The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-02-06

1
M offensive war, he asked, whr,ierit Iu..S.
tor a moment be Supposed that the Mise ira |
nlers Ut that instrument were ignorant that
canada and Florida existed Oh CIR bor- I
dcrs lie said those virtuCus anG patriotic |
men had too much wisdom, 10 restrict Con
.ress to defensive war. The i,lca MAS a5
Suri; 1t MAS one OF the fruitful visionary nc
ticls oi the DAY. MIR. &. objected TO th.s
BIZ, because he feared it MAS lntensic, 10 SUI
|iciycuv the army. before Ec proceeded 10
de.ronstiatC ITS i;et;icacy, and TIE ia,pciicy
Ot snort cnlistueiits, lie wGul., n,.l.ce orc or
Two -, cumstanccs connected with the pro-
ccedtngs at tiiis session. lie kiiew that the
world had been very busy IN ascrihmg to
,iiBi motives Of hostility to The adininistra.i-
on. VIVA, was the fact. The measures
which he had advocated would project the
administration. Tie time was Coming whsn
lis character would be tested ans, su,v!y
efficient measures for trying times would
best bring its real character to light. But
the language which has been INDUCED in :
broad, and here too. was calculated to sub
vert the freedom of discussion and dclibcr-
alton lii this body. If "a legislature were os
any use at all, it Was to exercise its own
Judgment, and aid the other funclionalies
OF the government, according to the best re-
suit OF thatjut'gment, formed upon u mature
ldeliber2tiGii. Desert the standard of your
vii! you fnd fidelity in any other standard
You are always certain that it is faithful but
you are uot SO with respect to the judgment
! OF your friends. He disciaimed the idea OF
| subscription to the infa!ibi:ty Of any man.
1t such doctrine can be adopted, it was only
necessary for this or that man to point to
| MS favor1te measures, and they must be a.
greed to, whcthee right or wrong. He had
always understood the favorite motto of the
to be, &c measures, and not
men - but this doctrine is now inverted
You have only to look at the man, and ap-
plaud or condemn the measures. The man
himself. & not the measures, constitutes the
test Of their wisdom He never would a
bandon himself to such principle and in
supporting any measure, he should follow
the dictates of his own judgment, if he stood
alone, and were Certain of being overwhelm-
led by popular ciamor.l He could rely upon
ms own judgment but he could not upon
popular opinion, which(was as variable as
the wind. But although he had thus CON
Idemned the authority Of names, he would
Ishelter himself under great name on this
occasion. In his youthful political days, he
ibid not now hesitate to confess, he had dis
trusted Gen. Washington as statesmen
he had never doubted his patriotism, or his
talents as soldier. But when he had felt
a want OF confidence in this great man, as
a statesman, he had little experience he
! was surrounded by visionary theories. But
from further experience, further information,
* furher reflection, although he was not pre-
pared To subscribe to all the measures of that
lgenteman's administration, he was fearful
1hatfake him all in all, ""we never shall see
his like again.
Here Mr.. G.. made various quotations
from e Marshall's Life of Washington to
|shew that from the commencement to the
lend u the revolutionary war, our ilustrious
commander in chief was convinced of the
fatal lmpclicy OF short enlistmcnts that
he was urgent in pressing upon congress
the necessity Of changing their plan in this
respect and that he imputed the loss and
the failure of the expedition Of the brave
Montgomery against Quebec, and various
other disasters, to the same pernicious prin-
) cipie OF short enlistsments. Indeed, said
Mr.. O.. it appeared from this history, that
short cnlistmcnts of our regular troops had
very nigh strangled our independence in
Its cradle nothing but divine interposi-
ton could have enabled US. under all cir
cumstances, to have achieved it. He treat
ed the fears of dangerto our liberties from
regular force of s., GOO men as perfectly
visionary /; and all the quot atoms which
had been drawn from history to shew the
dangers OF standing armies were inapplica-
bic to the u. States. OF whom would our
army be composed? OF officers and men
who were born and raised in the love of IL
bery but supposing they should turn their
arms against their country, could gentle
men seriously apprehend so much danger,
when the u. States had militia force OF
oOO,O00 men, with arms in their hands
Was this the case with the states Of Greece:
or with Franco, when Bonaparte usurped
the government Certainly not. The bo-
dy OF the people Ill Greece were slaves.
lie people OF France did not understand
what liberty was they had, besides, seen
blood stream from the beginning to the end
OF the revolution they therefore made no
resistance to usurpation and Change of
government they had no arms in their
hands !; the Partisan mob were only 10 be
gained over to the usurper, and things were
| settled.
Mr.. Bib supported the utility of volun-
teers. lie said, they would be COMP os,,d
OF the best blood Of the nation. He was or
posed TO drafts Of militia. He said, ainend-
ments might be made to this bill, which
! would obvIate some of the objections of the
non. gentleman from Virginia (Mr G;les)
As to short cnlistments, he had been in
formed by many experienced rc, olutionary
officers, that troops once enlisted fo~ q shof,
! period might easily be enlisted IL had
been surprised that the gentleman should
have reflected so much upon popular oDini-
on. lie said, the people we're noi as vaiia-
pc IN their opinions as members ofcongrcs,.
ile expressed his confidence in the dccrcla-