Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1814-12-12

+" Consumption Bill :"
alias, the Bill for filling the ranks
of Mr.. Madison's Army.
MR. PRESIDENT,
IAN glad, FIR, that the few ooierva
tons, which l made on former day.
when this bill was under confederation.
have ind ICED the honorable chairman or
the committee on military affairs, MIR
Giles) TO make fuch an ample expedition
of the views and objects of that commits
rec, and of the administration l deem II
fortunate that at the commencement OF
,he difcuaion of the bills on military
affairs, we are pofeGed of their Interior
intentions and deGgns.
The Secretary of War, in his late re-
port, has recommended for adoption oy
the legislature plan of a forcible daft
or conlcription Of the whole free male
population of the United States, between
the ages Of eighteen and forty FIVE years,
for the pu,pofe of recruiting the regular
army. He propofes that all persons, with
in thofe ages, be formed into clshcs OF
one hundred each and that If any clats
neglect to furnifh four folders toy the
army. TO be delivered over to the recruit
ing officer within thirty days, that mum
Der to be taken out of the cafs by force {;
that vacancies by cafualty be iupplied in
the like manner from the ciafs. and that
the legal bounty of one hundred and
twenty four dollars to each recruit be al
fefIed on all the taxable properly within
the precinct Of each clals. his plan
mutt be pr>fuped 20 have the apProba
ton of the administration. For II can
not be iuppofed the Secretary at War
would adventure On meafure 70 impor--
tant, without fuch fuppor, and counte-
nance.
Although the prefent bill, certainly
does not adep, the plan Of the Secretary
in its full extent. and although the Hon
Chairman has faid he can fupport the
proviiions of the bill withour its aid, yet
he has attempted, in formal argument,
to maintain, that this government has the
sonfti,u ionai power, to be exercifed at
difcretion as location may require. of
placing our citizens, by force, and for an
unlimited time, in the ranks Of the regular
army. Till lately, fuch an opinion was
entertained BY few, if any. l believe it
was .xprefed by none Great and (ud-
den changes in opinion on important po-
litieal fubiects, are the ulual forerunners
Of revolutions IN States This is emphat
icaly the cafe, where the force of gov
srnment reits on common fentiment.
Sincerely believing the doctrine con,en-
aed for, to be unwarranted by the con-
ititution, and pregnant with confequen-
ces dangerous to tht rights and liberties
Of the country, cannot permit Ii to pals
without attempting its REPUTATION. The
mott monitrous opinions, when announc-
ed by high authority, ADD fuppor,ed with
plauibiliiy, will, if permitted without
contradiction, to ecome familiar to the
mind, in time lofe mucn of their origi-
nal deformity
The hon, gentleman has been pleafed,
in a fyle f,mewhat monitory, 10 caution
,hofe oppoted TO his doctrine to c'nlider
the refponGbility they mutt encoun:er in
obaructing The meaiures of government
in the prefenr fate of affairs. / admit
the diftreis of the nation exits to the
full extent Gated. We fee and fee! it.,
and have too much reafon to believe it
will foon become universal. The crilis
demands all the wi(dom and virtue OF the
country. l hold flake in the fate Of
the nation in common with my fellow
citizens. and do no, feel inclined to
fhrink from doing what l think my duty
requires. In times like thefe, no polite.
al G,uation is free from refpon6bllty.
In return, take the liberty OF admon-
lining the friends of the Administration
land the hon. gentleman if he includes
himie'f in that number) to be cautious
how they attempt 20 OverleaP the limits
Of the conaituyion OF all OF dangers,
lice none morr alarming than the apAren'
di!poiition to sxeIcife arbitrary power
Revolutionary meaiures can never. with
iafsfv hs veTovtsJ IN nv a regular gov