Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-03
TUESDAY, January II.
DEBATE ON EXTRA SESSION.
Fllr. 9a;uey's speech continued.l
EcoNT1NuEp.l

In support of my first position-that this
house, when it passed the embargo law,was
under a deception, touching the motives OF
administration, shall ask the house to re-
collect, as far as possible all the motives
which induced 1t to pass the embargo law,
and then will attempt to shew that the mo
lives of administration were different, IN
kind or In degree, from those which ope-
rated on this floor. Twill rccapitu!ate them
as distinctly as possible, excluding 10 one
which have any reason 10 think had an IN
Auence in the house, inputing none which
did rot exist. One motive VIZ the preser-
vation OF our resources-that is, the saving
OF our seamen and navigation. This was
the ostensible and popular motive. nat
avowed By administration. Another mo
tive was that many thought war was inevjta-
bIe, and that embargo would give an opror-
tunity to prepare for it. Again. Some
( thought that it would have good effect on
the negotiation then daily expected, and
brighten Mr.. Rose. Again. Others SIP! 3
moment the most favorable to make her
teel the importance OF the u. S. The sys-
TEN OF commercial pressure was in full ope-
ration IN Europe, and Should this country
complete the circle of compression, they
thot that 1t would be impossible for her not
to yield to our pretensions. Again. Some
thought that the French emperor Yves con-.
tending Tor maritime rights, and that it was
time Tor Us to cooperate. Here Messys.
omlhe and Eppes required OF Mr.. Quincy
to know to whom he had allusion.1 I am
surprized, said Mr.. @. TO hear that cues
ton asked by the gentleman from Pennsyl-
wanna. 1t, however, it be denied as mo-
tive, | have no objection to Withdrew it.
W hat am TOW doing ought to excite no
passion. l am not about to question the
motives OF this house. | am only recapi-
tulatIng all these which there IS any reason
to believe existed. If any gentlemen say
particular one did not exist, for the present
argument | reject it. Ny present object
only IS 20 be complete in my enumeration.
IN orIer to make more forcible the bearing
OF my principal argument, that it does not I
include those which principally had an inRu- !
enee with administration in recommending /
49, s,SehA ~ SlO not lCC9l1GCl- OuG TWO
other motives besides those already men
toned. Soma voted for this embargo, be- !,
cause they thought this house ought 20 do
and they did not know what
else to do. Others minated that it might
pave an elect to injure France in the few
" est India possessions which remained TO
Ter. but this was urged SC family, and
With such little show of reason, that I doubt
1t were an influential motive with any
nan. The preceding enumeration includes
II tue motives, as | believe, either urged
u TINS toor or IN any way, silently, opera
I'VE IN producing that measure. Now | j
% not think | state my position too strong
when say that not a man in this house
eemed the embargo intended chiefly as a {
neasure of coercion on Great Britain thai
was to be made permanent at all hazards I
ntilit had effected that object and that I
oting else effectual was to be done for fbe !,
upport OF our maritime rights. If any in s
iyidual was influenced BY such motives. 5