Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-01-13

~'A'e svtthiNs vi NAus stlu nc Ql0 not rise
oppose the reference of this subject to the b
Military committee; but he rose to put the d
right as to the feeling of the house I
md OF the nation, whichhe appeared 30 much
70 have misunderstood. Have the arms of
The United States failed in the campaign {
Have we not on the contrary Eeen marvel
ously succ esssulf We have gained a pro-
yincp taken FROM MS. Is that nothing Lake
Erie, grca:inland sea, occupied by the en- Il
envy at the commencement of the campaign,
and all its shores, are ours. We conquered
and took the army Of the enemy in that quar-
ter we reduced all the Indian tribes under
the yoke Of the United States and compelled
them to beg for subsistence for their wives |
and children from US. Here there is whole
country emancipated from the British sway. 4
Yes, sir we sregained province we had
lost, and conquered all Canada to the East
end Of Lake Ontario. Under Pike, did
we not succeed in taking York did we not
succeed entirely in every thing previous to
the close of the campaign On lake Onta-
rio the great Yeo, who was to conquer us
with so much facility, was driven into port.
and we were in possession of all the waters
OF the Lake With the exception of the waters
ia the vicinityof the harbor of Kingston
Three weeks storm and rain washed our
troops into general sickness and debility i
and yet they proceeded on, and are even now
lying at the key of Canada and ready tode-
scend to Montreal the moment the sea-
son permits. True it is, said Mr.. W.Sthat
public expectation was raised to high
pitch. Mat man could do. we could a.
chieye: but it was impossible to war against;
the elements or we should long ere now have
been in possession of Montreal. For his
part, Mr.. w. said he attached no blame to
any one and 1t was cruel. ON such q SUBJ
jsct as this, to anticipate judgment before
Jthe evidence necessary to enable, them to
decide was submitted to the House. 1t was
a1calutnnY to say our arms had failed. We
had never directed blow that had not its
due effect. Bpt it was said the Secretary of
War assumed the command. fla Lieute-
nant General be- a.: % nted M. w. said he
would be as much subordinate to the Secre
tary ofWar, as the present officers of the
arBy were.--When the last session
: of Congress ended, and he could without
disadvantage leave the seat of government
the Secretary of Warhad left his ease here
and voluntarily encountered all the toll and
fatigue of a camp life, to continue his best
efforts to the success of our arms--and was
there any man in the nation who would dis
approve his conducti We do injustice,
sad Mr.. w. to the characters we THUS cen
sure, and not much credit to ourselves. The
man who undertakes to give an opinion win
out evidence, is not qualified to decide on
it when he has it before him--for he must
be too prejGd ced to judge correctly. MIR
w. observed he had objected to the resolu :
ton passed the other day because there had
been no failure of orr arms. No officer had
deserved condemnation until evidence APP
peared against him and there was noevi
.dence against the courage or conduct of our
army. which had displayed. not Roman but
American valor--so conspicuous indeed had
been the courage displayed by both cur ar
my and navy, that he hoped the man who
should hereafter speak of Roman valor, on
this floor, would beconsidered as speaking
in tbs tbs, sFf9nd degree aud not the frst.
question was taken ON this resolve, he should
prefer to see the House engaged in raising
an army calculated to require the command
ct an officer ct SO high grade For, after
all that might be said, and all the enquiry
thai could be had. it would be found to be
owing to want Of soldiers more than want of
officers, that our army had not accomplish
ed all that was expected of them during the
last campaign With desire that Com
gress should first organize force large e..
nough for the command, before they ms. j.
tuted an Office of this grade, Mr. F
moved that this resolution lie ON the table.
This mstion was agreed to without di.
vision ; and the resolution lies over for fur
Their consideration.
GOVERNOR CHITTENDEN.
Mr.. Sharp of KY after-a number of ntro-
ductory remarks. explanatory of the laws
relating to the militia, which subject them.
when in actual service, to the rules and ar
ticles of war, and place tn. m, during such
time In all respects on the footing Of regu
lar troops /; adverted TO the recent prociama.
ton of Go ernor Chit,enden, Of Verm ont.
ca ling 'ie militia of that state FROM the po-
sition signed hem y military orders. This
act, he said. was in direct violation of the
statute which makes IL penal 10 entice the
soldiers in the service of the United States 20
desert his act was done too at critical
time, and by person standing in so conspic
uous station as t require particularly the
punishment due. to his offence. Mr. S. adj
verted to the peculiar station of the militia
thus ordered home. on a frontier requiring
their resence for its protection and whence
he said, from their character, they might
indeed. have been expected. being the
descendants Of The Green Mountain Bows
who SO much distinguished themselves dus
ring our Revolution GSdee the ilIustrious AL
lens, 10 have voluntarily aided in the inva-
sion of the teritery oil the epemy. Under
these circumstances, and when their servi
ces were most needed, they were invited by
Governor Chitsenden to desert their posi-
ton. His Conduct in this respect must meet
the decided reprehension not r,,t of every
member of this house, but Of every good