The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-03-11

4
its end. The history, and the s,ate of our
negotiations have been carefully cxamincd--
and the presidential order of succession has
been scrulinized, by the light of experience.
as vel a. that OF pIophcsy. We have some
times been forced into the scenes of priya,.
4 lie (; and at olher times VIC have been chain.
cd 10 the car OF Napoleon. In short, sir. The
discussion has ranged as widc as existence,
and not conten, with that, the speakers shave
exhausted worlds, aud lhcn imagined new
| 10 no, pretend 10 rcnsure ,his--it may be
well for tie people TO have their political con-
Germs taus splendidiy dressed, aud passed in
| review before ,hem.- but still will ATTEMPT
to cali the aseu,iop Of the House from The
regions OF hslioo, Of fancy, and or poetry, 10
| tho humble, but ! srust no less profitable
sphere OF reality and of prose. Passing hy
many Of ,hcsr things which have amused by
their ingenuity, or surprised by their novel
ily.bu, which do not de serious answer,
viii cndea,or 10 state Distinctly the grounds
taken by tho opponents OF this bill, or rather
the opponents OF furnishing the means OF
prosecuting the war ;--ist II is allcdped
that the war WAS originally unjust" 2nd.
That 1t the war Yves originslly Just, IL has
bccomr unjust to continue il in consequences
OF the revocation of the British orders in
council" 3D.. That il Is incxpcdicnt 20
prosecute the war, because we have no
means OF cocrcins our enemy, or enforcing
our claims" 4lh. F" That we are unable 10
support the war;" And sth. That in con.
sidcraiion Of all these circumstances, the
House ought TO withhold the means OF Eur.
thcr prosecuting the war
First then !, is alcdgcd that the war was
originally unjust. Here let me call cn the
House to distinguish between unjust, and in
erfedienf. Nothing can be more important,
than to have clear aud distinct ideas about
those cords which lie at the bottom of a scis
ence, or enquiry. This is happily illustrated
in mathematics---ihcrc every word, by The
help Of diagrams, is carefully defined and
the consequence is,that there arc 10 disputes
among mathematicians, while their labofs
have done honor to mankind. A thing may
be just, and yet incxpr rdiont the justice Of
an aci relates 10 the conduct OF another, tho
cxpediency 10 our own situation. IL may be
Just Tor ne to sue the man who withholtls
from me the smallest sum and yet so mex
pe6icnt, as to be even ridiculous Thus
war may be perfectly just, and at the same
time highly inexpcdicnt. This, IL miss
take not, was the ground generally taken ,hd
last year by the opponents of the war, par,i-
cularly by the gentleman from vf3einia be.
fore nIc, (Mr. Shefvy) who pointed out the
distinction which have endcavored 10 d.
thosgh with moro ability and success.
tho House wilt bear this distinction in1a
because Il is Of the greatest impo 4b
i!ie investigation which intend nm BA.
fore enter further on the srgamtnt, ask
the House 10 indulge me for tho moment,
while czplaiO my views relative 10 tho COM
menccmcnt oi the wsr. ! never saw ark
Want OF propca,ion on the part Of Great Bri-
tain. ] never Tor an instant doubted the jus-
ticc OK the war, while urged lis ncxpcdicn-
cy with all my might. I considered man,
placed here by benifcent Providence, on .
fertile soil, and In happy cIaimaic, enliYhs
tened by science, and projected bx the wiscst
OF lava. By our revolution Gu. as I
may say, from the old world, bsiq Storm
which was about 10 desolaie E9n tosc--l
foodiy hoped, that this new .vould fur
nish one fair experiment Of what science, lib
ersy, and peace might achicve, FREQ from
those corruptions which have cierpxIly yS,cn-
dcd on war. hopce to see tho country i'm
proved, and bound together, by roads and Ca
nails, 10 see il adorned by literary institutions,
and by every establishment which reflects
honor upon man. Nor do yet believe, that
this was an utopian vision, or an idle dream.
! still believe il might all have been realized
by different coutsc--But the nation has de-
icr'nincd Oh war, end though it was not my
choice, still maintaio that il 10 not unjust.
will not 80 into minute account Of ali
those injuries, and ou,rsges, the bnrc men
sion OF which, was last year declared sickeuI
log 10 the soul. will only recall the most
prominent TO the recollection Of gentlemen,
who seem almost to have forgotten ,hcm.-..
Fisu then, The revival Of the rule Of '5e, re-
lstvc to the colonial trade, which produced
one universal burst Of indignation, and called
forth those unsni,Dons resolutions in the Sen
ate, no, 10 endure 1t. Was that no just cause
of war The numerous blockades, agsins.
which all our ministers In England, and eve
W admin strstion. have remonstrsicd--ihe