Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-02
SPEECH
OF THE :. lg
HON. JOSIAH QUINCY,
Delivered in the II. Of Representatives
January 5,
on THE NEW ARMY BILL.
CONCLUDED.

the southern and western states Of the
sincerity of the cabinet; and of It's hear
tines. i'll the prosecution Of this war
This accounts'ior the strange and head
long haste, aud the want OF sufficient
preparation with which the invasion was
expedited This accounts Tor the neg
lect to meet the proposition tx an ar.
mistlce, when made, by the governor OF
Canada, after knowledge OF the rero-
cation of the orders in council. This
accounts for the ohstrusive attempts TO
gain footing in Canada, and the obsii.
nate perseverance in the show OF inva-
sion, until the members Of the electoral
colleges had been deGnitively selected.
Since which evcn:, our arnies have
been quiet enough. When | see d.
rect dependence between the perpetual
ton ofpower in any hand, and tae adop-
ton of and the perseverance in, any par
tcular course Of measures, l cannot re.
fraia from believing that such course
has been suggested and regulated by So
obvious and weishty an interest. Tais
subject is capable Of much greater elu-
cidation. But according to your sug-
ges,ion, sir, I shall confne myself to
trace the connection of this master pas
sion 9th cabinet with the bill now un-
der consideration.
The projects Of the Cabinet for the
present year, are loans to the amount at
least Of twenty millions; an army OF fifty.
| five thousand men grand scheme of
pacihcation, founded on some lc-:sla-
tive acts or resolves; and a perpetuation
Of the war. The loans are expected to
be filled, partly from the popularity de-
rived In the commercial cities by the
vote for building seventy -foufs; partly
by opening Offices, for receiving sub
scri2,ions in the interior Whatever
is received will &c diverted to the army
service, the grand scheme ofpacihca,ion
will he made to appear very fair in terms,
but in the state Of irritation, which has
been produced in Great Britain by the
continuance of the war after the repeal
of the orders in council and by the per-
tinacious perseverance in the threats
and preparations to invade Canada,
will, it is expected, be rejected by
her. This, it is supposed, will give po-
pularity to the war, in this country. The
forty dollars bounty will, it is hoped, fill
the ranks. The army for the conquest
of Canada will be raised. To be COM
manded, by whom ?-This is the critical
question. The answer is in every mans
mouth. By q member Of The .dmerican
cabinet by one ofthe three BY one Of
th.t j." trio" 77ho at this moment, eonsti.
tute, in feet and srho, Efficiently, have
ai7yays constituted, the 4vhoir cobinet.-
And the man, who is thus intended for
the command OF the greatest army this
new world ever contained; an army,
nearly twice as great as was at any time
the regular army of our revolution; |
saw, the man WHO is intended for this
great trust, is The ipdiDiaual rvho is noto
riously the selected candidate for the
next Presidency
Mr.. Speaker, when I assert that the
present secretary of state, who is now
the acting secretary Of war. is destined
by a cabinet, of which he himself consti
tntcs one third, for the command Of lnis
army, know that assert intentions to
exist, which have not yet developed
themselves by an official avowal. The
truth is, the moment Tor an Official "a
vowal has not yet come. The cabinet
must work along by degrees, and only
show their cards as they play them
The army must, first, be authorised
l,as bill for the new H,aj or generals,
must be passed. Then, upon their Plan,
it will be found necessary to continue
lieutenant general. And who so pro-
per-" the cabinet will exciailn, "as one
of ourselves :" And rho SO proper
as one of the cabinet ;" all its re,ainers
will respond from one end of the cont
nent to the other would willingly
have postponed any animadversion upon
this intention of The cabinet until it
should have been avowed--But then,
it would have been too late. Then, the
fiitv-hve thousand men would have been
authorized, and the necessity for a lieu
tenant general inevitable. Sir, know
very we'll that this public animddveision /
may, possibly, staegcr rbe cabinet in its
purpose. They may not like 10 proceed
in the design, after the public eye has
been directed distinctly upon it. And
the existence of it will be denied, and its
par,izsps will assert that this suggestion
was mere surmisc. Be it so. 1t is,
mparatively. OF little importance what
happens to my person or character,
provided this great evil can be averted
from my country consider the rails
ing such an army as this, and the put
,inr it under the command of that indi.
vidual, taking into view his connection,
with the present cabinet, SO OMNIBUS to
The liberties Of this country, that am
L. 80