The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-11-27


and the cspeare of The Oanifh aee, were events ot
she stmoR moment to neutral powers; and taught
SheTn that the grestsh node alton, prudence aud for
besrance were OF no avail guarding MIDI an un,f.
Tending and peseeahle people aganft the violence of
rsrapaeos,s and arongsr neighbor. A viitation Of
hmiiar n.tsre might, in the eoure OF things be ex-
pected iromtbe lame quarter aud the farrell of our
commercial cities might be wrspt in fames or bat
fered TO ruins
Year aftef year had rolled away in iruitlcf, negoci-
ntson He doubted whether in the prefer, potture of
aSars. there would be any satisfactory ad;uOment of
The poiats in diipute. Il did not indeed follow that
fhe failure to e :. treaty would neoefarly bring
on war. But the dominion of the ocean was 10
proudly musped by Britain, and ufurpation mantais-
ed by iuch prndigious naval force that it would be
calculating exravagsntly upon good fortune, to
expect that rights would be invaded By them:
and in an aye of the world, when it was fashionable
Sor ruling atefmen to fweep away like cobwebs, alb
sfraa principles of right and written axms of public
law, 1t was turely a feafon when the weaker pow
ers ought to employ every preeautiou for their afe
ty
L was not his intention to recommend the conftruc-
ton OF navy carrying metal enough to diipa,e the
empire OF the high ieas. His only obea was to pro-
VIDE fofce iufhcient to protect our acknowledged
territory, and to preferve peace within our eaports
and harhors During the intervals of pease was the
duty OF vile hstefnlen to prepare for Atho'
the United States had been the enjoyment of that
befing, with little interruption, for than twen-
~ years, there had been little done guard n.
gairit thote evils which in the common courfe Of
vents it carcely poffible to avoid But although
Threatened with hottity from various quarters, the
ration on the whole enjoyed good fhare of Tranquil
hy There was yet time to prepare for the political
tempeit which would probably iucceed the calm we
had long experienced. The Treaiury was in a con-.
a't'en TO srn0i the ueeeary fums, without impoGpg
eeEt on tax upon ourlelves And with time and mo-
nR a Inrnfa H. -.
mott imperative obligation, that Congress fhuuld
now retrieve by more than ordinary exertions the
eareieineis and neglect Of preceding fellions
During the lat meeting of the national Legislature,
indeed, decent appropriation was made for the re-
pair and erection of defeniive works where they
ihould appear to be mott wanted. But how made
qua,e was this provi6on? Exigenc.s had arifen du-
ring the rscefs which had obliged the Preident to
contrae.debts the national account to auoR three
iourtis oi million uf dollars AND the biii on your
table, Mr.. PRECEDENT, has been brought in to make
good this ansieiPstedfund. Had Congress made more
ample arrangements for the general fafety, had they
taken efeetual meaiures Of defence earlier day,
or had they made the legal proviGon for purchaiiag
the flores and implements which the general welfare
requires, the Executive would not have been compel
led to take the nep which he has dene, of pedeing
the national faith for large of unappropria-
ted money But the Secretary of the Navy has aSt-
ed wiely as well as boldly on this emergency-and
the only ientnent be uttered on the location is
that IN confederation of the reluctance maneed bv
Congreis adopt efeua fyften, and of the pref
lure of the exiting circumstances, it was greatly to
be lamented he had not anticipated three times as
much.
Yet even after ali this expenditure the Atlantic
coat was certainly net protected become nation
projecting the feelings of bravery and honor and boat
ing annually ct its great and accommodating wealth
The vexaons, captures, fixtures, and murders conf
united by the iubjects of foreign foveregns, within
the United States, encouraged by their total
Punhy. And a iheet of paper containing Proclama-
ton was read By them with little other concern than
they peruied any thing ellie in print. MIR. NJ faid
he was entirely periuaded that fomething might
be done, to enforce reipea our laws within our
nudiiputabe limits, and any he convinced
OF thepropriety of making trong experiment. for the
purpofe.
MIR. M. then took furvey of the coat from north
to fouth, and aiked whether it eYpedient to
do fomerhng :or the iecnrity of the capital and
other numerous ports of Matachufetts Did the ca
paoious but deenceleis ha Dor OF Newport delerve TO
be lief: in its prefent condition AS to New York
which might be called the heart of the uuion it would
be unkind and unnatural if he did experience the
keencif fenfbity Tor its iafety. Comfortable indeed
had been done towards its defence our of the appro
prstion for the year aud of the Executive anrei-
patton OF this he thought it becoming in him make
public acknowledgment. But much more remain
ed t to be accomplished and this would require the
lid OF additional appropriations. The harbor of New
York aud the entrance of the Chefapeake were the
favorite places of rendezvous to pratical and hoe
fleets
They were peculiarly expofed to their aggrefIions
and iniults; and were worthy of more powerful pro-
tecfion than had hitherto been extended 10 them In
coupling Norfolk with the city near the Hddfon, he
meant to eTpres from the opennef of their ports and
their contguity to the ocean, the equal claim they
had, Especially alter the traniations in their
UPIu mi I'm fba f5vAr
Partisity, but the equal juice and the protec-
ing Of the nation. Though North Carolina might
be conldered iafc bEhind her foas and beaches it
was far otherwife with her ler fate on the outh.
For Ch1riton preiented fef his eye as requiring
further fuocour from government. The fame remark
applied TO Georgia. For the works at Savannah had
not recovered from the ruinous fate to which they
were reduced by the form of 1904, and ST. Msry's
how that the African 1ave trade was prohibited
would deserve further repars,on well Tor the pur-
pole OF excluding the hps of enemie, Of hoie who
make merchandise of men.
Tracing the more along the mouths of the Milf
fiffppi, he bctsld weak and vulnerable point a,
Orlesns and whether that region was eonfSered as
the feat Of domehic euds the mark of foreign ag-
greiion, it undoubtedly repaired fable & en-.
crgetic lupport
Although his proportion had peculiar reference
20 the Atlantic boundary where rrtory lay con.
tiguous to the pretended domain of the Btitiih as
lords Of the eas he did not with 10 be underRond as
conhnihg his ideas of protection that quarter of lhe
unien He felt that as a Rstelman and fenator, all
and every part Of the nation was entitled 70 the r