Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-12-05
G @ N G r E S S.

C @ N 6 r E. S.
HOUSE OFl REP PERSONALITIES.
MONDAY, Nopem6er so.
DEBATE on tle report d The committee on
dgeressiors, recommending appropyia-
irons for tie defence Of our seu,p0rts.
(GoNTINUED.
Mr.. GARDENER VIZ. rot SO much opposed
10 the rot filing up the blank 10 the resolu-
ton al this time as to The reason which
had been given for not doing il. OF 10 other
words, the reasons why the house should
not now debate on that par. Of the reso
LUTON Oh which il was m ost important TO
deliberate the sum TO be allowed. Il
was hardly necessary, except in point
of form, 10 have gone toto commit.
tee OF the whole for any other purpose
than this. All agreed that the ports and
harbors Of the u. S. should be better for
tilted than they were a, present; On that
poin, he trusted there could be but one
opinion; but unless a sum certain was
named the people ia the sesports would
remain ia the same state Of doubt and
uncertainty which they had experienced
ever since the commencement of the ses
sion. He wished TO come to that poibs
which il was most important TO consider;
he wished to know how much gentlemen
would give towards the protection of cur
ports aud harbors IF they were no, SO
fully prepared as they might perhaps Eere'
afser be, he ,hcagh. they nigh. do much
By catering ioso the discussion of the cub.
jec,, For himeelf, he could not reejily
assent 10 what had fallen from the chair
man Of the committee; he could no, COM
prehrnd the propristy of nakisg differ.
ence between the expence TO be incurred
3in case the appearance Of war should 10
crease, aud those estimated on prospect
Of peace. He had heard nothing said that
was calculated to change his uulform cpl
MON on this subject, that as,sse of peace
was the season for natien which had SO
msny suloersble points 20 prepare for war,
and place itself 10 acondision TO repel at
tack. 10 state Of war, ard i, seemed 70
be seriously approaching, j, would be ia.,
possible to lay out moaey toso much al
yan.age as ia a state CT peace. 1t was in
the time of peace peculiarly that they
should, as much as they could. erect bar
riers agaiDs, some Of tie most dreadful
evils of war: he would here apply the
maxim Of Washington, quoted by a gen.
S.iernan from Maryland some days since,
g that to preserve peace, we shopid be
prepared for war Surprising i, should
happen, Improbable as il was, that the
-conntry should remain 81 peace, were they
on that account TO relax in the fcrifca,ion
sof their ports and harbors! How could
they, acting in this way, expect ever to
be prspared for wsr, when j, should ac.u.
ally arrive: A country whose coasts were
SO much exposed, and whose cities wese
so rich, 80 valuable, and therefore SO
temptiog, should reyer be unprepared );
( bur If, said he, we should be persuaded 10
postpone the defeuce OF the coua.ry, while
we are waiting jar rrsos aud hop:ng ,or
fseace, the enemy msy be at our doors
our cities nay be. sacked, and nothing
lefliu thsm worth defending i.ewould be
TOO late thee, because il will be TO no pur,
pose to foriify, aud the aoaey we now
talk Of arpropria;ing may be saved, while
our cities are dessroyed and dssola,ed.
Gentle men seemed 20 take. great delight
ic aasterieg themselves that they might yet
escape war they wished, aad from wish
ing, hoped for peace. Mr.. 6 had no
hope shasata period when nil the vorid
MAS consalsed ,kiag'ioa,s aod thfone s were
|oyersurned 10 such RAPID succession, when
all the free states Of the world had perish
ed as il were before our eyes, that we
should be able 20 escape without enduring
some part OF the general calads;ty. He.