Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-05

without the SpHHs
which springs from these causes :
and without the pecuniar, means OF
supporting it. suri, war must 1e
disastrous On what, sir, is the
honor of t,,is nation aow suspended
On ,hc Navy. that little navy which
was desp:srd, neglected and forgot
ten. until il fought itself into notice
and rescued the sinking honor OF the
country.
What, sir. was the ayowed object
Of this war? 1t has ever been SAID
that conquest, with view oil eA-
tending our territory. and enlarg'nss
our dominion. was not the wish o.
this government. The idea of this
republic, following the footsteps OF
foreign ambitious nations. was SO
repugnant to the genius ofthe .Ame-
riean people, and the constitution I.
under which we live, that few, il
any, of the warmest advocates OF TIC
war. dare avOW it.
The ureteace was to take, or "a
Their TO receive Canada for it was
,ainly supposed, the inhabitants OF
that province would readily join our
standard. on lie first invitation. But
we must go through the form OF con
guest to protect them from the
Charge of treason to their own 90
varnmcnt. We were to hold Cana
ia until peace should return, & then
i, was to be delivered up in exchange
for maritime rights. And this, It
was supposed. wo#ld be powerful
WEAPON in our hands in the negocil-
tioa. With this view the bills aug
menting the army. raising the volun-
teers. and transferring the militia,
passed. By the present bill and the
project connected with it, the origi-
nal plan is abandoned with the We
lunteers and militia, and We are now
presented With compound system
of conquest. determination and de-
fence. 1t would seem with the force
Of $4,000 regular troops. we are to
conquer all the residue Of NorIh-A-
mcrica. ex'erminate every tawny IL
iidel this side the istimus Of Darien,
and defend a sca-coast many hun
dred miles in extent from tae incur
sions of the enemy! This is truly
gigantic project. BE said he eonld
not give il his aid =; and he thought
somc honorable gentlemen who ,nt-
cd for the war, would, when they re-
flcetcd on the magnitude Of the
scheme, now presented. seize this
OCCASION to retire. unwilling to entail
on themselves and posterity, the ex
Dense & ruin Which would flow from
the project. if carried into execution
Sir. Tie bill is Objectionable on the
| :ss''oaad, that it is inadequate to the
objects intended. even il they were
wise and desirable. 1t is doubtful
whether the men could be recruited :
Judging from the success which has
attended the cnlistments in the old
! army they conl,l not be. But SUD
posing they could be raised with all
reasonable speed. the tirle of service
for which they are to he raised by
the terms Of The bill, was such, that
it had been clearly shewn, tAev
could not be Disciplined and rendered
tit for the duty contemplated before
their term Of service would exnire.
IN Which case, they will be useless
for the objects intended. and we in.
eur the expense Cor nothing. H.
said he mentioned this as an obicc-
ton to the bill. not that il was such
in ais mind. for he thought The diff.
fcu'ty of carrying it into effect was
the only thing valuable in the bin,
II. however, the bill and project
should succeed. he said it would. in
MS OPINION, be injurious to The mill
tia. We have been told. on former
occasions. that the militia constitute
an important force, they have been
styled the defence OF the coun;r,
That tue nation may and ought priu,
c,ralIy 20 depend on them, as from
them security may be expected. ans:
no danger need be apprehcnded.-
1hls Is doubtless true, and wou;d
prove SO in a just and defensive war. |
but it is said we cannot order then,
on' OF The U. States =; true, and why. |
II the ration is principally to depend |
on them +! Because, sir, it never |
was intended by the trainers Of our
that We should become |
4 c0nQUPpino, nation n,d 70 .L