Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-26

crown rice, FOR ianaey, which il Of full
age and ideoei, out d is tns.
But here stop.-Tench not peiyaIe
risht-rsgard the sacred tics OF guar
dian and na,tsr--csrruPt not our youth
listen TO the necessities ct cur me-
ehanics and manufactursrs-haye com
passion for the tears Of parents.
In order to give q clear view OF my
subject, I shall consider it under three
aspects. It's sbsurdisy-its ineqaality-
Its immortality.
In remarkinr on the absurdi.y OF this
principle, it is necessary . recur to
that part of the message of the presi-
dent of the United States. at the open
ing Of the present session OF csng'ess,
which introduced the objects proposes
in this bill to the consideration OF the
house, and to observe, the strange and
et-handed conclusions 1t contains. The
paragraph, to which l allude Is the toll
lowing:
With view to that vigorous prose
cution of the war, to which our national
faculties are adequate, the attention OF
congress. will be particularly drawn to
the insufheiency Of existing provisions
for filing up the military establishment.
Such is the Aahty condition 81 our conn
Try, arising from the facility Of su6-
sisfanee and The high wages for every
shecies Of oceuhation, that notwi,hstand-
ing the augmented Inducements Pro-
vided at the last sessioa, a hart,al s"ecrss
on!y has attended the recruiting service.
The deficiency has been necessarily
supplied during the campaign, BY other
thda regular troops, with all the incon-
veniences and expcnce incident to them.
The remedy lies in Establishing more
favorably for the private soldier, the
proportion between his recompence and
the term Of enlistment. And ii is a SUBJ
jcct. which cannot toe soon, or too Sc
riously, be taken into consideration.
Mr. Speaker-What picture of fe-
licity has the president Of the United
States here drawn IN describing the ST.
tuation of ,he yeomsnry Of this country.
Their condition INTERPRETATIONS easy
-wage, high-tuH emhtoy-To such
favored beings, what would be the sug-
gestions Of love. truly parental I Surely
that so much happiness should not be
put at hazard. That innocence should
n,t be tempted 10 scenes of guilt. That
the presperlng pioughshare should not
be exchanged for the sword. Such
weuld be the lessons of parental love.
And such will always be the lessons
which president of the United States
will teach in such a state of things,
whenever father of bis country is at
the head Of ;se nation. Alas. Mr..
Speaker, how different is this message
The burden of the thought is, how to
decoy the happy yeoman from home,
from peace and prosperity, to scenes of
biood--how TO bait the man trap: what
Inducements shcll be held forth TO ava
rice, which neither virtue nor habit, nsr
wise influences can resist. But this is
not The whoie. Our children are to be
sedute ed from their parents. Apprsnti-
ces are invited to abandon their masters.
A Legislative sanction is offered to per-
hdy and treachery. Bounty and wages
to Giial disobed,cnce. Such arc the
moral means by which war, not of de-
fence or Of necessity, but Of pride and
ambition, should be prosecuted. Fit
means TO such CBd.
The absurdi,y Of this bill consists in
this--in suppos;Dg these provisions TO
be the remedy for the evil, Of which the
president Complains. The difficulty is
that men Cannot be enlisted The le-
medy proposed is, more money-and
Legislative liberty TO corrupt our youth,
AID how is this proved to be remedy
Why it has been told Us on the other
side of tic house, Mst This is just IRE
hing they do in France. That the age
between eighteen and twenty one, is the
best age 10 make soldiers. That it is
the mest fsvori'c age in Bonapar,c's |
We'll, sir, what then !?
Are we in France? Is Napoleon our
King ? or is he The President OF the u
sittd States! The stile in which this
example has been urged on the house,
rscails 10 ny recollection very strongly,
! caricalure print, which was much cir
,ula,ed il the early period of cur rcvo-
u,ionary war. The picture repreaent-
ID America as hale youth, about eish-
cen or tw enly-one, with huge purse
II his pocket. Lard North with pistol
t his breast, WAS Sd, ing, " Deliver your
Money" George the Sd, pointing at
&c young man, and speaking to Lord
North, said, 81 give you that mans
money for my use" Behind the whole
,roup was Flebchmen caperiag, rub
ing his hands for joy, and exclaiming,
Begar, JUS! so in France. Now,
Mr.. Speaker, | have no manner of doubt
hat the day that this act passes, aud the
whole class of our northern youth is
made subject to the brides Of your re-
ruiting officers, that there will be thou
aods Df Erenchmen In thecs IT Stafes |