Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-01-25

the more ferf'' ,, ,hs
army Of the United S'a'e' aaa .; H."
lii : In addition 10 the act for raising
w. w. Additional Military Force" being
under consideration.
Not unfrequently it happens, wv,
Speaker, both in private and po'i:'ea'
life, that men OF the clearest peFceP'io''
and most corrupt motives, experiehcs
much difficulty and embarrassment III
determining on the course best 10 ..
pursued-or the application OF means
best calculated to produce given oo
;ect. The object most dcvout'y wished
for by myself, aud no doubt equaily oe.
sired bv every honest and honorable mao
in this community, is. that my cooht'!
should once more be restored 10 'hS
enjoyment of peace. Under the pres
sure OF existing ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ed in war with powerful nation-a
war now prosecuted fcsa doubtful. or al
least, strongly con.roverted question OF
national right--a war, the prosecute"
of which, Sc far as relates 20 our miiEa,
tary operations, has every where, anu
an all occasions, been attended with DIS
grace, defeat or disaster. Under such
circumstances, l confess, sir, / am not
free from embarrassment in determin-
iDp on the course demanded by genuine
,,tr;otsn. and best calculated to restore
the blessings Of pace to the country.
reiciccd to hear the honorable chair
man Of the military committee, iMr u
R. Wiliams.) declare the other Gay.
that his object was also peace. 1t muS1
be a source Of qualification to the coun'
try, to learn that some OF the strongest
advocates for war, begin now to think
and talk Of peace. The hon gentleman,
however, urges the passage OF the all
under consideration, (Which authorizes
the enlistment ef 10000 additional re-
gular troops for one year, and provides
for the appointment OF, propo"t'onaAlY.
an unusual nuplber of officers with all
.he accompanying parapharneIla OF an
ar,,y,( IS the means best calculated to
produce the end in view. Did | believe,
sir, that the passage OF this bill, or ("hat
is more diffic uit and less likely to hap
pen) he actual enlistment 20: the pro-
nased additional. force, would secure to
rs our object, 7 would not sniv consent
to give this force, but ten tunes the num-
ber-iF it were by force alone 20 be OBJ
tanned. but when reflect on the Sfc-
ciai end sale cause for which it is avow-
ed the war is r2rv prosecuted; when /
consider the relative strength, situation
and dtsposablc furcs by sea and land OF
the two nations--and especially wien
nv rccolIection is assail2d for we can-
not, nor ought We 20 close our senses
against such damning facts) With the
heretofore scanty enlistnents-the con-
fusioi, and characterization which has
peryaded many parts of your ar'ny-the
extraordinary e1penre already incurred,
and The uniform disasters which have
marked all your military operations-I
cannot bring my mind to the belief, that
the force now proposed can paoduce a.
Nv desirable effect.
Mr. Speaker, as much as | was oppos
ed 10 The declaration OF war-and as
much as subsequent events I've convin.
ed me of tue correctness Of the vote |
raye on that momentous question-it is
not NY purpose Oh this occasion to ques-
ton the policy of that unfortunate act
NY mind is bent on feace-to that DO
lect NY efforts are directed The I'm,
preston is strongly fixed on my under
standing, that this vap can be terminal
I'd with honor and advantage 10 this na-
ton, without the further effosion Of
blood If so, surely no christian will
derry, but justice, humanity and son,.d
policy demands, that nething should
remain undone, on our part, to stop this
career ct carnage and bio dshsd |
have said, sir. that it is my impression,
that this war can be terminated with ho
Tor ard advantage to this nation, with
cut tuIther appeal to arms. In stat
ing this opinion, ! do not mem to be
understood as identifying the honor Of
the nation with the honor OF those by
whom the war was declared; or, in o.
tier words, do not admit, that the ma
tional horror rests solely in the hands Of
those who may happen to be in the ad.
minlstcation, or ho may happen 20 con-
s,i,ute majority in congress. No, sir,
this IS an elective govcrnment-the
power and the ultimate responsibility
rest with the people they cannot 5e
dishonored unless they pertinacec uslv
approve of unwise or wicked measures.
and Continue to suppc"t the su,hors of
such measures-lt is. therefore, not
with me primary consideration in the
suggestions am about to make, how
far the honor or reputation, for political
wisdon, Of any individuals may lie af-
fected by the adoption of the plan for
feaee, which has occurred ts my mind.
/ do not know that any honorable gen.
tleman will be affected BY it, should it