Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-16
FRID NJ, ONE is, 1909.

7 feat O. the British arms In Spain
lif they viii but make up their minds
how these better terms shall have
been obtained, / will agree to the
cause which they shall assign. If
they scout the idea of their being
ascribable to the present administers
ton, will agree to ascribe them to
the defeat Of the English i'll Spain.
| will only beg of them, when they
wish to touch the chord of our good
old revolutionary principles that they
will not ascribe it to the defeats in
Spain, and on the next occasion
when their object is to do honor and
blazon forth the merits of the men,
who conduct our affairs, that they
will not ascribe it to the wise and
most excellent measures of our for
mer most sapient and virtuous adj
minisuation. am wiling to take
either as the cause, but | will not
subscribe to both, & as it shall suit
their purpose. / protest against
Igentle-nen's coming out upon us
with the Spanish successes, and
the wisdom of the administration
at the same time.
| | am sensible, sir, of having de-
tanned your attention and that of the
House, not only now but on many
former occasions much beyond what
| had a right to do. It's an offence,
and | am willing to confess it !; but
| it grew out Of the unprecedented
manner in which l conceive a very
|unexceptionable motion has been
met by gentlemen ofthis House.
| You cannot be ignorant, sir, that
there are gentlemen in this House
!. who, when their object is to obtain
the passage of any motion howevei
reasonable, certainly have to encoun.
ter greater difficulties than others
| and who, when they see any thing
like opposition arising in certain
quarter of the House, like counsel
addressing jury supposed to be
somewhat prejudiced against their
cause, have to labour their points
and impress them much more than
the counsel who knows that the ear
Of those to whom he speaks is attun
cd like that of partial mistress to
lhis addresses, and will put the most
favorable construction upon them.
This subject which have opened in
regard to the renewal of int recourse
with one Of the belligsrents, which
hope In time TO see renewed with the
other--and then, sir, we shall have
choice whether we will begin again
the eotilliop of non-impcrtation, en-
barge and non-intercourse, or reap the
rich harvest of neutrality like men of
sense whether we shall put the inter-
ests oil the nation at stake, for the pur-
pose OF making very grand and war
iike speeches on this hoor-this change
on which | mosr cordially congra,u-
late the nation, is subject which
should not have opened at this time &
in this manner if gentlemen had been
willing to take my motion for what it
is worth--if my motion had been Ia
ken at its current and actual value,
should have waited until / could have
presented the points which have en-
deavored to enforce in more conden-
sed form--for l have not even note
and nothing but the manner in which
Itais motion has been received has
compelled me to endeavor to shew that
the motion ought not to be indefinite
lily postponed, to shew that there does
exist difference of opinion in the ma
( ton and in the house in relation to that
proclamation and the construction OF
the non-intercourse law, and to shew
the means resorted to and very inge-
Iniously too to smother and keep out OF
lsight that difference OF oPinion. Those
who think that America ought to take
warning by all nations who have first
ITesisted and soon after succumbed to
the power Of France, and that we ought
!. IL