Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-03-08
by last .iYening,s Mail.
l'rOm tle ,'alioaai HntcAlgeneer EZRA.
NAsElNcroN, March "a. l8Ia-

~ g "ioS@ us udy, JAMES MADISON
q ne ~ s4Genf OF the States elect, havint
attended At the Capitol for the nurnose Of =
/, kns the Oath Of Office, delivered to the vas,
cohcourSe OF people assembled on the occasion
/ lie following
SPEECH.
About 70 add tho solemnity of an oath to
tbs Obligations imvascd by Il second call IN
the station, ~ which my country heretofore
placed me, hnd, IN The presence of hi,
lrcspe ctaOie Assem- by an opportunity re
publicly repeating nv profound sense of SO
ldistingulshed q conEdence, and of the re-
isponsibihly united with it. The imprcssi
IONS on me are strengthened by such AN ..
vidence, that Gy faithful endsavors 70 dis
Icaarge MY ardusas dutiss have been ia
Ivorably esiimate6; and by a consideration
OF the momentou> period at which the trust
has been renewed. From the weight aid
magnitude now belonging to it, should be
compelled TO shrink, II | had less reliance
en- the support ut an enlightened and gen
ero1s people, felt less deeply a conv.c-
ton, that the war with j powerful nation,
which forms so prominent a feature in our
situation, is stamped with hatjustice, which
invites he smiles Of Heaven ON the means
OF conducting it to a successful termination.
May we not cherish this sentiment, with
out presumption, when.we reject on the
Characters by WHICH this war is distinguish
eds
1t was not declared on the part ofthc u.
States, until 1t had been long made on
them, III reality, though not inname until
arguments and representations had been ex-
| haustcd until positive declaration had
seen received, that the wrongs provoking
1t would not be discontinued; nor until this
last appeal could no longer be DELAYED.
without breaking down the spirit of the ma
tim, destroying ali confidence in itself and
IN It's political Institutions and either per-
petuating state of disgraccful suffering. or
| regainlng by more costly sacrifices and
more severe struggles, our lost rank and
respect among independent powers. 4
On the issue of the war are staked our
rational sovereignty OF the high seas, and
| the security OF an important class of citi-
zens, whose occupations give the proper
value to those of every other class. Not
to contend for such stake, is TO surrender
our equality with other powers, ON the ele,
ment common to all; and to violate the
sacred title, which every member of the so
ciety has to It's protection. need not cal,
into view the unlawfulness of the practice.
oy which our mariners are forced, at the
VIII OF every cruizing officer, from their
own vessels into foreign ones, nor paint the
| outrages inseparable from it. The proofs
are in the records of each successive adj
ministration of our government and the
cruel sufferings of that portion of the An,e-
rican people have found their way to every
bosom not dead to the sympathies of human
nature.
AS the war was just in it's origin and ne
cessary and noble in les objects, we can
reflect with proud satisfaction, that, in
Carrying It on. no principle Of Justice OF
hen9T, NO usage OF civilized nations. no pre-
cept OF Courtesy OF humanity nave been in
tringed. The war has been waged en- our
part, with serupulous regard 10 all these
obligations and in spirit of liberality which
was never surpassed.
How httle has been the effect of this ex
ample on the conduct oithe enemy ?
They have retained as prisoners of war
} citizens OF the United States, not liable 70
be SO considered under the usages of war
They have refused to consider as prison
crs OF wars and threatened To punish as
, traitors and deserters, persons emigrating
without restraint to the United States m
corporated by naturalization into our DO
litical family, and fighting under the au
ihorlty OF their adrpted country. in open
, and honorable war, for the maintenance OF
| ats rights and safety. Such is the avowed
: purpose of government, which is in the
5 PractIce OF naturalizing, by thousands, CT
f tizens OF other countries, ard not oniv OF
permitting but compelling them to fight It's
+ battles against their native country.
4 They have not, it is true, taken into their
4 own hands the Ratchet and the knife. devo-
ted TO indiscfimiate massacre but they have
> let loose the savages armed with these cruel
Instruments have ailured them into thcii
, servise, and carried them to battle by Their
sides, eager TO giut their savage thirst with
> the blood Oh the vanquished, and 70 6nisl
the work of torture and death on manned s
deieneeless captives. And what was never
: before zen, British commanders have cx-
torted victory over the unconqusrabIe va!ol
OF our troops, by presenting to the sympa
+, thy Of their chief awaiting massacre from
} their sarge associates.
l And now we find them, in further con
tempt OF the modes of honorable warfare
supplying the place OF a conquering force
by attempts to disorganise our politicvl so
ciety, to dlsmember our confederated Re
! public. Happily, like others, these will recoj
on the authors: but theysmark tue dcger c
rate Councils from which they emanatc ant
1t they did not belong TO a series of unexam
pied Inconsistencies, might excite the grea
5 ter wonder, as proceeding from a govern
} meut which founded the very war in which
It has been so long engaged, on charge a
: gaihSt the disorganizing and insurrectiona
policy Of Its adversary
10 render the justice of the war ON on
part the more conspicuous, the reluctance q
commence 1t was followed By the earliest s
J strongest manifestations Of a disposition 4
1 arrest It's progress Tue sword was scarce
~ out Of the scabbard, before the enemy wa
D aPprized Of the reasonable terms on whiel