The
following plans are respectfully sutruitted to the
consideration of the Committee., Being distinct
ill their nature, I will present each separately
with the considerations applicable to it.—[klere
folloiv four plans.],
. It is notintended by these remarks, should the
first plan be adopted, to dispense altogether with
the.serviceof the militia. Although the princi-
pal burthen of the war may. thereby be taken froni
the militia, reliance 'must be placed on ahem for
imporiant aids, especially in cases of sudden in-

_ ..
i -; -:-
vasion. For this pi;;•p-o3e- t will "still. be auvis-
able that the men be classed according • to age;
and that their term of service be prolonged.—
Even should this plan, he attended with all the
advantages expected of it, such an arrangement
could not fail to prodnce the happiest el-rect.—The,

,twoof which it would afford of the in►pregnable
strength of the country, of the patient virtue and
invincible spirit of aie people, vonld admOnish the
enemy, how vain and fruitless his invasions must
be, and might dispdse him to a speedy, just, and
honourable peace. Of the very important services
already rendered by the militia, even under the

present organization, too much cannot be said.
If the United States make tbe,exertion which is
proposed,- it is probable that the contest will soon
be at an end.- It cannot be doubted that it is in.
their power to expel the, British forces frOni-thi's Con-
tinent, should the British Government, by -pm'e-
vering in its tmjus(dcMands, make that an object-
with the American people. AgainSt our united
and vigorous efforts, the resistance of the enemy
will soon become light anti feeble. Success iu

every fair and honourable claim is within our easy
gray. And surely the United States have every
possible inducement to make the effort 'necessary
to secure it. I should insult the tinderstandilyg
and wound the feelings of the committee, if I
touched on the calamities incident to defeat.
Dangers which are remote, and .car 4, never be
realised, excite no alarm with a ;111,,!it 7.11c1
yous People but the advantages of success have a
fair claim to .their deliberate consitleration." The

effort we have already made has attracted the at-
tentiou and, extorted the praise of other nations:
A!ready have most of the absurd theories, and idle

speculations on. bur, system of... Government 11ee11
refuted, and put 'down, We arc now test and re-

specie(' as a i;ower; and it is the dread which the
enemy entertains of our resources and growing
importance, that has induced Ittat•to press the war

•
against us alksr -its professed objects had ceased.
Success, by
,discoinfiture of his seheines, and
the attainment of au hononrabie peace, will
place tile United .tytazes on higher ground, ft the
opinion of the world, than they have held at any

former period. In future wars, their commerce
will he permitted to take its. lawful range unmo-
lested. 'Their remonstrances to. Foreign Govern-
ments will-not again be put aside, unheeded. Few
will be presented, because there will seldom be
occasion for theta. Our union„ founded on in-.
terintraffection, will have acquired new. strength
brtheproof have afforded of the impoitant
advantages attending it. Respected abroad, an'
happy at home, the United States, will have ac-
rcomplished-the great objects for which they have
so long conrend&d. As a nation they will have*
little to dread, as a people little to-desire. '
BOSTON, Nov.3.—The following is froin Wash-
ington, dated October 29.—The resolutions of-
fered by the Commiteee of Ntra ys d MeanS,
have been 'fully discussed for the last week ; and
bills ordered to he reported, - for fixing 100 per
cent. on the present direct tax ; 20 cents. per gal-
lon
on spirits distilleafroin doniestic articles ; and
creating a national bank of 50 millions.
Acommunication from the President, accom-
• panying a report from, the Secretary at War, . for
.raising 100,000 men by conscription, has excited
considerable alarm. The cabinet party are suf-
ficiently strong to.vote down the measure; but it
remains for the people of the United States to de-
termine whether they will suppOrt such a tyran-
nical system.
CONSCRIPTION.—MC Secretary at War has
dressed a long letter to the Alilitary Coinwittee:;
of Congress, recommending a Conscription of
.160,060 men, to.be taken from'llie militia of the
several States: ThOugli a Cunscription, it is no[
exactly a-10-mode Iluonaparte, for the Secretary
recommends, after asserting
_that-this fince must
be positively raised ; that they should receive, in
additiori to the bounty already allowed of 160
acres of land, 100 acres annually, fur every year
while war lasts. This is certainly
.a generous,
compertsation to a soldier ; 'but as the citizens of
Amerida do not exactly see the necessity of con-
tinuing the war, at least on the plea for which it
was first entered into, they will not feel disposed
to carry it on beyond what is necessary for their
'immediate, Rrotection.
The Senate have a ,Bill before them for the
equipment- of a naval fOrce, consisting of.sinall
-vessels, to be officered and manned by the Crew's
of our frigates, which are to reivain in 'port for
the present. ,
The latelligencer says, in contemplating the
views of the Secretary at War, that as the process.,
of recruiting is too' tardy to supply the requisite
number of men, there appears 110 other alternative,
than designating, by lot:, every 20th or 30th mail
in rite nat'on., and foreing"hini into the ranks.