The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-21


measure III relation to revenue, which WA.
recommended oy SO large ma GRITTY oi tina
! ''dhCn, 10 whose discretion ali subjects of re.
venue were entrusted in peculiar manner
10 th'S CLAIM, and the very high respect ne
entertained for the House vi Representa-
| yves, ne yielded Il reluctant Consent, upon
| cohoi'ioh that the repeal should be postpon
81 u'th one month after the injecting of tho
next session or Congress and that the House
III REPRESENTATIVES, would again review and
consider the subject. Tie month elapsed
without re-enactiug the law, and the tax
ceased. Mr.. u. SAID, he never gave vote
more AGAINST the convictions of his own iudy
rneht thaii he did oil that occasiou, atebougA
| she motive was one which he conceiv el
ought To exem IT him from censurc. If gen
uenen VIII now multiply the product OF that
,aN' oy the number OF years since it was ia
Ken OFT, they would find. it would have pro-
auced all the sums which have since been
called for BY loans, provided no greater ex-
penditures had been incurred by the gov
ernnent than have taken place. Besides,
me dimmu ton OF treasury funds, it has hao,
he most baneful influence upon. the salt
works, which had been established under its
protection, and which would, under the in
anence or the same protection, in very
snort time, have rendered us independent OF
'ofeign nations tor the supply of this article
a.
however, on these accounts, to distrust the
pienold financial talents of the honourable.
secretary; although Candour compelled him
20 acknowledge, that he should feel more
confidence in them, if it were not for the
enwliingness evidently manifested by thai
gentleman himself, during the last three
years, IN attording their usefulness to the 90,
Verhment, In times which imperiously de-
Handed their tull and prompt exertions.
clt.l
( department., from the trying difficulties OF
the nation during that period, must be
evident TO every impartial observer and he
believed. he was acquainted with circum-
Stances, which amounted to a knowledge,
mat all the measures which have dishonour-
ed the nation during the same time, are. in
a great degree, attributable 60 the nclisposi-
ton OF the late and present administration to
press on the treasury department, and to
disturb the popularity and repose OF the gen,
tieman at the head of it, That the inexe
cutlon OF the embargo, is properly attrbuta-
pie to that cause, he had no doubt and not
'w'thstandihg all the Glamour upon thai sub
3ect, ITS ncXecutlon produced the repeal
The executive refused to incur the et-
Aense, and ACCEPT the means necessary for
It's effectual execution which, he believed,
wouid have been readily and zealously grant
10y Congress upon the executive request,
at any moment. When we we're driven from
mat measure by the ine>:ecution OF the law
this honourabie body proposed substitute,
IN his judgment infinitely better calculated
TO retrieve the honour ard promote the IN
terests OF the nation, than the embargo it
sell. 1t was done too against the known and
anxIous opposition of the executive. acting.
ne believed, under the same unfortunate in
nnence This measure consisted IN present
ing to the aggressing beliigerents an impair
tial and honourable proposition for accom-
notation; and Ill the event of its rejection,
to issue letters Of marque and reprisal a
gainst the refusing nation. This measure
was so strongly and obviously recommended
oy the peculiar circumstances under which
we were coercively placed by both the bel
hgerents, that he was astonsned at the an
Xlous opposition IT received and 10 the sue
cess OF that oppositiou, after the embargo,
was abandoned, may Clearly be traced all
our present sdferines ana degradation. Both
the belllgerents had determined, that we
should Oe no longer neutral and had ADOPT
ed the aiost injurious measures in relation
TO us, to coerCe us into the war each ure-
ing us into war against It's enemy What
vas the proper and manly reply to these
expressing nations! Here is proposition of
accommodation TO each of you if either
accepts, We pledge ourselves to issue letters
81 niar4ue and reprSa against the other, it
refusing the Accommodation This was tile
very situation III which each wished toplace
us against its enemy and of course both
would probably have accepted the PROPOSE
ton one or other Certainly would and if
the acceptance Of one Before the other
would have produce q state If hostilities A.
Soitst .hatother, it would have been of q yer,
snort Continuance because neither II them
world Ind any interest in d war against is.
n aHa gadb htssGd, M against its enemy ard
perhaps the accom-. notation would not be
the less durable for hating been sealed with
blood. i'his Measure was not opposed upon
its intrinsic merits nor dement's but it re-
quired to be backed with other measures of
preparation and erhenac AID hence the
real cause OF its failure. The practical UNI
derstandng Of the rejection of this measure,
both at home and abroad, was submission
to the bcligercnt aggressions; or, in othe.
words, Notwithstanding all our previous pa
trctic speeches and resolutions, we were de
tcrmincd not to resist by force. And what
has been the result of this Conviction on the
part of the beliigercnts, OF submission on
our part Great Britain Immediately dis
avowcd an arrangement made by Mr.. Err
skine, under the influence of instructions
given under contrary Conviction a con
viction produced by the measures Cf
T this body, and by a report made by gen
tlcman, then member of the House of Re
preventative, and whom now see with
/ pleasure on this floor, and Il resolution a.
donted in consequence Of that report. This
70 soi,,ffon declared our deterr,inat To- "a.