Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-12-29

50 fssny Places was frivolous and tr1l.'4s
s'fF M. III said ii would lie admitted that the
r;t;es Of il. York and .N Orleans were TWO q
fl3r Inost important places in the union, g d
tbe most vulnerable points New Orleans was az
The only mark for the produce Of the wi'olc
western country, and the security OF that
nlace constituted the security OF millions OF a.
sr,cs nf nneuliivated land, which would be mil
lions of wealth to the nation. IT was wen
known fact, ever since the acquisiticn OF t!lat
country by the United States, that the PRIDE
ofthe Spaniards had been touched, and where
their pride was Concerned, the SpaAlartls were
!. tenacious and perseyering people. Ourci-
items in that part of the country, ssald MT.
M. have smell war for two years; ithe might
he allowed that expression, His idea was that
that place ought to be fortified, with ioInslda-
BE forts and batteries, and well garrlsoned
with troops, III order tobe able to repel an az
tack from the Spaniards or any other power.
The sum assigned by the secretary at war,
for that place was o,oos dollars. With that
sunritsw was contemplated to erect fort about
twenty miles below New Orleans, Battery
on the margin Of Lake Pontchartrain, and re-,
pair forts St. Lewis and St. Charles, with
other works, barracks, magazines, and other
improvements, at Or about New-Oricans -
Was lit not most reasonable to suppose that
fourtimes that sum would be little enough TOR
those purposes Yet gentlemen say they re-
ly solely ON the opinion of the secretary at
war. Mr.. M. said he relied7on the conviction
of his own senses.
Forts Green, Moultrie, Pinckncy, Johnson
and other works in South Carolina and Geor-
gia, were almost entirely demolished, and re-
qnired large appropriations. The secretary
atswar reports, that it is necessary to erect q
battery and block house in Delaware bay, a
battery and block house at Egg Harbor, a
battery and two block houses at Amboy, three
batteries and block houses on Long Island
For all these works, and including the port
and harbor of New-York, there is assigned
only the sum OF steyen thoa-
sand dollars a mem
Der OH that floor WIFI tSumi
adequate for the city OF = those
other places. The gentlemen who oppose the
increase of appropriations. must SO on the
principle of sinking blocks in the channel OF
the harbor of New-York. He admitted that
to be the cheapest mode of defence, but said
it depended on the concurrence of the legls-
lature of that state. He presumed they would
not concur: if they did they sealed eternal
destruction to that state. He said, the truth
was, they wanted eight hundred thousand dol
lars at least for sNew-York. He adverted to
several other ports of the United States to
shew the inadequacy to the object, OF the sum
destined for fortihcatisns
Mr.. M. said, the object as related TO
@. Britain, waste obtain complete ssns.
faction for the injuries and Insults done
this natien, aud nnless peace took place
between the con,endiBg powers OF Eu
rope, they would in the end have war,
It was apparent those powers were deter
mined TO trample under foot the law CT
nations, and annihilatc every ves.ige Of
neutrality. The necessity, therefore, OF
strong measures anG large appropriations
arose out of the situation Of .hiogsin Eu4
rope. For several successive years our
property had been plunderec no redress
obtained, DO defensive measures adopted.
The desire for peace and neutrality hadsa
tished the governnent with complaining &
negotiating. He was fejoiced to see
disposition in the house 90 longer to sit
still, helpless and inactive since the sc,
cret, dark, solemn and midnight vote, his
hopes Cor peace with Great Britain were
very much diminished EMr- NJ. was here
called TO order.1 Should they. he said, OBJ
tain PREPARATION from tina. nation. and the
adjust men, of all their differences, and be
able TO patch up % accommodation for the
present, they would have to look for war
with France and Spain on the back OF Il.
He said he was for peace, bu. for an onor.