Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-12-27
MR.. GILES SPEECH,
DELIVERED
In the Senate of rhe United States,

! IN tHe SENATE or fhe Ontcd Stdte8,
THURSDAY, 81 .eouemJer, 1902, on tie Re.
solution Of if'-. HiiLionse, 10 reteaL the
, Em5argo Laws
, (Continued.j
How much, tdt,r, is il to be lament
ed, M" President, that our suiFerings
! and privat ops should be Continued,
: by the discontents. wlych were intan-
tded to remedy them? How can the
lauthcrs Of these c'iscontents, reconcile
! their conduct to the MARION, or to their
:, own consciences WHAT com7eusa-
ton or atohemept can they ever hope
TO make % the people FOR the protrac-
tons of their privations and sulrerings I?
Whattordisg=,ce hro ,ghtunon the t.
on {? What, Forail the horrors and calam.
'lities OF war, which NAV, ard probably
viii De, the consequences of such con-
Idnct' Let the infatuated author OF
,iit answer these qdesti9ns. Ares OF
Iservices cannot atone for these cruel.
these unfortunate errors.
It IS asked, Sir, how do The en,har-
Cc laws operate on France? It is req-
: diiv admitted. that the commercial
connection tween the United States
= and France, is not of such nature ~
= Ito make suspension re it operate as
iniuriouslv 10 France herself, par;icu-
: lsriv in the interior, as on Great Bri-
. tain.-But orr commerce cannot be
deemed unimportart 10 France in the
. feeble state Of her navy. Al the time
. TOO, otlaving TIE eoibargo, Spaia. Por-
tugfl, anl Holland, were in alliance
with, or in subsection to Fraucc. liz
r pressure was materially felt Nv Spain
: and Portugal from their want of pro
: visions; and it is questionable, how
/, lar that measure contributed to the
q convention for the evacuation of Por-
Il tugalFv t''e French army.-1'he waut
~ provisions Being one ground At
!, tlrdged for their late convention for
that purpose.
4 The French West India Islands too have
5 feit rt- pressure with grsat severity.
> suey are at tbs Inam~ntia stare oeb,oct.
;'e--- here wer~ pro1lS,v Two Objects n
: rs bi ckads--Thr ore q reGuce the
/! Frrnch isltpels for waa- % sroyi sjons--T'hc
. ofher, IN seize upon our n5ccciiant Ships,
. which IL was presumed woDll histe1r t;iJ-
tacr Immediately iuBon Raising ne erab4r-
60. And IL appeared ex,rernslv we'll tim
led % eject tlst object, ii 9 ngse,s upon
their FIRST meeting had beer we or "a
sii'ani nous e. ough 10 have raised Il. The
= loss of these islands, would he severely fel,
lhy the French EMPEROR, and would proba-
lbiv produce some reyret on his % ri, IN ha-
wing cnntripute,i to drive the United States
Oh to the extremity of the embargo laws.
y But, Sir, gen,leaen are very much alar.
- med II an expression IN a lste French ex-
= pose-|Ihey have made some general allu.
n sions to it, but in so vague manner, as
! not TO be understood with precision. AS i
~ am ALWAYS fond of correct statement 81
r facts, will read the expression probably
laluded to. "1he Americans. people
IL who involve their fortunes, their prospect
te ", and almost their existence in cOmClerce
.. have given an example OF great and con.
rageous sacrifice. They have suspended BY
a general embargo, All commerce and al
navigation, rather than shameealy sutmi
TO that tribute, which the English impoa.
n on the navigation of all nations ~ cauno
e. conceive the importance attached 20 mi
r Expression, or the view with which It wa
Introduced. 1t is to be remalk cd that thi
IS the character given 10 this measuri
throughout all Europe, and by none NOR
G. loudly and decisi vely, than Nv the JeGera
ID IDier1can merchants now IN Great Britain
g 1t IS only On this side of the Atlantic, ths
S we hear II described rs weak or wIck
n ed measure But what ofaI this, SIR. vs.
at this French expression change the real cha
or racter Of the me ssure Shall we change on
= own opinions Of the true character Of tn
: measure because the French governmef
~ has thought pr per to pronounce an opin
on spon it Are we told to abandon on
own right Of judging Of our own measure
- because the French government olhciOusl
lunderto kes to Judge FOR Us Sir, to me It
perfectly indifferent, what the French &c
vernment thinks upon the subject; I cha
s., take the liberty OF exercising my own JUDI
-. mept upon IL, perfectly exempt from al
=. extraneous influence whatever-
nd Mr.. Gaming, SIR has also undertaken
as say something respecting the character
of the embargo laws Let rs hear what h
says upon the subject.
MS, "If considered as q measure Of irnpart
nd Al hostility against both belligeren,s, Il
embargo appears to his m ajes'y, - ha'
seen manifestly unjus', as according TO evl
~ principle Of justice, that redress ougl
tiy % have been first sought from the party
riginating the wrong And his majes
cannot consent to buy of that hostilit
which America ought mt To have exfe,1,