The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-04-16

q LII
taken for the ffety and protection Of The
United States. The important quefion Al
TO the expedency Of r-fortfug to war, has
nor yet been decided upon.
An embargo was Propofed, but almolt una
nimou1y reeAed. Aiming is The popular
oueaion-Not 70 provoke war, but to rope
il. The Senate have before them bill e
authorize the executive to procure twelve
fhips of a. guns each, for the protection q
our trade. II is to be regretted that party
fpirit Is too apparentin fome members. Like
the beatty Lyon, the Turbulent Giles iniinua
ted that Mr.. Brooks had only ierved HI;
country as clothicr general. To which NIB
tetorted " if the gentleman doubts my beng
a folder, am here 70 aniwer him" but
may thefe boyifh things pats, and may Cod
grant them wiflom TO purfue their country's
good.]
On tbe propofed refolution " that under e1-
iA;re circumstances, it is not expedient for The
Uuited States to refort to war againt the French
repuHlic," Mr.. Sewall was oppofed TO the pro
petition as If now food, and hoped it would be
amended. What effect it would then have, he
left thofe TO Judge who introduced it. MIR. 8
fence had voted with him, had been endeavour-
ing for fome tine to 60 into fome meaiules o.
that kind aud to determine whether lheie
meafures lhould be confined to our own limits
or be extended to the ocean. Theie meafure'
ought now 70 be decided upon, as this is a
moment in which our commerce is deprecated
upon in a mott unprecedented manner. We
are now, faid he, called upon TO conhder the
hazards of our fituation. Mr.. S. then quoted
a nart Of the PreGdent's medage as to the iitua-
ton of our affairs in France, and as TO the de-
cree which was propofed rsiPeding the taking
of Engliih goods on board Of neutral vehels'
AID the carrying Of which was declared to make
neutral vefels good prizes. j This lat regula-
ton Mr.. S. Caid, was direct violation OF the
law of nations, and amounted to a declaration
of war on the part Of France againR this coun-
try. But, inlt-ad Of making any defence, gen
tlemen call upon the committee TO declare we
are not dfpofed to relort to war agalntt the
French Republic 70 that after We have been
injured and abuied, and denied the common
RI hts of humanity, we are not TO complain,
but make declaration that we will not 60 70
war. Was, then, queltion Of war, he aiked,
card Of politenels Did nation ever make a
declaration that it was not at war IL could
not fayfo, except it were in 10 degraded tate,
that it had no lights capable If injury. TOT fay
we are not at war, was to fay no more than It
is light when The fun fhines bur 10 cal upon
the committee to fay at this tine, was 70 degrade
the nation from its independence, and below It's
character. The prefent lfate OF things, Mr..
Sewail faid, ought to be conGdcred as fafe 81
zUar, not declat ed by US, but agAnlt rs, BY The
French republic and If, faid he, ant fpirit
to defend ourlelves, let US not fay to-We my
refrain from acting, but ler US not FAY We re
ceive injuries with thank ulnefs. But this pro-
petition goes nill further. In moment OF
public danger, it go-s to divide and iePara,e
this houfe from the United States. The gen
tleman from Virginia had well explained this
refolution, when he faid it was intended t. in
terrurt the views Of the p efdent ofthe United
States That gentleman conGdered th9 n dage
Of the Prelident as a declaration Of war, and
this reloluton was to be in contradiction to it.
If this was the ienfe in which it was TO be IN
derRood, il was falfe in point Of fatt for the
Prefi1ent had neither declared war, nor cal
led upon Congrefs to declare war no fuch
fentiment could be found in the mefage. To
agree to the propoGtion as ii Rands, would Be
to give countenance to the aAertion of the
French government that we are people divid-
ed from OR government; but taking it with
the amendment, he Looked upon it as harmless
thing. Mr.. S. concluded by faying, that he
conlidered the conduit Of France in tie light
Of war. How far we would refent it, was the
queltion, whether ohenGvely CT defenfvely.-
He was in favour Of defenGve mealures, us we
vveye nor equal 10 ofrenGve mea (ures The wifhed
to Cod we were.) 1t was cur weakness, and
the dvGon which had appeared in cur councils
that had invited thefe attacks. He truaed they
would now unite, and repel them.