Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-05-12
NJ I. RANDOLPH. Before II,

~ cGar -. addition 20 these which sno-
mitssd the other day on the subject OF inc
secret proceedings, to shew that the mes
sage of the president ought to be Paelisnr :
ed, rot only in Justification OF the rsPeft o. o.
.be select committee which has been Pob'
lshed, but in justice 70 the governments.
self. An attempt has been made 10 the
public prints, and on this hosr, 70 give a
color 10 the proceedings oftn house, Wheni
ia eonclave, totally inconsistent witn, ana
in opposition TO truth. Il has cren lnti.
mated that the minority Wasl iavof OF war;
or by intfma,ing tina, the majority were III
favor OF pacific measures, the inference ice.
has been drawn that tie minority were Ia
favor of war. The fact is thisz=aad as the
e cssage of The president has been read as
part of the journal ordered 10 be PUBLISH
ed, as The speaker and clerk have aetesseo'
[ will undertake 10 state what 1t contains
unless prevented by the char.
The Speaker interrupted Mr. K.'by 90.
serving .thatsuch statement would not De
IN order.
Mr.. Randolph. / will conhne myself
then to stating that the division OF seoti-
ment in the house, was whetherw e should
have territorial accommodation OF our
differences with Spain. whetaer we should
have an accommodation which did not
rotrely sui, Spain aud US, Of 'nonied &C.
cominoda,ion which neither suited US ar
SPAN, but France. A recurrence TO the
Journals will shew this to have been the
principal difference that subssed within
the walls of this hease. I,here was no
party of men in this house, or elsewhere,
In favor Of war for | beg leave to call
gentle rnen on the committee TO witness that
the opinion of the majority CT the seiect
committee was that we should neither give
money or make war; bat that we should
defend the limits of the old Ual.ed States
and The territories acquired from SPAN.
Whar were the facts? Our array was dis
persed in environments, God knows where
fhe country to be protected was Tar re-
moved from any considerable surrounding
population; country which. from the
circumstances in which it is placed, must
be kept and held by military fierce. Wheh
the militia Of the United States from the
most contiguous states 10 New Orleans
were asputed to take possession OF The
couotry, eveess proved that it could net be
defended by militia, unless indeed by the
militia of the Chick asaWs, the Greeks and
the Choctaws. It's not only cut Oft from
the populous parts of the y. States, but It
is protruded into the Gulph OF Mexico, 1
and also surrounded bv extensive marshes
which do not admi, Of its being defend.
ed ia the same manner as the other parts OF
the u. States. So much with regard TO a
standing army The committee applied 10
the head of the proper department. TO kaow
what force would be required TO defend the
frontiers. Our report mas been published
Why have not the letter addressed to the
secretary of war and his report bsen like,
wise psblished? If the executive OF the
United States will take upon itself the re
sponsibility Of defending the country VITA
a single grenadier, be it so. But It was
said there was nos sufficient force TO defend
the country; aud are we not now attempt
ing BY a landed bounty to generase this
force? These circumstances prove our
views ID committee, and do not hesitate
10 say that all the force We have should
have been placed in the vicinity of New
Orseaps-tha; was the weak point which
ought TO have been guarded.
There is another view of the subject. -
Against Spain, with whom we had tried
the fair experiment otnegocistion, which
had totally failed, we took no manly all
tlde-; while we reserved all our energy for
Great Britain, and determined to ceerce /
her by. prohibiting the importation of her
millinery. Yes, against Spaia, when our
negotiations had totally failed, and under
circumstances of disgrace to the y. States, /
we took no manly ground, but begged her
TO rake money while with Great Britain,