Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-20
ssnt.sa,aa fron Pennsylvania, tMr. J.

50 70" SohuiuhiSatioh OSkOTe tuiS TlOuSe
which aulhorises III assertion that a
threat has been made France against
the U. States. j deny, sir, that there is
any document, which il properly under
stood, can be construed to have such a
meaning. j say, likewise, that there is
no documents before the House which
auihorises the assertion, that France told
Gs,i you give Spain one blow, We will
give ybu ten or two, as stated by the gem
ueman from Virginia, CHR. Eandolph.)
There is no such expression, nor any o.
Their that would counle nance the idea.
france was no, brought into the question
as being concerned in our differences
with Spain. She has, ioleed, been lug
ged in, in the place ofargument; and we
hsye been charged with trucking to
France, when in all cur proceedings the
name of France has hardly ever been
mentioned, except by gentlemen in de.
bate who will not admit that Spain exists
rs nation. Ideem it proper also to say,
that the assertion that any member Of
this House voted for measure calc,ilat-
ed to bride one marion, to induce another
to give up her righlful property, so far as
1t may be applied to me, is without foun
da'Ion, and not authorised by any act of
say SO. The word bribery ought not, ;n-
deed, 10 enter the walls of this House, as
applicable to any Gifts measures or pro-
ceedinrs. 1t will, Mr.. Speaker, appear
from the journals of the House, now
made public, who have or have not sup.
ported ,he interests of this country. Who
are willing to support jus; measures call
cu'atcd 10 ma.u,ain peace; and are dis
posed to take a manly attitude, against.
'hnse Mo violate our rights; and it will
also appear who they are, whose proceed
lngs tend 10 cmbarrass the nation, 10
bring the government into contempt, to
produce schism, and TO impair the conf.
dence of the nation in the administration
al time when belisve it is as high as
it ever was; and, apprehend, deserved
Iy SO. believe, too, the nation will not
be found ready to withdraw that we'll
placed confidence from the head of tlepa <
ment who has been denounced in this
House. 1t will appear, too, who have
taken measures calculated to disturb the
peace of The union, an.i TO produce an a.
larn OF danger for which there is no foun.
dation. solemn'y wish that not only
the message of the President, but every
document, and every word uttered in Sc
cret might be made known 10 i4,c people.
wish il. because think it would no, then
DE practicable 10 impose on the nation 5y
a coloring given TO those proceedings, un-
authorised by the facls lha, took place.
will stale 10 the House whils am up,
that voted against increasing ihe army,
because believed THAI no emergency cx-
listed to require it.. saw no cali for il,
either in The information contained in the
public message, or in the other commu-
nlcatlons made to this House. In the
public message we were told, that Com
gress would, IN the course ofihe session,
be enabled to determine whether il would
be necessary 10 increase our land force,
by the events which would probably take
place. No ervms had taken place when
the measure in-question was before the
House that changed the former state OF
things. Ii was also my opinion that we
ought not, on every trivial occasion, to
increase our present military establish
meht, and abandon the ground we had
taken, OF reducing the number of our re.
gular forces--actpg on the principle, that
standing armies are dangerous to liberty,
and arc the most fatal scourge in the
hands OF an nsurper or despct. On this
ground 1 have been always opposed to
them, and ever shall be unless an extra.
ordinary emergency should render it in.
dlspcnsible 10 resort 10 them. was Of
opinion, thai even on an emergency the
militia were, in the Srst instance, to be
resoried 10, not only as he constitutional,
but as the most competent and safe de
fence that We could provide. know oil
no reason why we should think them not
competent, as we have always heretofore
iouDd them 10 be so. For these reasons
amongst Others, was opposed TO an In
crease OF the army. was also induce d
to be OF this opinion from the documents
on your table, from which il did not az
pear TO me that Spain had any serious IN
tention TO commit hostiltiss agsins, the
u States, or that her government or
commanding officers had authorised any,
IN The territory Of which re had taken
possession. The incopvehiences with re.
gard to our unde6ued limits, and the em.
bsrassments attending the passage O.
our commerce down the Mobile, soge