Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-04-29
Mir. Cheyes' Speech
tCencluded from NE Argus Of 71ursda
ON THE
NEW ARMY BILL.

Tor by paputar opinion; SNd tins Will not be
aisProved, wrver soon popular opinion shall
incline 10 peace, and gentlemen on the other
ode OF The House regain the reins of power, IS
they are not unlikely 20 90, however Just and
necessary the war. Any man who thought
with half the ability with which the gentlemtn
d >, mutt have believed that in voting Cor war,
be was probably surrendering himself politl-
cslly victim ON the altar OF his country; vet
it is frequently declared, that the majority
have declared this war 70 preserve teir seats.
They declared war, and declared it against po-
pu.ar opinion too, 10 preserve their seats, which
they hold bv the tenure OF popular opinion.
Are gentlemen serious! Look at the history
oil na'icns, aud see 1t the war ~ akers have been
generally the pcace-makers. cannot elevate
the hopes OF men who possess half the talents
that the hon. gentlemen lay claim To (bec use
their own sagaclty must have made i, known To
them) by declaring hat those who have made
this war must be more fortunate than the au-
thors OF war usually are, 1t power does not
change ,ndS. Let gentlemen then be prtl, MT
the prospect before them IL cheering. 1t the war
stall be glUri' us, and the result happy, the
best rights and inter SITS of the country will
hsvt been securej BY the eXertions OF the go
vernment; and though it shall confirm She
power of The majority, the gentlemen, endow-
ed, as hey undoubtedly ave, with tie best ieel-
ings of good men and Americans, will unite
wi.h us IN triumph which will elevate The r.
country's honor and happiness. Il otherwise,
they, in the suiness OF that wisdom OF which
they neither seem unconscious nor tlifiident
will administer the government themselves,
and have neither wars nor runlors of wars. but
repeat, that the popular opinion called for
war. The people were not satisfied with the
temporislng and pacific measures which the
government hid pursued for several wears
they began to declare and To believe that the
government WIS incompetent to The purposes
SAr|xa l. s~h -
meut continued TO show by is practice that il
was Incapable OF defending the national rights
and honor by arms, this glorious and happy
union, which We all profess to hold dear and
sacred, would not long have been though,
worth preserving, and would h We died If mere
snanltIon.--Who would not have pointed the
finger OF scosn at the government which won d
not 20 TO war for such rights as those FOR
which we entered into his contestl Let gem
Uemen iOos at the matter with imp .rtial.ty,
and see whether the government would not
have ceased TO merit and t. receive the +, spect
of lis citizens, 1t II failed to protect such
riguts aid interests. II would have manifested
want OF that spirIt without which any govern
ment will be despicabie. But 1t Is said, The
war was declared pr s'a,urel,, without the
necessary previous preparation, and that in
this respect the weakness and wlckcdness of
the measure were particularly eXempiiied l
know, cir, thSt men VINO took upon tn. m the
Office OF prophets aud iOretelIers, i'm both
HOUSES of Congress, did pronounce the declsrl
ton OF war premature, and pi odicted hume.
rous and fatal disasters which were to follow
OUR commerce WAS & be des troyeti and our
vessels indiscriminately swept from he ocean
our towns were To be sacked; our slaves were
TO be in state of nsurrection, &C. Their
counsel was, wait till the winter-then the
season Will protect your hsrbors and maritime
towns, and your army viii, be incrs ased and
al a nj lsh Rnt
passed. mean thst season in which it was
predicted we should suffer these disasters
and what portion of the evil prophecy has
been realized Has our commerce been .wsnt
from the ocean Has not nearly ali reached
our harbors in s.fety Are our cities sack
ed Are our slaves in state OF insurrcction
1t WAS also predicted that our gallant ltil
navy would DC annilnated. This he been
falsifiad by The great exploits of our naval he.
rocs. LOOK on these and say whether the war
was premaiureiy commenced or not Would
you for all the money that has been expended.
and TO retrieve all the sacrifc cs Of the war.
consent to eHpInge from the pages of your =. |
tory the Achievements of HUI, and Jones, snG |
Deea url heard the Other day a pa riot |
tne revolution declare, in u spirit which sIou :.
animate us all, speaking of the reward which L !
was proposed 20 bestow on the officers IN. |
crew ot the Constitution, 4" would rat er add |
live millions 10 the national debt, than strike |
that single event from The nat onal records" |
Would not you all The answer from both
sides OF the House must be affirmative With |
these events before me, l cannot regret thu, |
the declaration OF war was nor DELAYED.
But war was prematurely declared, it is SAID, |
because we had not regular disciplined army
at the time. Preparations for operations on |
land must have been relative to the defence of |
our own territory, or the nvas on OF he enem,'.
territory. The militia, sir, are the proper and |
fhs.o h. taf.. Aat..r -. ,(ei...
hve Tor his purpose we did not want any other |
army. They might have been made more ex |
tenslvely useful. join not with their reyiIers |
II wish that their usefulness had not been cir |
eumscribed by doctrine subvers, We of tLe tru.
principles of tile Constitution which was main |
famed on this floor. rejoice that combat ed |
that doctrines yet do not mean TO cous,der \
them as TIT army Of INVASION. acknowledge |
thst we were not prepared with regular. dis |
opl'ned army, qualified for the invasion OF The |
enemys country. But siould we have been
prepared by winter, the time TO which gentle |
men wished to have deferred the declaration OF |
war; Ii is a truth, that government like ours |
never whi' and never can, be prepared for wal |
IN peace. The great and effective preparatiors |
for war must grow out Of the progress and |
vents OF the VIZ Notwithstanding our d;sas |
tiers on land, believe our preparation is great |
er, aud our situation better, rhan il would have
been had the war been deferred We were to |
expect IN the commencement of the war, to suf |
Ter such misfortunes.-Except in the afFarr of |
Detroit, nothing has happened which should
cause us to blush; that disgrace, like the dis
grace OF the Chesapeake, will be the harbinger
ct glory take it as an omen Of yictory.-Il
pledge myself, IL the war continue IL will be 40
an the event. AS the war stands ut this moment.
We have suffered little, and we have bumbIed
fhe pride Of the enemy where it was most in
sulting. We have insured the confidence Of the
nation fiSm the sea shore to the mountains and
beyond them, as lar as our r,onuiafior re,ci,e. |