Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-26

our bulky produce. Into clumsy, u'u'''o5
constructed letters of marque and prlvateefs,
.pnsbackie our commerce, or ltnpaft fresh ac-
ti,itv To our merchants Will the dragging
of our yeomanry Into the field BY a draft or
conscrintion, call itby which name you please,
70 fiobt battles, the reason Of which they know
not the why nor the wherefore, for i've dollars
ner month, when they could obtain from ten
TO fifteen dollars at home, either In their own
business or in the employment OF their nlo l$.
wealthy ncighbors, in the peaceful pursuits o,
agriculture, tend TO promote the agricultural
interests of the country? Will the driving OF
all our merchant vessels from the ocean at a
SINGLE sweep, clear away the obstrucnens
which are in the way of the carrying OF our
produce to a foreign market, and enable ms
American flag to wave without interruption IN
every sea? VIII the compelling the farmer
or planter. either to let his lands lie unelultl-
waited, suffer his produce to rot Oh his hands,
or sell it at half price, as will be the case when
he is cut off from a foreign market, tend to
the Increase of agricultural prosperity NO.,
sir Our restrictive system has been foryears
Ioppinp off the branches Of our prosperity,
one after another, and war viii anfputate the
head. Exclusive Of the inbumanity, the de-
moraIizing effects, the direct tendency to blunt
all the frser feciiags Of the soul, the prodigal
waste of blood and treasure, the tears Of the
parent, the widow and the orphan deprived 4
perhaps of the LIST earthly stay and supports
and the inevitable misery Of thousands ruined
in their fortunes, by the operations of war,
who may be sufficiently fortunate to escape
dcstructionby the sword, every sober calcula-
ton OH the subject Of profit and loss, goes to
show that we have nothing to gain and-eyery
tbUg to put az hazard by war would APP
peal to the good sense Of this house. Embar-
raised as is the present situation of the Unit.
ed States, would you exchange that situation,
or wish this nation to exchange situations with
that of any of those countries who have been
50 long and SO arduously engaged in the pur-
suit OF war and glory? Have the peaceful
citizens Of this confederated republic any rea-
son to envy the subjects Of the great empe-
rar, arrayed In ali the Plenitude of his power
and the spenGov Of his victories Look at
the present situation Of Great Britain, France
Spain, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark,
Switzerland, Russia, Prussia, SC. who have
been SO long either tasting the sweets, or
groaniDg under the calamities of war; and
would yoa be wiling that this country would
exchange situations with either Of them No,
you would not. Every principle Of Auu1anity |
as well as every dictate OF common sense
would. revolt at the idea. Why then in the |
name 81 heaven shall we plunge ourselves in |
to a war, which cannot fail to ipvolye Us in tie
vortex OF all their ills, without the prospect. |
or even the possibility Of securing 10 US one
solitary good
have thus far considered the contemplat- |
ed war on the principles of general policy. | |
shall now crave the indulgence OF the house |
while I advert to the means VIC possess for |
carrying it on, and the prospect of conducting
it to favorable issue. / say nothing of mere
physical strength Or constitutional bravery.
The people of the L. States are perhaps ma
turaly as brave as any people upon earth. !
But having been long ha5ituated to cultivate |
the arts of peace, their manners and habits |
are but i'll adapted to & charge for the attitude
Of war. What is the present state ofour pre-
peratons for war 1he great requisites in |
war are, in the first place, men suitably or !
ganised and reduced to a proper state OF dis |
cipline, al mony to defray the expence.
With respect to these two important articles |
what is our situation? As it respects men, !
Including the old peace establishment of 10, |
900 and the additional army of 25 600 author |
ICED in the first place to be enlisted for FIVE |
years, but Of which the terms Of enlistment |!
have been varied from five years TO eighteen I
months with respect to 5000, we have re- |
gular army offs 900 men authorised upon pa |
per pretend not to any precise knowledge |
OF the progress ofthe recruiting service. Re-
ports on that subject are various and contra |
dictory Sometimes VIC are furnished with a |
whole cluster of newspaper paragraphs stat
ing the rapid progress of the recruiting busi-
ness. There reports are many times by the |
next day contradicted, and the report is that .
it makes little or 10 progress, and that the |
numerous paragraphs contained in newspa- |;
pers, stating how rapidly it goes on, are sheer
fabrications. As it respects myself the prin- /
IL, - Z