Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-02

,NblcCt, aDu tSosSo -
90 For he has shewn, not only tna'it
!, :, ;. difficult" to do without, but that It
j. more economical to have, a grade,
h higher than major.general. Anu this
700 in an ARMY of only MirsyJfOe thou
land men. Gut when this bill passes'
the army will consist OF .Bty Jfue fhou'
sand The result is, then, inevitable
YOU must have in such case, a grrde
higher than a major-gsncra.; IN other
words, a lieutenant general. Such 1t
cannot be denied, is the intention OF the
cabinet. AS little Can 1t be Denied that
the Secretary of State, The acting Sscre'
tary of war, is the cabinet candidate Tor
that Office. SO i. has been distinctly a,
vowed by the friends and conHdcnts OF
tina, cabinet. And as such, have no
que stisn, is known by, every individual
in this house.
-1sIr. Speaker, what an astonishing and
alarming state Of things is THIS Thee
men, who efficiently have had t"e coG'
mand of this nation for many years, nave
so managed il. concerns a. to reduce
it frem an unexampled heighth OF pros
perity to sta:e of great depression, net
70 saw ruin. They nave annihllated Its
commerce and involved it IN war. And
now the result of The whole matter IS,
that they are about to raise an army OF
hfty.hve thousand men, invest one OF
their OWN body with this most solemn
command, and he, the man who is the
destined candidate for the Presidents
chair F.! What a grasp at power IS this !
What is there III history equal to 1t!
Can any man doubt what will be The re-
suit of this pro;ecr No man Can believe
that the conquest oil Canada will be ef'
fected in one rampaign. 1t cost the
British six years to acquire II when 1t
was far weaker than at present. Ii cah-
not be hoped that We can acquire 1t un-
der three or four years. And what then
will be The situation of this army and our
country Why then, the army Will be
veteran, and the leader candidate tor
the preidency! And whoever is can
ddate for the presidency, with an army
OF thirty thousand veterans at his heels,
will not be likely to be troubled with
rivals, or to concern himself about votes.
A president elected under such auspices
may be nominally president for years /;
but really, if he plcascs, president for
life.
know that all this will seem wild &
fantas,ical TO very many. perhaps to all
who hear me. To my mind, it is neither
tnc one nor the other. History is full
Of events less probable. and effected by
armies far inferior to that which is pro-
posed to be raised. SO far from deem
ing it mere fancy, that consider it ab.
soIute!y certain, if this army be once
raised, organised, and enter upon Sue
cessful career of conquest. The result
of such power as this, entrusted to a
single individual, in the present state of
parties and passions in this country, no
man can anticipate. There is no other
means OF absolute safety, but denying
it altogether.
/ cannot forget, Mr.. Speaker, that the
sphere. in which this great army. is dcs-
tined to operate, is in the nelghborbood
of hat section of country where 1t is pro-
pable, in case the present destructive
measures be continued in operation, the
most unanimous opposition will exist to
perpetuation Of power in the present
hand, or to it's transfer to its destined
successor. cannot forget, that it has
been distinctly avowed, by a member on
this floor, a gentleman from Virginia
too, (Mr. Clay and one very likely to
know the views of the cabinet, that one
object of this army was to put down op-
position"
Sir-The greatness of this project,
and its consequences, oyer~heim my
mind. know very well to what sblo-
guy expose myself by this develope-
ment. l know that it is always an IN
pardonable sin to pull the veil from the
party delt.es If the day f.; and that it is
OF nature not to be forgiven either by
them or their worshippers. nave not
wil.ing'ynor withoutleng reflection, tax
ell upon myself this responsibility. Built
has been forced upon me BY an imperi-
Gus sense of duty IF the people Of the
Northern and Eastern states are des,in.
ed to be hewcrs of wood and drawers of
water to men who know nothing about
their interests, and care nothing abo ut
them, am clear of the great traosgres.
sion. II, in common with their country.
men, my children are destined to be
slaves, and to yoke in with negroes
chained 10 he car of Southern master,
they at least shall have this sweet con-
SERIOUSNESS As the consolation of their
condiiisn-they shall be able to say
" Our Father was guiitiess of these
chuiAs"
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