The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-03-29


respect. In that case, however, letters of
marque and reprisal, and the invasion of
Canada, ought, in my judgement, to have
been substituted war would then have
been resorted 10 in less efficient form,
and the people, upon the experiment, l
have no doubt, would regret the sacrifice;
but the house of representatives has
thought proper to reject that proposition,
and the one now offered, seems TO be the
next best calculated to save the honour and
perfect the rights and interests of the ma
ton.
Ihave never relied so much on the
coercive effects the embargo singly as
some gentlemen have done and l have
pt all eimes been of opinion, that prepar-
Ations for more Efficient measures should
have been made to come in aid of, or
substitute for the embargo, whenever it
should be ascertained that it had failed of
its coercive objccts--l was, ,notui,hstlnd-
ing willing at the commencement of the
present session TO persevere in the system,
untilthe events which anticipated should
take place in Spain, and become known
i'll Great Britain, and until the early pro-
ctedings Of congress should also be
known there. Itappeared TO me, that If
a relaxation on the part Of Great Britain,
should not be coerced by the Influence
OF these events combined, upon their
first impression in Great Britain, allhope
'ofa relaxation from the embargo alopc
would then be at an end, and that no o.
ther alternative would bc left us, but
war. My sincere love of peace, and the
little remaining hope OF avoiding war, In
duccd me at that time sternly to set my
face against the repeal of the embargo
but then thought, and still think, that
at some period of this session, some Other
measures ought to be resorted to, either
with or without the embargo. TM
period is now arrived, submission canno
for momont be taken into consideration
The decisive course Of measures which
| conceived was imperiously demanded
by the existing circumstances Of the
country, are still more strongly called fo,
b. the contents of Mr.. Canning's letter
Of The 22d of November last, to Mr. Pink
my. This letter Ihavc heard represent
eel as wholly unimportmt. view its con-
tents in very different light. ! deem
tllsm highly important. They go to
take away my last hope of peace. They
90 to satisfy my mind, that we have now
no alternative, but war. Submission is
out of the question. Permit me to read
anextract or two from that letter, upon
which my opinion is founded. They
rill be found in pages I3, Ii, of the last
printed message OF the president.
(" The purpose Of that letter, is not to
renew the discussion upon the subject OF
your proposal, but merely to clear any
misunderstanding which had existed be-
tween us in the course ofthat discussion.
cannot conclude it, however, without
adverting very shortly to that part of your
letter, in which you argued that the fail
we Of France, in the attempt to realize
her gigantic project Of the annihilation Of
de commerce of this country, removes
| all pretext for the continuance of the re-
aliatory system of Great Britain"
Again" If the foundation Of The
retaliating system of Great Britain was,
| las we contend it to have bccn) origi-
naHy just that system will be justifiabIy
continued in force, not so long only, as
the DEGREES which produced it arc mis-
cbievously operative, but until they are
.unequivocally abandoned, and if it be
thus consistent with justice to persevere
in that system, it is surely no mean me.
/ tive ofpolicy for such perseverance, that
apremature departure from it while the