The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-02-26
CONGRESS.
IN SENArE-Decembcr IL, 1911.

raise an additional military iorce, and In re-
ply 10 Mr. Giles
Mr.. ANDERSON said, he was not lit
tie ulprised to hear the gentleman from
Virginia, (Mr. Gies) say thai he was unprc-
pared to oppose very unexpected motion,
when he {Mr. A. had two days before, whilst
che oil Was under consideration, suggested
his intention, in his htace, to make the mo-
ton nc had now made upon which tie hon.
ourable member expressed a wish TO post
pone the consideration Of the question, and
Immediately moved the postponement oi the
bill, which was not opposed, and OF course
prevailed. Mr.. A. s~d, that the motion WAS
not, therefore, made without due notice, and,
he would add, without due consideration. lie
bad consulted with number OF the members
Of this honourable body, Tor whose judgment
and opinions he bad great respect, and with
whose appreciation, and he might indeed add,
at whose instance, the motion had been made.
He was, however, himself ready and willing
to meet all the responsibility that might at
tach to it; Notwithstanding the surprise OF
the honorable member as 10 the quarter
from which it had come.
Mr. A. said, he should not pretend to re-
ply TO all the various observations the gentle
man had thought proper to make, very many
of which he considered altogether irrelevant
to the question under consideration, but
which might, perhaps, answer some other
purpose which the honourable mcmber might
have in view.
Mr.. A. said, he was as strongly impressed
with the necessity Of sufficient force, for
the invasion Of Canada, as the gentleman
from Virginia could possibly be, and not
single expression had escaped him to induce
belief that he should be unwilling to vote
proper and ample force for that service
but he differed greatly with the gentleman as
to the kind OF force we ought Immediately
TO employ. The honorable member APP
peared to place his sole dependence upon re-
gular troops ; and yet, il he Understood his
argument, hc was decidedly in favour OF ma
king descent upon Canady early IN the
Spring. AS TO the time, Mr.. Anderson
agreed with him but as to the means, he
certainly differed very greatly from him.
The number of regulars contem plated by The
gentleman could not possibly be raised with
In the time he was therefore Of opinion,
tha, less number ought 10 be inserted in
the bill. Ii should be recollected that we
had very recently authorized the regiments
in the peace establishment 10 be filled they
would require at least 5000 men T; add there
10 25 900 more, the number proposed by the
}iUuvui e,Io me n,bor and ho would ask him
TO answcr candidly, whether he really bsliey-
ed that SO great number Of regular troops
could be enlisted within the time required
for the service TO be performed. Mr.. a.
said, impressed rs he was, with a iifm be-
lief that not more than half the number pro-
posed by the honourable member could be
enlisted within the time they must take the
fc Id in order TO act efficiently against Cana
na, he could not sec the propriety OF retain
ing the whole number contemplated by the
bill. Mr.. A. said, j, must be we'll known tC %
every gentleman, that the invasion oi Cana
da must necessarily take place before the
breaking up of the ice in the river ut. Law
renee otherwise, twice $4,000 would be re-
quired-- because large reinsorcemen;s, as
soon an opportunity presented, would
most ccrtainIy be thrown into that country.
Mr. A, said, upon d iaic view Of the whole
subject, as il presented Itself to him, he was
decidedly Of opinion that the number Of reg
ular troops 10 DC raised by that bill, ought
not to exceed $4,000, and he had no hcsita-
too in sayiog, that in his opinion, as Efficient
force would be ,a,sed under such prov-
sion within ihe time limited for iaking the
field, as would be raised were the present
nu nber IN the Dill retaned--and IN the for
mer case, we shouid prove To our enemies,
that VIC were able TO raise such number OF
regular troops as might be wanted upon
sudden emergency but in the latter, we |
should not be able to make the same exhibit.
Wha. then would be the consequence You
would give most mortltying proof that your
means were not commensurate to your ends; |
that your plan had been badly digested, and |
worse executed. And surely the gentleman
can hive no desire To present such a state oi |
things, at the very moment when all the en- |
crgics OF the nation seem 10 &c required |
MIR. A. said e. avoid this extraordinary eX- |
hibi, was also one of his objects AID this.