Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-01-27

! she h'iigcrcnts, at submission IN our r,art , 4
E:,tatn Immediately disavowed an arrorgeineI,t
made b. AR. Erskine, under the influence OF
| instructions given under u contrary conviction
conrictlon produced by the measures of H.
BODY, and by 4 report made By gentlemen,
| tlen mcinbcr of tie house of rcrresenta-
| tIVes, and whomI nonssee with pleasure onti.is
h.or, aud resolution adopted IN contcqucn.c
O! that report. 'rhis resolution declared on.
determination to resist the bclii2crcnt acgres.
s'ons, with or:lErtwo .tlisenticnt votea. IT,:
measures oftbis. housc, Without any declaration,
we're calculated 20 produce The same convict on.
In tins state of1hiItss, Nj, Erskire received h,s
ln.tructions, and n sq ist:sctaS arrangement with
o. Britain was the coHseqpTee--but the mo-
'inent g. Britain tIHrd we had rcccd4d from our
own ground. and -iais;fea our professions, She
uisayo"e'i inc atranscInent, & now pe-seyere9
in hostile ilaexib.iit; How did France ac,,
upon being apPrised Of hhs inproyident and
fatal recession Tier emperor imnc iiately sei-
zed and cenfiscated al your properly within
his cohtroul-and his minister oiiiclplly told u,
that ise would have expected something NOR
troirisi jamaica ASSEMBLE! 1t ii noe 10 Be pre-
samed that Great Britain AMI Frasce acted in
coleert upon this unfortunate occasioii--and
therefore the analogous conduct OF each, must
DC proof positive Of the practical undc rstand-
lf'% ana effect OF our deprecated recession. 1t
was declaration Of submission, as far as sub.
nlsSl0n Consists in refusing sistance BY force
~ SO'SAh"lcHL SCVElS nov aSnSIDIc OIL THIS IA
Ia error, and IS determined TO retrieve it-but,
he Was sorry TO observe, with measures as in
ci"cient upon the principle Of resistance by
forcc, rs were commercial restrictions, in
substitution OF that principle. And when we
look ior the causes OF is deplorab!e inelicien-
cy they resolve themselves, rs heretofore, into
tenderness for the treasury dep. rtment, &c.
Mr. Giles said, that whilst upon this most ur-
pleasant part OF the subject, lac wished 10 be
induiged in few observations upon the state Of
our pubic debt-bccausc this subject, in the
hands of a skiiful tinanccr had been the most
ethcIcnt weapon for beating down all the Inca~
sures, which he believed, were best calculated
70 support the Character and promote the inter
ests CT ttis country. Nr. G. said, il had al
ways gwen him pleasure 10 see that debt in n
rapid state Ut reduction, and he had AZ all times
gwen his aid 10 facilitate that object We had,
however, experienced the effects OF debt, ofa-
bnve oo,900,000 OF dollars, now re iuced to per
h2Fs EJ,oOJ,0J0 Of dollars; vet this difference
OF the amount of debt has never been felt by
society. It had produced 10 sensible effect
upon the common intercourse amongst men in
their pccuniary affairs. Re asked every gem
ticman 20 reflect and rcc0llcct, whether in hss
pecun'ary arrangements, lie ever took into his
calculations the present, compared with The foIA
mer state of the public debt For his part, lie
said, he should never have known OF the reduG-
ton of the debt, but for the annual treasuryye-
port The reasou why DEBT Of eighty milf
ons OF dollars is not felt in the United States,
is, that the amount is entirely within their a.
bdi;y Now sir, is it not infinitely better TO re-
| store the debt TO its former amount or more,
when we know from experience how little in-
tuence 1t has on society, ana that Influence will
| necessarily be diminished in proportion to our
| increase in wealth and population, than to sur
| render the smallest attribute OF the national
| sovereignty
MIR G. said, before he concluded, he Begged
permission to observe, that particular individu-
| ais supposed they had interest in imputing to
him wish to involve this nation into war
with G. britain, and had accordingly reproach-
ed him with the most unworthy eDithets. He
said, no gentleman present wished for peace, or
deprecated War with G. Britain more than
himself He said, lie hoped he was not blind to
his own interests, nor the interests Of those in
babiting the same scene of country with HIM
SELF 1t was imperiously their interests, not or
ly to preserve peacc with Great Britain, but
Tree commercial intercourse with her. Grain
was the principal product for expectation in
that part of thc country e. Britain was almost
at all times in want of that article, and was az
thus moment giving very high prices for it. The
country was generally IN very prosperous con-
dition, in consequence ofthis state ofthings, and
it could not be desirable TO change L. But he
never could see TIE incOmpatibllty Between the
desire of preserving peace, and a preparation to
meet unavoidable war. Itappears now to be al
most universally agreed, that i;this course had
been heretofore pursued, it would have ensured
peace-and IL var should now come it would
be in consequence Of the fatal rejection OF the
proposed measures Of preparation for wa..
In fact, there is no soundcT maxim, than
that preparation for wa, was the eurest
mean Of preserving peace If in this moment
in consulting his and the nations inter
est, IH the preservation of peace, he were
called on to decide merely in reference to that
object, whether We should now raise thirty
thousand men his favorite number or ten
thousand, or no men ut all, he would certainly
prcfei the thirty thousand.
IT YOU mad $4,000 men or the con fines of
Canada, g. Britain would then believe sou were
in earnest she would know that after that
force raised, 1t must be applied TO its objects.
and she would OF course begin 20 calculate is
consequences. II she found hat the inconve-
niences of opposing such force, would not be
compensated for by her hostile aFgTcssions, She
would probably abandon them. II she thO't.
that by the chances of war, an obcdicnt and
friendly colony might be converted into an enc
my's country, it would afford great induce
ment to her to avoid the war. IT size found
hostile population approaching Halifax, tie in
| ducement would he incrcascd---ior that is the
| point nearest her heart-and she would risk
| much in It's protection. II is important TO her,
I as protection to her West Indies &c. Besides.
the war would deprive her Of her best CONNER
| cial customer, &c. &c. These and similar con-
sideratons might induce her TO prefer peace.
Without presenting a competent militrrv force,
| perfectly prepared and placed in q situation for
action, none o. these inducements for the pre-
servation Of peace viii be presented 10 tie Bri-
tish cabinet But If, disregardin.s these consi-
| derations, she should prefer war, no gentleman
! can seriously conclude that even 5000 additi-
| onal troops can be too many for thc purposes Of