The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-02-10
Repnblieatt GEtoQuettre.
SPEECH
SPEECH
OF THE HONORABLE Mr.. HOLMES,
IN THE SENATE OF MASSACHUSETTS,.


Mr.. PREsIpExr-When, after eight days
deep cogita,ion Of the committee, sn answer
is produced, which, apprchend, will remain
standing monument of the depreciation of
this once respectable State the gentlemen of
the majority must not dee m il unreasonsble,'N
| occupy some time in discussing lis merits.
Bot 10 this, confess, despair of making any
impression on the majoritv of this board, At
ter having, during war OF eighteen months,
taken their ground against their country and
IN favor Of its enemy; after having condemn
ed their own government, and justified the
expressions and atrocities of the enemy, in
every parti cular, without solitary exception,
AZ attempt TO dissuade them from this course,
must in his case be desperate. / might as
well attempt to convert an Atheist by scrip
,urc | might as well so inro the church yard,
rebuke the tombs, and cxpos,ulatc with the
sleeping ashes OF the dead. No, sir, 1t is not
them, whom l expect to convince or ed
hy +; !; is an apr ehension, that silence may be
deemed al acquicscence in these inhamaiory
proceedings il is for the sake Of my political
friends, that stand forth the advocate Of my
injured country.
agree with his Excellency, that the liber-
~ Of speech is important 10 free people,a
he who would restrain it, isa foe to republican
fseedom.--It is a privilege which | highly
prize, and which shall take advantage Of in
this debate. True, i, may be abused in bad
times, bad men will enicavor TO excite discon-
tent. In the commencement OF a.war, slan1cr
and abuse arc wonderfully successful. There
was danger for a while, that the outragcs OF
patty might drive the administration tiom OF.
fec, or compel them Ia make an ignon,Dlou.
peace. Blu, truth prevailed. Notwithstand-
ing every attempt 10 throw stumbling block
IN thc wsy of the administration in the days of
difficulty and distress, their popularity has in
cfeasc., and the people are more united than
al the commence ment Of the war. You speak
Of lhc craving disconlents of the people
Where is your evidence In The elections
tn wha, elccuons! In New. York, the mpst
. so~Dfe,cial State in The Univn,? In New.
Jersey where every branch has been gamer,
a,cd ma year! In Maryland, whore you bat
jus, smusgled in your Govs,nor In YER
mont, to bc sure, you have minority Cow
crGor for one year !; and, l ,rus,, ior one year
only Ba, in the cily of .Ae4u- York, at a very
late election, the American Cause prevailed
by chcnge .hs, was trcly astonishing. And
all this in time Of war, agains, the incessant
clsmors and ISLANDERS Of party, without any Sc
dtion ach or other act to screen the admins
tration.
Hi, Excelleroy informs us, that he has r~-
ccived fifteen hundred stands Of arms from,
the Secretary a, War I; and You, in the answer,
attribute this event TO the efficacy of your fa-
nous Resolve of June last. 10 suppose that
that anriclimax, that complete specimen in
tho art ot sinking, could produce any other
effect in the mind OF the Secretary of War,
than ,idicule is 10 me absolutely incredible. II
began with a preamble full of in,ectivss, with
/" Whereas," followed by string OF accusa-
tioes against the Whole course OF the measures
oil the administration, and concluded with q
" Therefore, Resoived, that the Adjutan, Gem
erai bo requested to write to General Arm
strong for the arms, &c." Il was, indeed, a
prodsction which promised much, aud per-
formed nothing, and I will add, effected moth
ing. Ii is probable that Gen. Armstrong, a.
grecsbly to his promise, sent you the arms as
soon as they were ready but none the sooner
Tor your pi'ilal resolve.
But this war is unjust Must we travel over
this ground again This charge has been re-
futed more than thousand times. But that
msk.s no difference they Can renew |, tho
yaDquished, they can argue still. The right
ot blockade, Orders ia Council, and Impress
ment are brought up, and all justified with
greater o5stlnacy than ia the British ParIia-
mcn;. ~ t4
have said, and repea, IL, that the prior
ity OF the French DEGREES could be no excuse
for these Orders, if such had been the fact.
What, sir, rctalis,c upon AN innocent neutral
tho aggrcssions which your enemy has com
9i..cd upon that neutral The psiorIiy of sg-
gression makes no difference Each nation
must account with Us, for the injury II has
done Us !: have wondered the government
Of the United States, have ever condess ndcd
TO discuss the question Of tho priority OF these
cdisu though i, is beyond ques,iop, that the
Blockade Of the 10th Of May, 1906, was far
more injurious to American commerce, than
tho Bcv!in Dscrec of the 2lst November, lob
lowing. This extraordinary Blockade, Oh
suucscd the commerce Of nearly one thous-