The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-10-05

and he considered this one OF that descripti-
on. Desertions from the enemy, he said,
were daily and numerous. Something like
FIVE or SIX hundred men had already deserted
from the enemy at Piattsburg-many OF them
Nseful, enterprisng men, who wish to become
citizens My wish, said Mr.. f. is to make
them useful, by giving them the means ofsap
port by honest Industry.
Mr. Grosuenor Of ~ \. said, that as he
was bound TO believe that any gentleman who
made a motion in this House considered 1t
honorable aud proper, when he pronouncea
the measure, now proposed, to be dishonest,
dishonoarable and heXpedient, he did not
mean to reflect personally on those who mo-
we'd or advocated II. He did think SO, and he
did conceive also that the suggestions offered
against them by the gentleman from y. York
had been IN no degree met by the mover
How had they been met! The gentleman
talked about the crimes or Britain; and seem
ell 70 infer that because She had violated
principle in one way, we might In another. / his
resolution would indeed at once reduce us tothe
same dcp;h cf-guiit, III which the gentlemen
say our cueny is walowing. NIhe measure
embraced in the motion bsfore the House, be-
ilg in the nature OF retaliation, was different
from all ether such measures. II was wicked
in Itself, because it encouraged CRIME. 1t
could not therefore be justiIied or that ground,
nor indeed on any ether For his part, Mr..
g. said, he had voted against the CJnsider.4-
sion OF the motion, because IL principle 1t WAS
wrong, and therefore he would not even en-
quire INTO it. Without rcyrd, he said, To
TIE iDsinuation CT particular senSlbhties,
the usual cant i'll tins II use, on such occa-
s;ons, he should caulidly discuss this question.
u he knew himself, nc observed, there was
Eot gentlemaa Oh the floor that would go
further than he would at thus moment, to res
cue the Country from the dangers which envi-
ron it, TO rope, the foes that trample on the
L. But, let the dlnSer be what 1t would,
unless the existence of the nation was abse-
lutely in Jeopardy, he could not under any
prctence, consent TO PROSTATE It's honor and
dignity by plunging into crime. The question,
then, arose whether the proposed measure
was or W IS not of criminal nature and this
question he wished fairly 10 consider. What
was this proposition which was to be adopted
as national principle, as portion of our
national morahty, to stamp our Character now
aud forever? lie asked gentlemen to say if
they would by adopting this proposition, offer
a bounty for the comlnlS. 4 or crime. Let
gentemen look into the books on national law,
they will find desertion to. be an offence ofso
black a DIE that not even enemies are to en-
sourageit i is an offence in regard to which
it is common expression, that men love the
treason but nate the traitor. n nation must
receive the traitor but hates him at the same
time because the crime OF deserving the a.
legiance which a man owes to his Country, is
one Of the deepest dye, one which you are
daily punishng with death on yoUr own from
tier. 1t now proposed to offer bounty
an ofeuce, to which Your own laws have de-
creed the punishment OF death. Why stop
here? why not offer a bounty 70 every man
who Commits treason % any kInlf Why stop
therei Way not at once adopt the princi-
pies CT the Old Man or the Mountain, as he
Is called, and offer bounty for the assassina-
ton Of the kim, governors and generals Of
your enemy Why stop short by gving
a bounty on desertion? Why not Al once give
a bounty for the assassination, Of every man
ia your eacmy's camp, and pay the perpetra-
tors Of the clime when their daggers reeiz
with their blood There is little or no dis
rincGon, in principle, between these offences.
Mr. @. repeated that he Was ready, and gen.
tlenen would and it in his conduct, to travel
every honorable length in defending his
country. But nothing short OF preserving
the independence Of the Cpantry, and not til
that independence was PROSTATE on the
ground, could induce him to adopt measure,
enibr lcing principle like this And what
woald gentlemen gain by it : 1t was alrea-
oy universally understood that the soldiers of
tne enemy deserted whenever they could
But say, that by this measure we gained ten
Thousand mea--wOuld 1t be feather in the
scale NVOuil NllIo luNShititAy 10 iOI Tile
black disgrace which it would stamp the
very forehead Of the country? Eut look at
the further consequences, sad he. Believe
you that the enemy would not ,etaliate p
That a ter you had committed this crime a.
gains. human nature, she would not enter the
southern department ofyour country, and
k;ndle a fire winch you could not quench p
This she had not yet attempted, though size
had the power. Believe you she would not
capture your unc ffending citizens Oil the ocean,
and keep them rs hostages till you delivered
I'd those whom you had enticed away9 Yes,
sir. she would not stay her arm. Look at a
furtaer consequence OF such measure. We
a.e to settle these raggamuffns on our from
tiers. Was there a man who believed that
these men, vino were picked frou the jaiIs of
Europe, these SIX penny men, would settle
d ,wn as farmers No; they were men of
q ssolute lives, men not acquainted with the
useful arts MIR &. said he would not offer
inducements to such poor wretcl,es to commit
a crime, f,r which, II detected, they would
snif-r death. The gentleman had talked of
humanity was there any humanity in this
In It's consequences, as well as its principles, |
was utterly Objectionable. Whenever the !
r,,tior IS uushed to the last extremity, such a |
measure might present question Tor consi- |
6erat,on bnt We are not urIven to this ex- |
tr.nitv. This Country IS abuadaIty capable !
n defence Let It's means be brOugnt forth |