Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-11
CON C. r ES S.
II oIzsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Fa1pAy, aauary 20.
DEBATE ON EXTRA SESSION,
TcoNTINUED.I

which have fallen from various ScntictiCii.
Certainly, sir, I did expect that the course
gof nv former argument would expose me
ia some animadversion. In great and cri-s
tical pesioSis of society, such as the present,
nothing else can be anticipated. In per-
forming the duty which my station, In my
apprehension, made incumbent, my hrst
concern was 20 satisfy myself that the
ground was about to occupy was soi1d.--
Whether it would provoke asperlty IN reply
was secondary consideration in compare,
son with the enquiry whether it would bear
the scurtinizing eye of the mass OF my tel
low-citizens particularly of men OF rehec-
ton, of Judgment and of information OF
that class of men which always in a country
like this will, sooner or later, take the guld-
ance of public opinion. Having satisfied
myself that the principal ground OF my ar
pument was solid, my next care was to
mark it out SO distinctly that it could not be
mistaken. Yet those who have, undertaken
to reply to ne, nay colleague Mr.. Bacon)
perhaps excepted, have scarcely noticed the
general bearing of my argument, and have
ccatented themselves with inveigaing a.
gainst what, as they suggest, are my mo-
tlves, or in refuting remarks merely incl
dental, and Illustrative Of my leading pro-
positions. Thus the gentleman from Vir-
giinia Mr.. Eppes) has undertaken to deny
that all the motives which rscapitulated,
were operative IL passing the embargo, and
: as an evidence of this to assert that some OF
them were never urged at the time of pass
;ng that law, as reasons for It's Adoption.
Sir. L took occasion, in the course Oh my
first argument, expressly to declare that IN
the enumeration of motives was making
twas rot my purpose to call those motives
in question, nor yet TO coniine myseh 10
those which were expressly urged III debate,
but TO group all, which there was any rea-
son 10 believe did exist, together, 50 as to
make the conclusion more striking and sa-
,isfactory that they did not include those
which. I undertook 70 show, were the caus-
cs OF the recommendation OF that measure
bv administration, The bearing OF my ar
gu,nent. to which this recapi:u!ation OF mo-
fiyes was only subsidiary, was to show that
embargo, with intention to coerce =. bi1-
Rim. 10 adhere to it uatil it attained Its pur-
nose. and to do nothing else efectual were
not fhe motives of this house. This was
the first branch of my argument. MY Sc
cond and principal was to show that those
were the motives of administration. Id
executing this last part Of m3 task ! stated,
that it was my perfect conviction that such
motives did prevail with administration
But did not rest satisfied with mere asser-,
ton. l stated the grounds OF my convic-
ton. I drew my conclusions concerning
the motives Of public men from the unde-
nisble course of their public acts. Whe-
sfsr the arguments then urged were sufhci-
ent to Justify such conviction, is a ques-
ton referred to the decision of my fellow
citizens. From that tribunal / shall not
shrink; and before it am not afraid to
meet any or all my political opponents. To
these arguments, certainly not personal, nor
in any respect unparIiamentarv, what has
been the reply. Why, sir, g talse'--" ma
Ecious"-" dstamatory'-" corrardEy, base =,
detraction'' -" dastaroly act'-ss old toyy"
), go friend to Great Britain a. Nero
6 ESSEX fmto," and such like. Really,
MIR. Speaker, | have no means OF reply 70
such arguments as these. Absolutely, |
can make no answer to them, through the
defect of my education. inevcr studied at
the school of the seavenger. never took
took out degrees at the oyster bench. I
never sat down at the feet of fsh-women,
a. tboneh they were SO many she Gamaliels,
for the purpose of teaching my gall to flow
Though the channels of their boisterous
Billingsgate. The gentlemen who resort to
such weapons have all the advantage Of me.
If they think that theircau or their argu-