Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-01-09
Gouyrrs ional.
Mr.. Masters SPEECH.
IN The H94s Of ReprsIsntative5 on the
3ot6 Nov. on the /abieci Of our.
Foreign Relations.

hiuation of aifars, which he feared would ter
inmate soar dligracc; he wiihed that one
'ooer view ihould be AIKEN of this gre2, quef-
tlon' before they blindly ruihed deeper IA A
tcene OF confuhon and diltrefs,
Ia the precarious liiuation in which this
country Rand, Qaid he) II is the duty of every
MIN 20 avow his principles and fentiments.
with hrinnes and integrity. II is pdblic dslu-
non to bow 10 the ehmerical projects and
phantoms OF any man: No man can be dem
Ell independents. uulefs he is guided by the rea-
son and exped ence of things ATTRACTED f.om
al party and perfonal prejudices. trulf rhelc
reio'uiiou- will be determined by their merits,
and NOT by executive or party influence.
Great pains have been taken both in con
veriation and in print, to work upon the feel
ings OF the people to perluade them it nun be
emoargo or war at the fame time you in
send non-intercourfe and thea war
This report Is calculated to manage, cultivate
40 let IN action, The warmth of public ,magia-
anon; IN order that uon.intercourie and the
embargo may be well received.
The report Rates. at the time the embargo
vas laid, the Britilh orders in council were
Known and underfood in this country, tho
DOT officially communicated. The facl is the
Bfitiih orders in council were not even men
toned in the debare on that queition and
the embargo was laid as coerc,ve meAlure
without any reference to tholc orders; aud
WHEN the administration found they hal MI.
taken its operation. they went to Ihe Birth
government duplicating and begging, that
thofe orders might be refclnded. SIR, this IA
s.on feels humbied with the unhappy ifIue Of
their meafures; and by deviatng from, an en-
ergetic and practical courfe, are whlrled a.
oous' the fPort of every quit, and eahly driven
snfo any port.
Mr.. Matters faid, it had oeen In the power
OF this nation, more than once to have adiuf.
ted their differences with Great Britain When
Nj Fox came into the Britiih standardization
ne offered our minilter to renew the expired
treaty; and at the fame time remarked il
fhsud not prevent him from proceeding in the
negociation, and endeavour,ng to maze fuch
atreaty as would be mon iatisfaefory to both
countries. In the mean time the renewal of
the old treaty would prevent all coIliiion be
tween the two nations. Mr.. Monroe inflruc-
nons would not admit of il.
Although lays treaty was e1ceptionable
IN many points, and not popular in this coun-
Try, yet this nation profpered under that trea-i
Mr. M. laid the late treaty concluded with
the Bfitiih government, by MeiIrs Monroe
AND P'nkney, was in his opinion more advan-
iageous THAI sAe former. This iaii treaty was
rejected principally on account of the protefta-
hon hgned by the Brniih commihoners. Il
was worthy Of confederation tina, the protefta-
ton was no parr OF the treaty aud our govern
ment had iiace offered TO continue the embargo
As To France, provided the Brai.h government
would reicind their orders, which Wa. fabltaa-
italy onpIy,ng with the pro, citation, vet this
treaty u rejected IL never has been in our
powe' lfaid he) honorabIy to adult our ext.
ting differences with Fl ance, whole emperor
has always fhowcd the greatet contempt for
che neuirali'y Of every naion, and whole de-
termination i. TO compel US TO take par, in the
war, either a. friends or allies. 1.-THE nation
does not know this, know il, and you know
it Mr.. Chzirmsa The demands are poiitive,
and becaufe we have not promptly obeyed
France has fwept by feqpeflraton aad conhica-
sisn, all the American property from lrsyto
Antwerp, amounting to more than one hum
dred millions OF liyres fhe has burnt and funk
many of our veiIcs without, even the form of
atrial
Why do you continue the embargo, and
add TO it non intcrcourfe ARE you waiting
for an anfwer from Bonaparte,'that he has ts-
ken off his DEGREES, that you may 30 ~ war
according to his demand Or do you with to
continue this prefure in order to gam time to
Offer 10 the great emperor in more explicit
terms, thar you will take tides with him !!
--Your meafufes are leading to that point, aud
il will be he relulf.
Rullia, pfullis, Holland Spain, Portugal,
Naples, in ihort all tie iuhjugated world, pa
fed embargo laws under the influence of
France, under The fame pretence, and iwor1ed
nearly in rbe fame manner as ours---rherefore
your embargo laws had tendency 10 prevent
she Br,ilb government from reieinding their
Orders of Council, and were more injurious
fhan beneficial.
Great Britain ha, given you her answer.---
Sir our affairs have proc.eced daiy from
bad 10 worie, nntl we have I'een brought 'iep
hy Ga, TO th.. lta,e Of things. by not rehtting
tbs irit beliigerem decree, we nave invited re-
taIil,ion and coured calanIty.
You ought TO deiit from courie OF h'eA'
ares, which will, IN my opnisa, bring the pa u
ble of th,. nation iuto want aud miiery - I'M.
:, is (, aueltiou which viii decide the tate OF his
country sir. before you pais non'ntereourie
be- the Houfe Gncefely aud grasely, TO
couiiaer he caismities which Will follow
Inconvenience, michel aud dlltrei', are gfsat
sul certain. The belligerert powers nave
franpled upon the law of nations ana we
hive rrampled on and diprAced ourieiVes'
II thele me4lures were intended TO GORGE
them, they would prove viiiotN'ry aud phi'o'
foAaea,, and NOT tounded on experience.
yo.s extreme and theoretical meaiarea may