Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-19

SO soon rs the committee .essssr fureiSn re-
lAtions was appointed, ". were, forciblv i'm
pressed VITA iic serious lad highly responsible
staion You had assignee. Us 70 that committee.
oensissing ofniee iacmbcss only. wers.not enl;
the cySs y ;ais House but Of The nation turned,
..li, i'o'o Us, N tliis Ike most troubled season
bur- worla has ever known, was Il expected,
that 4 coarse ofpeasures would be rceonmch-
des, calcu,stcS; 10 protec, Tie interests Of seven
miiiiops OF people. Under this impression, Mr..
| Speaker, We ,gcms.ii IL duty to take time for
dciiheraticn we thought Il better To encounter
the charge of having acted IN l tardy and G.'a-
tory Way, than % take rash step, bv Which this
nation might Dc plunged into dilTiculties, from
which 1t could not be easily extricated We
therefore took the necessary time TO weigh the
| arguments both for and sT,inst the measures
wee4fe recommended and, MS Far is We were
ablr re surveyed the Consequences which were
20 falo% from the course We proposed. We
toresatr, Mr.. SpeaSer, that our cotlntrymcn
we're TO fail III tiic mcdiratcd conflict, and that
Americ~n blood was To stream afiesh Nor
weTe VIC uan,indful Of the exprnd ture of public
treasure. Ana, sir, what cost me more reiiec-
iion than every thing else was the new teste to
which We sre 70 put this government. We are
about 20 ascertain l,y actual experiment how far
our republican institutions arc calculated TO
stand the shock of war, and whether, after for
ciS'n danger hassdisapPcared, wa can again as
sumo our peaccful attitude, without end niger
ing tie liberties cf tic people
Against these ccnslderat IONS, weiehty in
themselves, your committee felt themselves
constrained - decide, influenced by c<isting CIR
cunistsnees OF = character too nnpeIious to be
resisted these L VIII enumerate before 1 sit
DOWN bly, ousiness at present is Ia add ess
particular portion ofthe members orthis House
II mean, sir, the republican membcrs--andI al
though what lam about to say might be deem
cd 'mpolitic on ordinary subjects oflegis,ztion,
YET, at-thIs time, and on this occasion, Il would
We criminal 70 conceal single thought which
might influence their determination We should
now, Mr. Speaker, forget little party animoxi-
ties, VIC should mingle minds freely, and. as
'N as we are able, commune with the under
standings ofcach other; aud tho decision once
made, let US beoume one people, aud present an
UNDIVIDED front to the enemies of cur coun-
try.
Republicans should never for-et that some
years ago = set of mon of dihe rent politics held
the reirs of this government, and drove the car
OF state they were charged With being friend
~ to standing armies in times of peace, and IA
Norabie 10 expensive establishments not for
the purpose of opposing foreign enemies, but
% encourage Executive patronage, and to bring
these forces TO operate upon the people them
selves. These measures alarmed the republi-
cans they demonstrated, they clamored, they
appealed to the people, and BY national SEN
tence, the men then in power were taken down
from their high places, and republican men
were put in their seats.
your minds arc resolved on war, YOU are
consistent, YOU are right, you are still rcpubli-
cansi put # You are not resolved, pause and re-
meet, Tor should this resolution pass, and YOU
then become faint hearted, remember that YOU
have abandoned your old principles, and trod
IN the paths of your predecessor
According 10 nv view of this subject, Mr.
speaker, We now stand on the bank one move
ment more, the Rubicon is passed, we arc in
itaiy, and wemust march to Rome
As member OF the committee, feel no he
station IN saying, that if there be a nember
mere, not determined to go with us, to the ex-
tent ct our MEASURES prefer Row to take nv
leave OF him, rather tlan be deserted when the
clouds darkcn, and the storm. thickens upon
US.
Ihis adInonition owed 10 candor-I have
paid 1t, rot because doubted; nv purpose is
settled, my mind repsses upopit--I may be in
anerror-If1 am, hone my country will for
give me -rFroia my, God shall never need it,
because he knows the purity Of my motives.
VIII nov state the reasons which influenced
the committce, IN recommending the measures
now before u.s.
II rs not the carving trade, properly so call
ca, about which this nation and Great Britain
are ~ present contenGing: Were this the only
question now under consideration, should feel
great unwiliingness Chowever clear our claim
might he) 10 involve thc nation in war, for the
assertion OF right, in the enjoyment of which
the community at large are not moro deeply
concerned. The true question in controversy,
IS OF very dlilercat character; 1t involves the
interest OF the whole nation: Il is the right of
exporting the productions Of our own soil and
Industry TO foreign markets. Sir, our vesseIs
&c now captured when destined 10 the Doris OF
France, and condemned by The British courts OF
admiralty, without even the pretext of HAVING
on board cOntraband OF war, enemies prope-ty.
or, having in any other respect violated the laws
Q! nations. These dcprodations On our lawful
commerce, under whatever Uytenablc prctence
committed, are not 10 be traced to any Elaxims
or rules Of pablN law but to the naralime s,-
premacy, and pride Of The British nation. This
hostile and unjust policy Of that country towards
us, IS not 70 be wondered At, when vc rccoIlect
that the Unitcd States arc already the second
commercial nation ~ The world. I'll. rapid
growth Of oar commercial Importance, has NOT
only awakened the Jealousy og tie commercial
interests OF Great Britain, but her statesmen.
no doubt, anticipate with deep eoacera, The
maratime greatness Of this republic
The Unjust and unprecedented demands now
made By C:oat Britain, tlat We shall cause The
markets Of the continent 20 be opened 10 her
manufactures, ful!y justiics the views I have
suggested.
That VIC IS neutral nation should interfere
between bclligcrchts in .hcir niuhicipal re-ul,.
tons. WI not be contcnded for BIZ any on
From The course pursued by that n.rion for