Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-06-06

conse quences. If we had acted~consis-
tenslv; ifthe outrages ofSpa,n had been
met with the same spirit OF just 'nd'sna-
ton AS those of Britain, there might per-
haps, have been some probability Of ac-
celebrating the proposed measure. even
admitting that this was the sele motive
ofits adoption. But when e. Britain
knew Gas she certainly would do from h"r
minister here, who had our secret al
most a. soon as we had it ourselves that
we had acted, to all appearances at least,
dastardly part towards Spain, or rather
towards France, she would not, she
could not, believe US capable of any o.
Their conduct towards her.
The veil, which has heretofore con.
cealed this partef our proceedingtTom the
public eye, is at length removed, and
hasten to exhibit concise statement OF
that transaction. before that tribunal,
whose right finally to decide all questi-
ons Of national import, hope will ne''
yer be infringed. At the commence
nent of the present session, the Pres'-
dent sent US two messages, the one pub
lie, the other confidential; the 6rst
breathing spirit Of just Indignation at
our wrongs, and a determination to pur-
sue all proper means to redress them
the other certainly not contrary to the
6rst: the public message recommending
decisive measures, particularly towards
Spain, with whom our negotiation had
failed, and who had injured US as much
to the extent Of her power as Great Bfl-
tain; the private message, upon which
the ma jority of the house has dsternln-
ed, continued the injunction of secrecy,
containing no sentiments in opposition
to the public one. A committee appoint
ed on this message, brought in report,
expressive of sentiments cOnsentaneous
to those in the FIRST, and consequently not
hostile to those in the last message. This
report recommended it to Congress, to
authorize the President to raise certain
troops, the number of which was intend
ed to be four thousand, for the purpose
of repelling and Furnishing any aggresst-
ons ON our frontiers which had been
violated, and which were threatened
with invasion for several months SPrevi.
Gus to the battle Of Trafalgar, ,hs issue
Of which compelled Spain to turn her at
tention to another quarter. Another OBJ
ieet for which this force was designed,
I was the defence and projections OF our
lately acquired territory, which was, and
still is, entirely destitute of defence, and
several hundred miles distant from the
nearest western state. No offensive ex-
petition against the Floridas, as some
have falsely asserted, was either wished
or intended by any of the friends of this
report, as far as heard or understood
their sentiments. Nothing was more re-
mote from our wishes than war, either
with Spain or England. A large MAORI
: ~ of the house rejected this report. In
this instance, was in the minority. A
resolution, which had been previously
laid upon our table, CATER being ejected
BY the committee who brought IN the re.
port) was then offered to the house by
one Of the majority. This resolution
proposed to appropriate tue millions Of
dollars, osfen"bIy for The o4gue purpose
Of detrdying any extrs0rdinGry expenses
ioAIh might be incurred in our inter.
course Nth foreign nations, but assert
! edo Be in reality far the purchase Of the
| Floridds. It also authorised The Presi.
dent to borrow the money at six per
cent. without fixing any time or fund for
the redemption of the debt and pro-
! posed to continue the additional duty of
! two and half percent. on imports, com.
! monty called the Mediterranean fund,
which fund, the law creating it, deciAr-
ed should cease with the Tripolitan war.
We proposed to specify the object, and
to limit the sum. The specification was
agreed to, 6fty-eight voting against it F,
and the debt to be incurred, made re-
deemable at will, but the limitation was
rejected, and even the specification itself
afterwards struck out in the bill. H.
menK the arguments urged 10 justify the