The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-06
SPEECH OF MIR. sAMMoNs.


ons. Mr.. Summons rose and delivered the
following spcech-Itis spark from the
altar OF '76----An observer remarks, that il
commanded the greatest attention he had |
ever witnessed in so large an assembly.
MIR. s. is from the state Of New York
ne was elected in opposition 30 publican |
The has often voted with the federalists- |
but when the rights and honor of his coun-
try are at stake, when he saw the laborious
efforts which were made to excupate Jack |
son and criminate our own Government,
particularly in the loose and desultory efSu
sions OF GARDENER, whom he succeeded
in debate; MIR. s. felt and spoke like an A
merican.
Mr. S. was one Of the heroes Of the Revo-
iution--with his brother he was made a
prisoner in Canada, where they past thro'
variety of sufferings. The calves of his
brothers legs were almost rotted OFF, in con-
sequence ofthe crueities which he suffered.
Was it any wonder, then, asks a contempt.
,rary print, that this venerable man should
nave been reused into resentment, when he
beheld b. GARDENER, the son of a British
adherent during the war of liberty, from the
same state AS himself, dissipating six hours
ct labonred sophistry in the defence of the
British missionary, Jacksons
Place before your eyes, man like Mr..
Sammonx---modest yet conscious of public
service.--a revolutionary soldier, plain
farmer of the soil-with none of the graces
of oratory, but the feelings of a man-his
head silvered over with age and with servi-
ces-liftiDg his withered right arm with this
emphatic exclamation: This arm was shat.
tered lin resisting C. Brittany and to resist
her again, ! am ready to use The other."--
Such is the Orator, who now addresses us,
Mr.. Sammons--I rise with some diff
dence to speak but the course this debate
has taken, makes it my Indispensable duty
To my constituents, to give my opinion
a member from New-York (Mr. Garde.
nier,) has appealed to the me m5ers from
that state in particular, how they could re-
concile it TO their friends, relatives aud
neighbours, If they voted for those resolutions
now under consideration, and invited dis.
cussion. Although j have not been in the
habit OF speaking in public, being called On
in this public manner, | shall proceed to
give the reasons on which ny opinion is
made up. When that is done, / shall inform
my colleague who my friends, relatives and
neighbors were in the revolution. This
will not do to crafty the gentleman fros, n.
York, but such of my constituents as may
read his speeches and other speeches for
three weeks past, of two or three hours at
a time, least they should think had made
up my opinion on theirs. No, Mr.. Speaker,
not on their opinion nor their lengthy speech
es, but on something more substaatiaI--on
the documents of the correspondence be-
tween our government and Great Britain,
communicated TO this House BY the Presi-
dent-on this information alone judge
The correspondence is plain; it speaks for
itself; every citizen can read and Judge for
himself, aed will be more likely to form
correct opinion, than from the most eloquent
speeches delivered in this House. 1t would
therefore be super1uous to make much ex-
PLANTATION. Sir, I appreciate the conduct of
the President in the dismissal OF MIR Jack.
son, in as muc! as most violent and outra-
geous insult was offered to the honor and
dignity of the nation by Mr. Jackson. What,
sir! shall we let the President stand alone
No; he stands as President of the linked
States, and in that capacity he is TO perform
the Executive duty, agreeably to the Con
stitution and laws of our government, ana
as such, the nation ought to support him.
hope the time has not arrived, when /;
foreign minister with insoence shall charge !
the Executive with falsehced. That was |
the true meaning of his lan8uage-end when |
he was requested to 6GSist, he again insist |
ed on it as a matter OF fact. If the Presi-
dent had received any farther communicate,
on, he would forever have lost mr. conf.
dence, and, believe, that of the nation, / |
will support the Executive in every just and !
lawful act TO protect the Constitution laws !
and Independence of our federal republican |
government, at present a representative, & |
at any time, as militia man, as / have |
done before, against any foreign enemy or
domestic faction. If we are patriotic Anne |
ricans, we had rather part with our lives
than our liberty, which has been acquired |
by the blood of thousands of our felloW-ci,i-
ZenS in the revolution.
Our business here. is to look to ourselves |
,F,E1
We hear much talk about the great Naoo
ieon and the success Of the FieaCh: Our
business with them. in reality, extends no |
farther than 10 maintain Dur national rights |
against their enCrzachments, and wheney-
er that subject shall he acted Oh, shall act
on the same principle as / do in relation 10
England---Let US do one thing first, or else
fear we shall do Worse than nothing. Is
oar business, or can we direct the French
i'll their relations with other nations? The
great Napoleon, as he has often been termed
IN this House, is in the power Of the God OF
armies. as an OK or hammer in the hand of
a workman. Thus far and no farther shall
he go! Since his numerous armies failed
on the Island of St. Domingo, Ihave thought
that he was not destined for conquest in this
quarter OF the world, il such an attempt |
should be made. We hear much OF our
weakness, and it IS insinuated that this |
country would become an easy prey to
France. II we consider the distance etween
the two countries, we shall be convinced |
France could not carry on a war with pros
-. e