The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-31

''cW utyS nave accounts OF small prl-
fatcer OF eight guns having captured TWEEN
" or thirty sail OF coasting vessels. Sir, it
IS 1t sight To See Il public armed ship of tue
United States any where on the shore 10
the eastward OF Boston, Il sea coast of 1000
miles, when the enemy can take every
thing that passes ont To sea- and a country
IN which there are the best cf shin har-
borS, where they might cruise with safety
always having harhor handy to run into
cannot feel willing to build 74's To the eX-
Ciusion OF the smaller ships of which we
a'ire so much IN want al this time. If you
mad the money in your chest and all ready
Tor the building i .74's, and all the timber
to the yard. which you have not, still
shoa'd have doubts Oil my mind rs
20 1he .propriety of those heavy ships
Day IL you please that you had those ships
Quit, could YOU send them To sea: ! pre-
sumo not, il at war with England, because
she would always blockade your harbors
Wherever they were, and If you sent them
oht perhaps you would never have to man
them again not because our ships in SIN
gle Combat are not match for theirs, but
because they have more ships than they
Know what to do with, they would always
on.-number you at sea, and they would be
;ioie 10 come up with and capture your
tour ships. But for what purpose are you
TO SEND them out? certainly not to take mer-
cha"tfnen they are not calculated for
mat purpose, unless you had more than
tour OF them. In case YOU had number
sufficient to intercept their East India
meet, which generally are under strong
conveys or heavy ships then it might be an
OBJECT to send. them TO sea. Ii you are to
Keep them iii port, for the purpose of har-
Dor defence, you must always keep them
manned 1T will be TOO late to man them
AFTER the enemy come IN Sights there is
IN my mind another dlhcuity-in the man
hing these heavy ships, you will have to i'm
press men to go on board of them, OF raise
ne wages up to what is given in merchant
snip, because the sailors will not be willing
togo on board large ships when they have
no chance Tor prize -money-on the other
hant. they will be very willing to enter on
board cruising ships, such frgates or
siooPs OF war. Ill hopes OF taking prizes
ana you nave not at present sufficient
NUMBER G sailors TO man what smaller YES
seis we want If you build trigates and
sioops OF war, they can be furnished with
out your advancing the money--the mer-
chants will build them, and loan them to
the government. The frigates and small
Ter vessels can be put on floas in six months
from the time they are agreed for; and
your ships of the line will not be finished in
less than two years & if they do not cost SO
per cent. more than they are calculated at,
care pay all am worth towards them for
nothing. l am willing to go to almost any
number OF trigates. because know you can
have them built without advancing dollar
until they are ready for service, and because
am convinced they are most for our in
terest Popular opinion I know has great
weight ut times-let us not be carried off
on the wings of cnthusiasm--we are at pre-
sent at very great expense, and we ought to
act Prudentiy with our finances, or they
VIII soon become low. At the same time
cannot agree with the gentleman from
Aentuc KY, who says he is opposed to any
augmentation of the navy, and asks if you
are Wiling to taZ the planters for build
ing OF n navy, and the protection of the mer-
chaht: Sir, Will not the same reasoning
apply against the maritime towns, being
taxed to support the army OF 1000 men in
the west! Gentlemen say, stay on shore,
and you will be safe. Sir, may we not in re-
turn say to the gentlemen who are settling
the cheap lands of the interior, keep among
us, go not into the Indian country, we can
NOT be taxed to defend yous This reasoning
VIII apply with as much force against the
interior, as theirs does against the Atlantic
towns. SIR, we are all one people, and i'll
order to remain So, we must be willing to
defend at all points.
Mr.. BASSET spoke several times in the
course of the debate. The following is the
substance OF the whole of his remarks He
sand, on rising, that it was with no feigned
dithdence that he addressed the house.
shall, said he, have credit with every one
IN the assertion that am most anxious that
the proposition have made should succeed
Must not then deplore the feebleness of
voice, the want or force, ofmanuer q prompt
ness OF mind and thought which limits me ,
but shall tcel compensated if the House
VIII IN heart Join me in regretting that "A
cause worthy of the first of advocates has
taiIen into such puny hands. For the cause
-its' go '''' :--: -, iUr uiISu Couu-
try's good will they Improve each hint
may let tall by their better judgment. 1t is
true, sir, we have little eIperence-I can
not boast OF naval knowledge in our land,
! but yet we are not quite deficient. Let it
he remembered that it is OH the first prin
cipieS that we are to decide that we are
to marx the outlines only, which depend
much Oh general reasoning, and in dom.
winch we may resort to the experience al
others Will follow, though with uneoual
step the courAe taken by my predecessor
last year and on the question to fill this
Oiank, DrinS the whole subject before the
com mlttee. 1t will be assumed as then urov.
ed that protection is due to every national
right, which cannot be estimated by pecu-
mary calculation, but must be tested by ma
tionai ability only to defend and protect
them. IOthe mode Of elfecting so desira
bic AN object, shall c0n6ne myself. The
report has assumed it as a princiDIe aIn,o. ,