Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-12-09


ner in order to redeem he pledge which
bv some one has been thrown out to the
public in a newspapers, and certainly with |
cut my knowledge: But, sir, nothing at that
time was farther from my mind had no
Intention of the kind.
Before l dismiss the report, I viii ask
the committee to reconcile some ;hings
which it contains that are not TO me altoge-
Their satisfactory. Mr. Randolph then quo
ted from the 5th page of the report as fol-
lows i
The Milan decree of 1907, can still less
rest for its defence on the supposed acqui-
escencc of the United States in the British
sorders of thepreceding month, since those
orders which have not certainly been &C..
'quesced in, were NOT EVEN KNOWN in
America at the date of the decree. And
it is proper here to add that the French
Shave particularly by the sequestration of
certain vessels in their ports, and by bur-
sning our ships on the high seas, gone even
'beyond the tenor of their own extraordina-
srv edicts.'
The Milan decree, sir, was passed on the
18th December, 1907 and find in the 9Th
and 9th pages of the report the following
passage:
sf1e had, in the mean while transmitted
ito America the instruction to the council
of prizes of the 18th of September. This
was received on the of Deem
sber, and copy of the decision in the case
OF the HORIZON, having at the same time
Preached government, the President, aware
OF the consequences which would follow
that new state of things, communicated
'immed ately to congress the alternative of
the French decree, and recommended the
emb ergo, which was accordingly laid on
the 22d of December, 1907, AT WHICH
TIME it was well understood in this coun:
try, that the British orders of council of
November preceding, had issued, although
they were not officially communicated to
sour government
This anachronism-this Inconsistency, I
cannot reconcile, although will not say it
is not reconcileable.
1t is very far from my wish, sir, if the
United States be determined to resist, to
destroy the unity of that resistance. wish
to see in what that resistance is to consist
am as firmly convinced as am that am
now addressing you, sir, that our present
difficulties took their origin from 1905:
from that period at which, instead of resis-
ting, we began to brook foreign wrongs.
Much has been said of the spirit of'76-the
spirit of 70 was asleep in 1906. At that
period our territories were violated by hos
tile steps, which trampled on our rights
BY our conduct on that occasion, we lost our
character in Europe, and we must redeem
1t by something better than this report /
have seen nothing of an efficient nature nj
therto, unless the first resolution be de-
claration of war against both belligerents,
and the second the mode of waging it a.
gainst one.
From 1905 our difficulties have been
thickening and our reputation declining a i
broad. There must be a different policy
pursued, and the character of the country
from that period retrieved. What have we
done We had been trampled on unresist-
ingly by Spain, and when our min ster had,
ias it appears from documents communica-
ted to the house) taken an imposing positi-
on, his efforts were paralyzed by means of
special mission, IN the person of Mr. Bow
doin, (who if a special minister must be
sent, was as we'll qualified in every respect
as any man. But a special minister was
sent when we had already two in spain. In.
deed it appeared as ifthere had been a fear
that our differences should be adjusted with
foreign powers; Cor, when they were upon
the point of settlement, a special mission
was resorted to, and the whole affair su,
pended, as it were, in kind of diplomatic
chancery court. When the non importation
law passed, propheced that it would DIS
troy your commerce. And did not very res.
pectable commercial character on this floor
(Mr. Crowninshield) whom death has since
snatched from us, hout the idea The non-
importation law was to sweep the commerce
of our adversary from the ocean. but 1t has
swept our own; and it will sweep our agri..
culture from the land. One false step led
on to another. Non resistance to weak
power (Spain) hid led to Eon-resistance to
those which are stronger. This hesitating,
this temporising, this extraordinary missi-
on sending policy Will do no longer. The
non-impnrtation and embargo laws were to
be our sword aud shield. There was tobe
action aud reaction, nd much effect was to
be produced not only upon France and G..
Britain, but upon Europe IN general Sir,
we have been too long waiting for the down
fall of Great Britain; we have waited till
our own approaches. tits time to calculate
less on her weakness, and more on our own
strength Weare forever kept in a state of
expectation. The Grenvilles axe a trea-
~, which is rejected--they go out, and the
Cannings and the Portlands come in--tkenI
you rely on the Earrings, and the Broughams.
and others. Sir, it IS all the same. /. isl
time TO give over our calculations of them.
surrections of Manchester weavers, and for
them TO refrain from calculating upon the
ungovernable spirit of the Green Mountain
Boys. 1t is mistake. Those who reason
Il. 4. e a.