Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-12-23
co N G r E S S.
Senate Of the United States.
\ (1Nr. CHESS Speech continued. J


convenience attending popular governments
consists in this that whenever the union
and energy of the people are most required
30 resist foreign expressions presents most
temptations to distrusts and divisions
Was there ever a stronger illustration OF
the truth and correctness of this observation
I Than the recent efforts made under the pres
sure of the embargo laws! The moment
the. privations, reluctantly but necessarily
imposed by those laws, became to be felt,
was the moment of 81 gnal to every political
demapogue, who wished to find his way to
office and to power, to excite the diStrusts
Of ' tue pedAs, and thus to separate them
from the government of their choice, by
every exaggeration, which ingenuity could
devise. and every misrepresentat which
. fatSrnood could invent nothing was omit
red. which It was conceived would have a
tendency to effect this object. But, Mr..
President, the people of the Y. S. must
learn the lesson now, and at all future times,
of disrespecting the bold and disingenuous
CHARGES and insinuations of such aspiring
demagogues. They must learn to respect
and rally round their own government, or
they never can present a formidable front
to a foreign aggressor. Sir, the people OF
the II. S. have already learnt this lesson.
They nave recently given an honorable and
glorious example of their knowledge in this
respect. They have in their recent cleo
lions, demonstrated to the nation, and to
the world, that they possess too much good
sense to become the dupes of these delusive
articles and too much patriotism to desert
their government. when it stands most in
need of their support and energy.
The gentleman from Connecticut Mr..
Hillhouse has made the most strict, and |
had almost said, uneharitable scrutiny into
the objects and effects of the embargo laws,
IN the delusive hope, presume, of obtain
ING triumph over his political adversaries.
/ proposesto follow the gentleman, in a fair
and candid comparison of information and
opinions upon this subject; and | shall do
so in the most perfect confidence, that,
whenever thorough examination of the
objects and effects Of the embargo laws shall
] be made known, and the merits Of the Inea-
sure fully understood, that there is not
man in the u. S. who viii not applaud and
support the administration for its adoption,
who has the uncontaninated heart Of an,
American, throbbing within his bosom.
Mr.. President, have always understood
that there were two objects contemplated by
the embargo laws. The first, precautions
ry, operating upon ourselves-The second,
coercive, operating upon the aggressing
{. belligerents. Precautionary, in saving our
seamen, our ships, and our merchandise
from the plumber of our enemies, and avoid
ing the calamities of war. Coercive, by
addressing strong appeals TO the interests of
both the bclligerents. The first object has
been answered beyond my most sanguine
expectations. To make fair and Just esti-
mate of this measure, reference should be
had to our situation at the time of Its adop-
ton. At that time, the aggressions of
both the belligerents were such as to leave
the U. S. but painful alternative in the
choice of one Of three measures, to wit
embargo, war, or submission. know that
B this position has not been admitted, though
but faintly denied, IN the discussion. i
shall however proceed upon this hypothesis
for the present, and in the course of nv
observations will prove its correctness by
the statements of the gentlemen in favor Of
the resolution.
Before the recommendation Of this mea-
sure, the laudable and provident circum-
sPection OF the administration, dad obtained
toleraby correct estimates of the amount
and value ct the ships and merchandise be-
longing to tie citizens of the II. States then
80; andshe amount and value Of what