Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-02-10
Enrlftb Gougrfss. first Sffiott.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTx77YEs,
Mr.. Slows Speech

y
additional Military Force.
Mr.. Speaker, as lam not in The habit of
occupying the time Of this House, trust
they Will listen TO the few observations
IN about 20 IN Ike wiiF stlence. The sub
CT is OF the s,mosl -. <tsnce, and as il is
ny misfortune TO differ N opinion with most
IT my politicAi Fl lends, tits duty owe to
Gns House. 20 my constituents, and TO n.y.
self, 10 make soIhe explanatiun
We are this day called upon, Mr.. Spea-
&er, 70 decide the most momentous ques-
On which has ever come before the Legis.
'ure Of this country since the declaration
u Independence. On our decision hang the
fuIure desiinies OF our country. Peace and
WAT are alike before us Our determine
ton is, IL ny opinion, 10 pronounce whether
this country shall have peace, plenty, laws,
Liberty and rational religion or whether
we shall have mot single war Of TWO, six
or eight years, as the case may bel bui
whether by one war we shall create an in
terest which will plunge US into all the fu-
ture wars which shsil sgItste the civilized
world. But We arc told that whenever a
nation is injured, honor imperiousIy calls it
10 wsr-that we must fight--that it is dis
honorable to calculate. deny that honor
or prudence requires the mdiscriminate re
sistance OF injury either in an individual or
IN nation how long to bear, and when 70
resist, Is the province Of reason to decide,
not OF psssion-it is the business Of sound
calculation it must be determined from an
enlightened view OF su the attendant cir.
camstaaces. among these circumstances
IreAd-ly admit, that the reputation of cour
age, the Character OF avenging wrongs, is
emitted 10 great consideration, in as much
a. It of,en prevents future insult and injury.
IL 10 wisdom 10 determine on the best
course, and when that course is determined
on, Ills courage firmly TO pursue it, aud il is
honorable to listen slike TO the dictates OF
wisdom, as well as OF courage ] confess
am not too proud 10 calcula Elm the Ian.
guage of unerring truth "to sit down and
count The cost"
For what do we 60 10 war J Not for the
comforts or conyeniences OF liie-not Tor our
lands, our wives, our children or our fami
hes-n1t for our laws, Our Liberties or our
institutions all these We have, and they
are ssfe. For do maintain, Mr.. Speaker,
that our country Is essentially prosperous
IL is highly so, when compared with any 0.
Their country. Our agriculture and manu-.
features are daily improving. Where is the
person IN America who suffers for want of
the necessaries OF lite !-ior food, clothing
or shelter Where are lhe children who
want instruction., or VINO go hungry to bed
II we 60 to was, il will DC for luxuries, not
tJr necessaries. / know that considerable
difficulties exist in our mercantile towns
from the interruption OF trade, and deeply
regret them; but many OF the evils Of which
we complain have not sprung from foreign
INJURY they are artihcial-they have grown
Gu % our extensive system of banking.
BY means OF banks, credit has been obtained
easily-money has Appealed plenty we
nave been 100 exravAgant IN our expenses,
aid We have Contracted debts with too
much facility. War will not remedy these
eVlli--it viii not lay our debts, but it will
Increase the disorder, and plunge US deeper
into debt.
But we are going to war for commerce.
Commerce will be annihlated by war.
We are to fight for the right Of carrying
our productions 20 the continent, where no
prudent man would carry them. We ara to
g"to wHr iot What must le de- rove by
war; & We are about 10 fight for the right Of
gong whefe we do not want to go y: or, are
VIZ ~ hight cur cotton and tobacco through
me hostile isets of Great d ritain, and
through The municipal edicis of Napoleon 10
market And then trust fortune for get
ing the avaiIs OF il back For these idle
rroJecIs--for these less than "shs6owy
forms we are about 70 plunge this IA
uon INTO all t. horrors Of war. For these
We are 10 have standing armies, and navies,
and 'mrressmeuts lfor do maintain, that
from tile natUre q the thing, to make q
navy efficient, you must resort 10 impress
ments,) and widows, and orphans, and tax
es, and debts, and funding systems, and con
tractors, and stockJobbers, and spectators,
and executive patronage. Can any curse be
added Yes, monarchy, in due time, tor
these are the stuff which monarchy is made
of. And for all these evils the people, that
IS, the industrious farmers aud mechanics,
are to be compensated IN Quebec, in Halifax
and in glory. When all Tie vices and cal
antilles, which attend the system Of an e.
ternal succession of wars, present them
selves before me, as lover Of my country,
hardly know whether 10 wish that the war
We are about to engage IN may be success
ful or not. II it shalt be unsuccessful, l
shall have to endure the modification of
seeing my country disgraced and If sue
cessfui, fear it viii lure her on to a sys-
TEN of wars and debts, which must end in
the loss Of her liberties.
We are told, Mr.. Speaker, that com.
merce must be protected. From whom
does this come! Have the ship owners
asked your assistance Are iiiere any Pc
titiops from merchants on your table No.
They, for once, bes Cnly that you will let
them alone You have already loved them
las Tie ape did her Chilly SO well, that you
have Rugged llt IN almost 10 deAlh. Il is