The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-10
CONGRESS-.
OF7HE UNITED S7,sTE.S
FRIDAY, Dec. ..
EMBARGO DEBATE-CONTINUED.
Dec. Is.

Permit me new, sir, to proce ed with the
discuss ion. The gcn,lema an from Massachu-
sets Mr.. Pickcrinsl proceeds to tell us,
that MI. Rose was sent here as a messenger
OF peac,,; thathe brought the olive branch
IN ms ma nd' but that 1t was desiSnedlv re-
fused by the administration, and OF course a
subj ct ntserious reproach and lamcntation.
SIR, do NOT know what Mr. Rose hrnuoht
in his haild he never would tell the govern
ment what he brought. But let ME ask the
gentleman. what he left behind him? The
gent!ema,p has furnished ne wih an onco-
site hgurc. He left behind him rcd in pic
kle FOR as. He left behind him these svery
orders Of council, which were desienedly
concealed from him, although they had been
ong dciibet ated upon, and were maturcd
before he lett London and we're actually
issued almost as soon as he lost sight of the
land. If, therefore he brought in his hand
the olive branch, he certainly left concealed
behind him the scvurge OF our commerce.
Yes, sir, it was the bosom which was ;ntc nd
ed to sHeep, and would have swept cur COM
mercc from the fac of the ocean. And the
gentleman tells us in 2 tong of lamentntior
that when Mr.. Rose: arrived here he was
met by the embargo. Yes, sir, the in6ci-
Gus vigilance of the government had saved
our commerce from she destructive influence
OF these concealed orders Of council. Gould
you have supposed, Mr.. President, tina. this
would nave been subject ~ lanentation TO
any American citizen! Coul& vou have sup
posed, sir, that it could have been made the
subject of rcproach against the Sdministi a :
ton! Gould You have supposed. sir, that
the most jauDdiced passions could have
deluded any American citizen so fa,', as to
Commit himself upon such charge. Sir,
we aifer SO much in ctr facts. that it wculd
D" more wonc2rfui If We should agree, tn IN
otter, III our conclusions. Is there gentle
III IN mere, SIR, prepared to say, that this is
not correct statement Of fActs! And if il
is, what is the result. WHY, simply. that
Great-Britain had, in the most iisidion,
manner, issued orders for the entire de-
struction OF our commerce and that our
government had completely disappointed
their ubiquitous object, BY interposiDg the
embargo Tor its protection.
5ut, Or, tie gentleman, not content with
The protusion OF his invcctives against the
administration collectively, & the absent zen i.
tlrman, whom ! have defended with great
pleasure. has directed his bittcrest resent
mcnts against the secretary of state. indi-
virtually: lie, sir, has ventured to accuse the
secretary Of insinccrity in his diplomatic cor
reSpondcnce. Permit me to tell that gentle
man, that .the secretary OF state is incapable of
m act OF II sincerity, either as man or polit;-
cIfn. HE gentleman himself, sir, has been
secretary OF state ; and even in the phrenzv Of
ms passions, 1t is wonderful TO me he did
moi see, that he was forcing himself into
me"t disadVantAeeous comparison. ] think
the instances OF insinceI'ty lie has quoted
partake nothing Of that character. ] thinl,
them perfectly proper, The gcntleman's an
lgry Criticisms TO The contrary notwithstand-
ing. Let us attend particularly to the instau-
ccs quo,ed. The first is, that the secretary
had tod the British minister that the BE Rim
deere so lar as il protested to place all the
British Isles in a state Of blockade. was ST
empty menace. Now let ne ask the gentle
man ii that was not, and is not, the fact> /
lbeiieve that no gentleman is mere strongly
impressed with the truth of this fact. nor
IrcjCices more in It's truth, than the gentle
mar himself: But the gentleman infcrs. If
this decree was mere empty menace, as it
RESI- ec;s the blocka1ing the whole British
Isle $, il could not furnish any inducement to
the measure Of the embargo. differ entire-
~ with the gentleman in hisin,erence. The
Berlin decree, after it was ppt into a state Of
execution against the u States. would ope
rate yeYy differently upon the dcfcDceless : =
Imcrican commerce. spread Siong the French
coast, from it's operation AS forming the bloc.
kadc Of the British Isles and therefore
would be, as IL i'm fact was an emntv me.
mace in that case; whilst il would have n
most serious effect in the other: and would
certsin'y furnish just inducene1t to the q, :
vernment for the protection Of the cxposed
commerce of tho u States. Here then. sir.
SEE perfectly correct sentiment without
any mark Of insinccri,y upon it,