Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1808-12-19
MR.. RANDOLpH's SPEECH.

MR.. RANDOIPH's SPEECH.
In the House of Representatives of
the United States on Wednesday, the
8uth ut. when the House had again
resolved itself into a committee Of the
whole, upon the report of the select
| committee on our foreign relations,
Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH [Virginia)
delivered spirited and animated
speech, in which he went over the
whole ground, and attacked the troops
of the palace with great success.-He
remarked that one fourth part of the
time allottedby the constitution for the
continuance Of the session had already
elapsed, and the house were merely de-
batting on an abstract proposition, which
whether adopted or rejected was per-
fectly migratory, and could not be rem
dered the basis ofanv measure. They
were merely making speeches for the
amusement of the gallery, the people
of Washington, Georgetown and the
vicinity.
He enquired on whom that declara-
ton contained in the first resolution was
TO operate. Was it upon the House
themselves Had their conduct been
! such heretofore, or was ii now such as
to render it necessary for them to swal-
low this dose for their own good Was
1t for the people, to rouse their cour-
age tothe sticking place! Or was it
for the belligerents of Europe, TO be
sent 10 Gen. Armstrong and MI. Pinck-
hey to be administered to France and
England, for the purpose of convincing
them OF our resolution and prowess.
He thought it too late to produce such
an effect upon them by such MEANS
He regretted the introduction of this
report, as II goes to establish the be-
lief which has too long beer. entertain
/ ed that SUordS are all the meals to be u
sed for the vindication of our rights.
TO make an impression upon Europe,
something more subtantial must be re-
sorted to. This mode of defence by
words had been tried long enough.
He would now follow the example of
gentlemen by recoGnting in detail the
wrongs we had received and submitted
to from the great belligerents, and lit
tie belligerents. He had no stomach
for fuch repasts. 1t was no pleasure to
him to be repeating, like Shylook in
the play, Con such day you called
me dog, and on such another day YOU
spit upon my gabardine" He had no
pleasure in reading the reports Of com
mittees made in this and in the other
house of Congress, however finely thew
might be drest IN argument. He wish
ed that the aggressors had more of the
argument, and that we had less of the
injury. As long as we would quietly
submit to the insult and the iniury,they
would consent to let us have the best of
the argument. He felt deep mortihca-
ton and humiliation in this perpetual
theme of wrongs, and injuries and in
suits, and our only means of repelling
them observation-disclosures
pondencles of ministers abroad-re-
ports OF committees at home. In this
whole report there was not one word of
substance. All was prologue, episode,
and epiIogue. Still he did not mean
10 End fault with that particular report
1t was pretty much after the fashion of
the times--the old dish which had so
often been served up, but not Of quite
SO exquisite cookery as he had seen be-
fore
II might perhaps be answered that
though the resolution was nothing by
itself, yet that taken in connection with
the others, it had a meaning. He as
serted that it meant nothing, or that it
meant more than meets the eve or ear
lit has any meaning, it is a declara-
ton OF war. The resolutions taken to-
gether are inconsistent with each other.
In one breath it is asserted that we can
nor without a sacrifice of national hon.
or, independence and the rest, submit
tothese edlcts ; in the next we declare
that we will submit Il would be OBJ
Jected that a temporary suspension. OF
commerce Is not submission. Bus the
suspension IS not tcmporary-there is
I not a word N the statute book which
Units the duration OF this suspension.
/ Il an unlimited suspension Of com
Rerce, N compliance with the orders
OF foreign governments be pot submits
sion, be enew not in what submission
could consist.