The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-10-20
IN SENATF- A. Q

Commonzscalth fNEaasachuaettte.
he Committee to whom was referred tl,e
Message of His EXcellencv, with the docu-
nents accompanying the same, respectfully
Report IN part
That the unhappy and ruincus war. dcc1,~-
ed against Great Britain, has assumed AN &c
pect OF great and immediate daIwer TO this
Commonwealth. The persevering invasion
OF canada, has as length, produced as bv ma
tlral consequence, the invasion Of ou,. Ntlar.
tic Frontier, and RiDcr towns. A portion of
the territory OF this state, is already in the
actual occupation of the enemy, and the sca-
coast, IN ali such parts as NAV be deemed ,s-
Salia1le, is openly menaccd with desCla, on =
O defend cur soil, and to repel the invader
no force or means, bearing any proportion to
the emergency, have been provided bv the M,
u"nal Vernment 1t was jmetiv to have bee,,
expected, That, before hoStilit;es were rro-
vo.cd, from formidable enemy. or. at least
intt, at some period subsequent TO their CONF
mcncement, means Of defence and protection
"ouIo nave oeen afforded 70 4 sea-coast So cx--
tended, md 60 exposed 20 tie ravaecs of ~,
enemy, rs that Of Massachusetts Brt eve,,ts
forbid reliance on any such eADectatisr -
"e principal part Of the regular force raised.
o. At any time qua rterci, in this sfafe 70
Dtcn Withdrawn Tor the war on the Canada
border he Notifications, until lately STRENGTH
cred by the c%ertionS Of our ON II citiyens
WFfr tSSehluiv detective and the navy I'm a
S.'u"1ion calculated to invite rather than re-
pSl eS5io', and % require protection, Ill
stead CT afiprctDs II. Ind. ed. when the CIR
cun'stancea under winch the war wa decl,,r-
co. "ha mas been prosecuted, are viewed m
cohncNion with the utter NEGLECT of The c,rdi
nary preparation Tor such state the infer
eHcc is fairly warranted that the An,o,ican
cabinet intended no other means ofdpret,ce f..
TINS Stafe, but snch rs brave and free rcoDI,.
= ..- . Al
"'uio Ie'i themselves impcllcd to make, by
tielr own sense If GauFeT & love oF cc,.,..,,.
| hat 1t relied upon the passions and s,,fTe,,,,y
mClocut 70 = state OF war, to overcome fbe
repughance so universally felt by orr citizens
- me unjust and runous contest and 20
ieaye thcm at liberty to drain our por1latior
and GUY treasures for the pYosec,ttio,, IF tlo:-
-a'ol1tc enrerpriZes. But when the Co-,,,,c,,-
wealth was found to be in danger of Invasion,
Ule people nave not paused, 60 consider the
InouVes or Objects Of their rulers, in leaving
them defence less but at the summon =, s
their governor, they have repai,ed - .b,.
S'dhcaTd OF their coentry, with a zeal and D.
iaci ny which demonstrate, that the principles
winch unite men If every class and Icecr:,,-
tlcn IN the determination 70 conquer or die IN
ITS defence, are not CHfce5led bv our n e+, f,i-
sions Ihousands Of brave & hardy ,,eor,,,r,
~ composing part Of a we'll rro,aded
AMI wei disciplined militia, have haesenei
- 10y Wy NaHgcgi ara other thousands
are ffaoy 70 follow, al = moments WARMING
ne Hosl hpera' ard efectual aid has been
Afforded n erecting for1s and batteries -
Dut one spirit anim ,es the Whole mass of o,,r
citizens, wthtie ingncib'e rcs0Irtion Of Ge.
tending tneir native land against the ircnr.
Sons Ct an enemy who hns not Discriminate
between tH"se VINO anxiopsly sought peara
ana these Who have wartonlv provoked ~
var u rs however, fact, not 10 be die
guscc' taaf while the people Of this s+afe
WIN me blessing Of heaven, have sousdenc.