Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-01-14

as las colleague had called en- some me1ffGer
of the committee before whom this bid had
!. been discussed, for cxElaliations-s be would
candidly state his ow n views as to the policy
Cfnavsl ornaments kv the u. Statss. If tho
Unitee States should be Involved uA9ortunate-
Twin war with Gscat-B Britain in descncc OF
i,lst rights and essential iaterestsy he had me-
Yer contenl plated the cfe.tlcn CT a naval force
to I,rotcc our commerce. on tire ocean against
that nalion: he thought the iruitiess etoris
Scs France, Spain ano; the northern powers to
resist the navy OF England afforded an instruc.
tive lesson to tIiis nation, and plainly pointed
out what was its policy; We should, SAID he,
) confne our efforts to objects which we could
accomplish, the first of which would be to
give Complete protection to our ports s haf-
( bors, to points most pu.ne rable by the enemy,
and the properly Of our people most acccssl-
bic 10 his naval expeditions, and most tempt
ing BY its value to his rapacity. They should
( bc prepared 10 expel the ehemy tie moment
he touched our ground this policy svepld be
consistent withour resources, Tor it should be
recoiIected the instant the wcr commenced,
our revenue, derived entirely from imPosts
ard duties, woaldrearly cease, and could only
be SUPPLE by Internal taxes, which cxi:.ing
circumstances Nsuld render almost lmpossl-
b.e3 TO collect: because the produce of the
country from which money must be raised
youla be of little value 3 naval war with @.
Britain at time when cur revenue vas ruin
Cd would at It's termination leave the nation
encountered with debt which they should
sedulously avoid contracting. Mr.. B. said,
he felt no desire to see this country ia pos
session OF navy sufficient To combat with that
power; the whole U..States If sold at public
auction, admitting that there were bidderSa-
be to purchase, would not detray tho OK
pence of erecting and maintaining tie enor-
NOUS establishment Re verify believed the
possession of a navy would ere this have IN
VOWED us in a war with England, WHO would
have treated Us IS she has Denmark, and tax
en- possession OF it in an :. a1nicsblc way -.
1t vas bv different means, we should operate
upon c. Britain and bring berto terms Jus
ties It would be by annosing her commerce
with our privateers, eNpelIng her from the
continent, and seizing on her Canadian pos
sessions, holding them rs guaranteessfor in.
flemnity. 1t future paciGcation; by with
holaing provisions from her colonies inthe
West-insiies, and raw materials from her
manufacturers in Euiope, and by forbiddng,
the consnrnpucn of her manufactures IN this
country, by far their most profitable market
4 lie was very mach misinforred IL this mode
: Of attack would nos prove more efiectual-than.
conteneing with Il navy which had baif1ed the
world, and swept from sea tie commerce and
ships of every nation; If this system did not
answer, be readily confessed, we were unable
to cope with nation whose nayalcresoupees
were infinitely beyond those of our infant
country. ltwould require all tie patriotism
s of the people TO sustain the priyations of war
with England he had no idea that the
country would beinvaded or its safety endaE-
eered, and he therefore fel. confident the nati-
on would submit to ineonvenicncics, though.
great. much less than the calamities Of war.
waTcdsm any other form.
Mar. B. said. gentlemen in discussing
this subjsct had ridieuied gun boats, and
relied upon large ships to protect Cur porss
spd ha,bor. let os suppose, said be, that
there were four ~ gun ships, OF larger
number, lying IN The port Of New York, Of
what avail would they be IN dsfesdiug the
sowps Of The II. S. While 6hey were pi.
nioped 10 port, what would prevent the
British from laying every town on she sea
coasl under cputsibu'ior Any naval force
the T. S could build, would be useless so
!ong as England could bring . greater force
against il. Il appeared TO him that gun
boa.s we've preferable 10 ships Of the line,
for ihespro,sction of our hasbnrs, because
they might be moved, and collected with.
eus danger, alta giyeo point, TO cooperate
with ene aposher. They can always pass
between the shore & the anchorage grsund
Of squadron. and escape 70 the place of
Destination, secure on cur shallow coas, SO
inaccess'bie 10 ships of force. Mr.. B. said