The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-16

present, the new army would have 70 man
Your Notifications on the sea board from
Norfolk to the cxtreinit;cs Of our territoi y
forth and east, and 10 occupy Caa.,ua
These are the contemplated and indispensal
be objects Of this army, in the estimation oil
the executive aud tue non ..,Dle mover, S
well as of the committee. The question will
therefore turn apon the accuracy and Cor-
rcctneSs OF their respective calculations as
To the qlantum of force neS e;saiy to effect
I these objects.
OIr. Giles said he had conversation with
the Secretary for the department of War, in
his character of chairman of the committec
OF foreign relations, III which the Secretary
did endcaNoIr to demonstrate to HIN, that 4
/ smaller number OF men than IS Geo, would
answer these objects bat so far from pro-
dacing this conviction, it satisfied him that
the number was too small. He thought that
every inference drawn by the hcnourable
Secretary, ought to have been inverted. For
instance, he was asked, how many men we C
ilndispensabiy necessary to man the iortii-
Cations at n. York The honourable soecre-
tary replied, 5000 ; but he intended to make
1000 answer, and would rely for the rest of
the complement on the local militia. Now,
said Mr.. Giles, he inferred, if 1000 men were
necessary for that most exposed and i'm
| portant position, that 1000 would not an
swer with the prccarjous and accidental aid
OF the local militia that 1000 ought to be
calculated Oh, for that service; and if with
the aid Of the local militia; they could pro-
tect n. York against the force Great
Britain might detach against That sCityss'th
would perform their full shise of the tolls
and perils of the war; Two thSssand men,
completely furnished with all the means of
annoyance, possessed OF all the skill that
nllIt1rv Science, pui1 .lifc,.rt nd ta<I
by all the subordination and management
chat military discipline could impose, with
tie aid OF The local militia also, would de-
serve well of their country, if they should
preserve New-York from the grasp of c..
Britain, in case she should think proper to
direct the force she might have at command
against that city. Then why send one thou
sand on a service, when we know that two
thousand are necessary, and perhaps incom-
petente Is tbecausc the United states have
not the capacity TO send 2OOO ? That questi-
on shall be examined presently. The same
ohser, aticns will apply to the protection of
lRhode-isiand, where 1000 more will be ne
cessary and 1000 will be as few as can
possibly be detached for the ccher tortificati-
ons Admi ting then that 5000 m to be
necessary toinan the various Notifications on
the sea board, aN,! supposing every man to
| DC raised. as proposed lii the bill, there will
DE disp6sabie force IF only 10000 men for
the occupation of Canada. But upon the exc
cutiYe project, there would be left for that
service OILY 10000 men unless indeed the
western and southern frontiers should be left
unprotected, or the fortiicationS on the sea
| board should be only half manned, and of
course left to the sport of the enemv. Mr..
G. said, he apprehended that in the first on
set of the war, G.. Britain would direct her
force TO the occupation of n. York and Or
leans, and if she should possess herself of
| those two points, he would venture to pre-
dict that the administration which commen-
ced the war, would not 3inisl it especially
under system OF policy, which would only
furnish one half of the means deemed neces-
/ sary for their protection--yes, sir, known t.
! be inadequate at the time of applying it
What apology could be made to an injured
lstion under such circumst ancesf We know
1000 men To he necessary for the defence of
New-York, but we sagely determined to APP
| ply 1000 only to that object, for fear of in
earring the expense or the requisite number
| This would be self-condemnation. The peo-
| pie would lose all confidence in such caIcu-
iators, & world certainly make the e1pcriment
II change. Under such circumstances
Mr.. Gesaid, he would be the first t. cry out
| for a change of administration for ii would
not be possible to lose by it. Defend New
| York with all the Judgment and skill you Can
command F.; fill the Notifications with the full
complement of troops amply provided call
| in the local militia, &c. and he should not be
surprised if the British should get possession
OF that city. But then there would be nc
blame on the administration all its duties
Will have been performed -; and the result
would rest upon the fortune of war but a
| single act CT neglect or misconduct would
| certainly deprive the administration of the
public confidence.
| II, sir, Great Britain should get possessi-
on of New York and Orleans, and you should
get possession of Canada, you would be very
< ad to make the exchange upon the termi.
| nation of thew Therefore take care Of
| these two points.
| Mr. Giles said, he also requested the
hon. secretary to consult with the President
and inform him as the Presidents secreta-
ry, whether the President wished to have
the nu nber Of men reduceds or whether he
had preference for any other number p
| The reply, alter the consultation, very pro
perly, was, that the President had no piniol
to offer OH that point.--I1e considered it Z
subject of legislative discretion, &c O.
course any informal executive views ought
not to be substituted for our own discrctigr
and responsibility. Mr.. Giles said, he knew
it had been suggested, and perhaps from
very high authority, that nothing was ne
/ cessary to ind1ce Great Britain to recedt
from her aggressions; but to Convince her
that instead of opposing to them inefficen
commercial restrictions, they would be re-
sisted with physical force; and that raisins
..I. Il 1T