Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-27
CONGRESS-.
House OF RRPREsEETATIvKS
DEBATE
On the Bill concerning the pay Of nom
commissioned officers, &c. ""d jor O.
ether hnrhoses-
(coHIINUED.J

Mr.. FISK SAID II was not the hrk
time disposition had been shs~n IN
that house to shield the British govern
,nen., no matter bow much she might
deserve our censure: That British
party existed in our country, and even
Influenced gentlemen who now heard
bin. had been confessed BY the British
minister himself. The great object of
this bill was to enable government to
carry on the war with vigor while it
lasted and terminate it as soon as it
could be done consistent with national
honor. Has the gentleman no SYM
pa,hy for cur impressed seamen! Let
him recall The spirit which pervaded the
nation in l79s-ana where is this diff
ference between the causes of war nov,
and tina, period The gentleman says,
that seven years experience has con-
vinced him, that all the measures OF the
government are party measures--this
invectivs is because he has receded from
the good old doctrine, which our fathers
supported, and which also supported
them through the trials OF the revalu-
tion; there was no immortality in calling
minors Into service in those days; and
when VIC arc once more engaged in
war With the same power, and fighting
for the preservation of right. and bles-
sings which that war estabishcd-where
row is tie immortality OF resorting TO ST.
milar means?
The hon. gentleman says the effect Of
this bill will be to create infidel prlncI.
pies, by weakening the influence Of mo.
raj ties. 1t cannot have this effect, when
it is recellected, that families look up to
parents for support, and not to children.
1t is far better ch,ld should be taken
tn father. The people Of New Eng
land will not thank the gentleman for
speaking at their children in the same
sense be docs of southern slaves, as fro
terty. Sir, by using such language. the
gentleman may light up the torch OF
discord IN the land, from the flames OF
which he may not be able TO escape
We nave more cause for war now than
/. We had in l776 Mr. Fisk took a gene
IA! view OF British aggressions; OF IA
pressments of difficulties thrown in,ae
way Of negotiating; and OF the denial
Of Erskine's arrangement; ard closed
by observing. that the fime 'ces ah.troach-
ing 7vhrn such senfiments as The gentle
man advocated, uould not be rcceivca in
.4merica.
Mr.. D R. WILLIAMS-I owe it to
yonr partislity Mr.. Speaker, that oc-
cupy the very unpleasant station hold,
as chairman Of the committee on mill
t4ry affairs. l will try sir, to suppress,
to keep down those indignant feelings
which Aeitatc ine-but, sir. amaccused
by the gentleman from Massachusetts,,
as bsing the advocate of sn aroeioas
trincEte. throw it back as libel. The
gentleman says he had resolved 10 take
no part in the debates in this bonse.--
Sir, l wish he lad kept bis resolve, or at
least have spared ne from the acrimony
Of his remarks. Auecity sir let him
20 back 10 the revolution ard damn the
liberty which lie SO iil deserves. At
that time miners TO more than l6years
old cold be enlisted : TIE pIinciplc was
then good; ii is now called atroeions.--
Sir, the crisis was never more lmpof-
tant-We are making every excr''on 10
save the country, ard bring forward The
best and most efficient means fer her o.
fence, and by state that is in arms q
gaiDst lis, we arc denounced as tho all
thors Of an a,recious bill. The gentle
mans friends sir, say they derive their
origin from EngInd-go back to Eng
lish religion and morslity-cven in Eng
land the ground Of minority does not
excuse from enlistments. But, sir, e1'
anples can be found even in cur own
country. By the 9Th section of the la"
Of 90, the president had full power 70
say who should and who should BOT DC
enlisted VAST then considered afro
cious to defend ourselves against Franc"