Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-04-22
FEDERAL / I. Eoque''nce.
= SENATE ofthe UNITED STATES,
- February "a, 1903. -. .
SPEECH
OF Mr.. NORRIS on the Resolutions Of
Mr.. Ross, relative to LOmsiara.
M. D..s:dsnf
DR.. President,

present occasion. The late
ness of the hour for5ids me to hope for
your patient attention. The subject is
Of great importaace, as itrelates to other
countries, and shll greater to our own
yet we must decide on grounds uncertain,
because they depend on circumstances
not yss arrived. Aad wh-n We attempt
to penetrate into faturisy, after exert
ing'th utmost powers ofreason, aided
By all the lights which experience could
acquire, our clesrest conceptions are in.
yolysd in doubt. A thousand things
may happen which it is impossible to
conjecture, and which will influence the
course of events. The vise Governor
ofall things hath hiddeuthe future from
the ken Of our feeble understanding. In
committing ourselves therefore, to the
examination Of what may hereafter ar
rive, we hazard reputation on contin-
gencies we cannot command. And
when events shall be past, we shaiibe
Judged by them, and not by the rea-
cons which we may now advance.
There are many subjects which are
not easy to understand, but it is always
easy to misrepresens, and when argu-
ments cannot be coatroysrted, it is not
difficult to ealumniatsI motives. That
which cannot be copfused may be mis-
stated. The purest intentions may Be
blackened by MALICE and envy viii ever
foster the foulest Inspirations. This
tcalumny Is among the sore evils OF our
country. II Ieganwith our earliest sue
cess in seventy eight, and has gone on
with accelerated velocity and increas-
ing force to the present hour. It's no
longer to be checked, nor viii ii termi-
nate but with that sweep Of general de-
struction to which it tends, with step
a. sure as time, and fatal as death. I
know that what l utter win be misunder-
stood, misrepresented, deformed and
distorted; but we must do our duty
This Ibelieve is the last scene Of my
public life and il shall, like those which
preceded, be performed with candor and
truth. Yes, my noble friends, laddres.
sing himself to the federal senators near
him we shall soon part to meet no more.
But however separated, and wherever
dispersed, we know that we are united
by just principle and true sentiment A
sentiment, my country, ever devoted to
you, which will expire only with expi-
ring life, and heat4in the last Puisation
Of our hearts. =
Mr.. President, my object is peace. I
could assign many reasons to shew that
this declaration is sincere. But can II
be necessary to give this senate any
other assurances than my WORD? Not.
outstanding the acerbity of temper
which results from party strife, gentle.
, men will believe me on my word. Twill
not pretend, like my honorable colleague
(Mr. Clinton1 TO describe to you, the
waste, the ravages, and the horrors oi
war. I have not the same harmonious
periods, nor the same musical tones -
neither shall / boast of christian charity,
nor attempt to display that ingenious
glow Of benevolence so decorous to the
check of youth, which gave vivid tint
TO every sentence he uttered, and was
if possible. as impressive even as his
eIoquence. But though we possess no,
the same pomp Of words, our hearts arc
not insensible 10 the woes Of humanity
We can feel for she misery Of plunderee
towns, the eonHagFation Of defeneeles,
villages, and the devastation of cultured
p fields. Turning from these features al