Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-06-10
MASSACHUSETTS

r. L afAltf
Gentiesnen Of the Senate, and
Gentlemen efthe House q. Ref'esen-.
fafives.
The situation in which / am again
placed imposes duty upon me, BY e,
very exertion in my power, to promote
the Internal safety of my fellow citizens;
their appreciation of my conduct the last
year is peculiarly grateful and 1t leads
me to hope that my services IN the year
TO come will be considered with the same
indulgence; without it, ] feel my IN
competcnce at this difficult season, to
discharge in satisfactory manner the
duties OF the Office which have UNDER
taken. .,.sa
In pursuance Of the authority given
by the resolve passed at the last session
OF the General Court, empowering the
Governor with advice of Council TO a
dept certain defensive measures for the
protection of the towns and harbors in
the Commonwealth; three jadicious
persons. skilled in military aff.irs, were
commissioned TO carry into effect the
intentions of the Legislature, expressed
in the resolve. The Secretary will de-
liver you report of their proceedings
under that commission.
By a law of the U. States passed IN A
prl 1909, the annual sum of two hun
dred Thousand dollars was appropriated
for tho purpose of providing arms for
the militia ofthe y. states; to BE- trans
nitted to the several states in proper
ton to the number of the effective mi
iitia in, each state and to be distributed
uader such regulations as should be
prescribed by the state Legislature. In
compl ance with the request OF the late
General Court Ia their resolve above
mentioned, applied to the executive OF
he United States end requested such
supply Of m,skets as might be conve
n,ently furnished, aud a might be con-
sidered the proportion to which this
commonwealth wasentitied. A copy of
the answer to this application, which l
have received from the Secretary OF
War, will also be laid before you.
A. we are engaged in war with ma
ton of great ma,i!ime strength, your at
,ention will be directed 10 particular
manner to those parts of our extensive
sea coasts, where the people are most
exposed TO depredotions, aud being de
prysd OF their usual means OF support,
have already suffered severely. and are
in danger of sill greater evils. have
no doubt you will be disposed to afford
them every assistance they may stand
in need of, within The power of The state
government 1t belongs to the nationa
government to protect each OF tie states
in the Union, and to provide tor the com
mon defence; but if all invasion should
be made or attempted on any part OF our
coast, am confident that oar militia
would promptly and with cheeifulne,s
exegt their usmast endsavors to repel it.
We are bound to obey the laws made
!, in conformity with our constitutions:
but those constitutions ensure TO US the
freedom Ct speech, and at this mpment
Gus period, it is our right and duty to
inquire into thc grounds and origin of
the present war; 10 reflect on the state
of public affairs, aud express our sentI-
ments concerning them with deGency
and frankness and to endeavor, as Tar
IS our limited Influence extends, to pro-
mote by temperate and constitutional
means an homo, able reconciliation. BY
en- unnecessary war the deepest guiit
is incurreti, aud therefore every bellige.
rent nation sbo,id inquire which of the
commencing pAt!ys is chafgeablc with
tDat guilt.
Wnen war was declared against @.
Britain, our CON plants were chiefly
founded upon her Oders in Council,
and til ugh they were revoked within
tour days aftor the declaration was pub
lished, it will be useful 10 attend to them
when we are considering the necessity
of that measure. In November, 1906,
the French emperor issued his Berlin
decree, declaring the Bri.ish islands in
state Of bloc kade, and forbiddiag any
commerce or correspondence with then,
to this succeeded the British Orders in
Council, B other French DEGREES. SEINE
Of which were Of still more exception.
able character.
Although the DEGREES Of Berlin and
Milan, and. the Orders in Council, were
injurious to neutral rights, it would be
ancandid to suppose that the direct OBJ.
jsct Of either nation was to injure The
commerce of neutrals. The French
DEGREES might be thought necessary by
that government to effect the subjusa
ton Of Great Britain and the orders in
council were declsred by the latter to
be re,alia,ory measures, adapted in CON
sequence of the aggres lions ct her enc
my, and to be revoked when those ag
gressions ceased In their arduous
struggles they .eemto have thought on
Nv of themselves and while those
struggley continued, we must have
known that our cnmmeteial intercourse
- 4 4 =.