The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-05-19
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
May 6, 1912.
Debate on Mr.. Rhea's motion TO hosthoae
the consideration Of the feftion Of a
number Of the citizens Of .4i6any Till the
4sh day Of July nert.
(t1a. CALHOUN IN continuation. J.
The gentleman from Virginia stated. to
induce Us to repeal the embargo law, and
to make it odious, / suppose, with the com
mnnity, that it operated less severely or the
merchant than on the farmer and miller.
He did not prove very distinctly how this un-
equal pressure was produced. But | UNI
derstood hin to say, that eastern vessels
could. be had with SO much facility to
any European port, and that -four had ri
sen so much already in consequence of the
embargo, that the rise in the price nearly
compensated for the additional risk and
price OF expectation. observe the gentle
man shakes his head in disapprobation of
the statements. l suppose mistook his
statement. However, could not mistake
the conclusion which he drew, that the mer-
chants, by eluding the embargo, had rrevcn-
ted the depreciation OF the price Of wheat
and flour on hand. This, sir, is sufficient for
my purpose. The gentleman from Virginia
must know, that from the character of trade,
the profit of such trade, if il really exists,
Cannot be confined to the merchants 1t
would soon raise the price of bread stufs in
the hands of the other classes of the commu-
nifty, and would prove that his statement of
the distressed condition of the millers and
farmers cannot be correct
In his zeal against the embargo, the gen
tleman from Virginia says, it was engender-
ed between the committee on foreign rcla-
tons and the Executive. Ensendered -
The gentleman must be sensible of the i'm
propriety OF such language, as applied to the
Executive or committee of this House,
NO, Sir, 1t was not engendered but adopted
by both the Executive and committee from
its manifest propriety as prelude to war.
There is no man in his reas son, and uninfiu-
enced by party feelings, but must acknow-
ledge that war i'll this country ought al
most invariably to be preceded by an en-
barge. The very persons most loud against
that measure, would be the most clamorous
had 1t not preceded the war. There, sir,
has been much false statement in relation to
the embargo. l remember, when it was
under discussion on former occasion, that
a gentleman then observed, he had certain
information that the French minister haC!
oecn lInportunlng our government to stop
the expectation ofbread stufs to the PENN
suia. L know not whether he intend
ed to insinuate this as one of the causes of
the embargo. BE it asst may, / do assert,
from the highest authority, that no such APP
pllcatlon has ever been made directly or in
directly on the part of tie French govern
ment. he assertion was of such a nature, as
induced me to enquire into its correctness &
the results such as | have stated. can
scarcely suppose, that the gentleman intend
ed TO convey the idea that French influence
had any thing to do with the measure. He
must know that either the Executive or ma
Jority OF this body would resist with the
greatest indignation any attempt to influence
the measures of government but such has
been the use made oft by certain prints, Ell
Their through the manner, in which it was
connected in debate with the embargo, or the
very Imperfect and unfair reports of the Sc
cret proceedings"
One would suppose, from the language
OF the gentleman from Virginia, that he was
much IN the secret ofgovernment. He saws
the plan now is to disband the army, and
carry on predatory war on the ocean. ]
can assure sHnh ifhim is h. plan, am Who'll '
ignorant OF 1t ;,,& that should it he proposed it
would not meet with my appreciation. am
decisively Of opinion that the best interests
OF the country will be consulted by calling
out the whole force Of the community to pro-
tect its rights. Should this course fail, the
next best would be to submit 20 our enemy
with as good grace as possible Let u.
not provoke where we cannot resist The
moDgrel state, neither war OF peace, ismuch
the worst.
The gentleman from Virginia has told US
much of the signs of the times: did hone.
that the age OF super5ttions was past, * that
no attempt would be made to influence the
measures OF government, which ought to be
founded in wisdom and policy, by the vague.
may say superstitious feelings of any man.
whatever may be the physical appear
snces which gave rise TO them. Are We to
renounce oUi reason must we turn from
the path of justice and experience, because
comet has made Its appearance in our
system, or the moon has passed ketween
the sun and the earth If so, the signs Of
the tines are bad indeed-It would mark
d fearful retrogade in civiization-it would
prove dreadful declension towards barba-
rism. Sir, it we must examine the auspi-
ces; If we must inspect the entrailg of the
times, would pronounce the omens good
1t is from moral, and not from brutal or ply
steal cmcns that we ought to Judge and
what more favorable could we desire than
that the nation is, at last, reused from its le
thargv, and thatit has determined to vindi-
cate its interest * honor. On the contra
ry, nation so sunk in avarice, and so cor
rupted by faction, as to be inseHsible to the
greatest injuries, 3 ost to its independence.
would be sight more portentous than CO.
NETS, earthquakes, eclIpses, or the whole
catalogue OF omens, which j have heard
the gentleman from Virginia enumerate.-
assert, and gentlemen know it, If we sub
nit to the DretcnsiDns of Enqlafd now NJ,