The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-11-17
FOR THE E.NQUIERt.
REFLECTIONS ON OUR ME.AES OF
PROSECUTING THEIVAR

PROSECUTING TIE WAR
: we are nov seriously engaged N war ,
and have dismissed, / trust. that iny;cr,, ~,
love of peace, which has 100 long pai,.Iy SEQ
cur Efforts AGAINST the enemy
In looking TO their means Of proy.cutin-
the war, the American People night inqui... !;
Ii indeed inquiry Is not now useless: WHY this
nation Second to- but che liz the world in
POINT OF coiEmcrcru greatness after :, lapse
of thirty years of peace .nd ui,e xtmplcC.
prosperity, should be in want OF 2 navy of.ue-
hcieht strength to protect ctr rights On tie o.
cear; or even 60 guard tire coasting trade.
between our own states; IN want Of arms for
our land forces; And in want Of recunjary
means Tor Carrying un the wax which, for
mar that period. we have expectc! to be
forced INTO, " tie numerous aSercssiCns OF
our old and implacable enenlv'-I,et or.
public agents, (who have long ben members
ot the American Congress, that national Coun-
c.! whose duty 1T was 70 augment our stock of
Pubic treasure, III time OF peace, and to an
ply it TO the means of protecting our rights
IN war; explain the cause of the prescn, de-
tcnoeiess state OF tins prosperous nation. Can
DIG, refect:-g men, Cannot reprcss thcr con-
ten.i:t tor that timld and parsl.ioEicas pclicy,
which sArank from the'buiiding OF d navy and
making other wariike preparations, fer fear
Consider, thar " iGcurring that expeace and
being 'hus prepared, We might have avoided
war, Ill one campaign of w,..ch, more mo-
ney has been expended, than would have
oeen required TO build q navy Of sufficient
force, 10 vanIush the hostile iiecls that now
swarm III Our bays and rivers.
40 ps3pie are more brave ard gercrou 8,
than those OF America, and more more alive
and wiling to contribute to the means Of pro
tcctiIs their rights. With a nation thus dis
pcsed, and under circumstances 50 auspic GUS,
eur WarilAe attitude might row have been SUCH,
a' 10 DEFY the utmost vengeance of the enemy,
aud thefe5y Rave deferred him from cncroach-
ments upon w.. 3tt our weakness in tha.
respect, has invited lis attacks on our most
es2entiai rights, and compelled US to so tn
war. Let US, thea, breast the storm, as be-
comes An; orleans, and combat HIM wall the
best means in our power These, fluid
cousiy and energetcally employed, will SUI
nee T. chast!Se HIM for the Numerous impress
meniS and piraoies. which he he's practised
upon an uaotfepoing people, wno dcs.rc not
10 Interfere viii! the rights Oh others.
he Chief strength OF our enemy, lies in
hls haFy: bis land forces Can make bnr 2
tteole inpre ssion OF naticA, whose military
strength exceeds million OF men Dut orr
STAGE of d;sarray, demands tie most vigorous
and W.: emitting exerton. i is time that our
resources tor war Should &c called forth, and
that the nation sitali make an exertioiI OF
lis military strength, The economy of our
oaood and treasure, ruperinusiy requires, that
Government Sidl Immediately take tic ne
cesSary measures, tor pouring into Cana;,..,
IN hundred thousand troops. such a force
IN {. s'Gg'c campaign, might gvest from its for
mh-bie and G'aignant posse,acr, that strong
holu, from which he now with 80 much f.
Cihty annoys oar detCnCcless seacoast5: whist
y "onld sever that bio0dy alliance which eH-
,sls between the Vandals OF Britain, and tie
ruthless ssVaecs OF the Northwestern forests
It's dou't'tss With view to divert us from
tie Conquest OF Canada, where he is most vul-
nerab'c 20 us, that the enemy sends his naval
squ2droDs to haTlass VS., on siur Atlantic fror-
tiers, 1t Is therefore our best pol,cg, To car
81 tic war into his territories: net with an
army OF uc"ciy sufficient strength to check
his incursioDs but w,th one of IN overwhLln-
ii'g force. Such an srrrT would quickly con-
vince h'r,, ihat his opposition eoniG Do fruit
less, aud would therefore save the cfiuSjop ~
blood whilst it would economi2e tie pubic
treasure, by spec lilly bringing the wa, to a
close. 1t would moreover inspire tie n.t,cn
With energy and cori cnce; enlist il would
be II: readiness to crush rebellion IL a y Jlld
dare to rear its head.
But IL is net merely the numerical or plvs;-
Cal strength Of tbig army, that we are 20 IKE
INTO view. i he means or apparatus with which
our other military forces are to operate, and
the adaptation Cf these mems, to the local
5tat- Of the d.s'ricts in winch the war will be
Carried on, arc subjcCts Ok important consider
ariCn. On the Canadian frontiers out means
Oh representing offensive ard defensive war,
both by land and water, are. or shortly u1av
DC made, grcaty superior 60 those Of the enc
my. But the case is widely different in relat-
OF 10 our Atlantic frontiers. For tine want II
anayy Of sufficient strcrgth t. defend tl IN,
the shores u orr CO tc1c,vc seacoast, orr ca
pacious bays and rivers th"t are navigabc to
a great distance ibto the Country, are at all
times accessible TO the naval force Of the en-
s,ny. The annoyance of MS shipping in his at
.cinpts 20 land on cur shores. and II passing
az AID down our rivers, cannot he successful
ly effected 81 the common Eeld-aTtii.ery and
small arms. 1t IS caly with heavy cannon
that ships Of war can be attacked or resist
ed with effect
Heavy cannon are thc most terrible and
destructive iUstrumc1tS Of war, and naval
ships are .le ychiclcs best adapted to their
easy AID speedy Transportation from one
point Of attack to another. Since in these
powerful means Of prosecuting tie war. our
enemyis greatly superior 10 Us ogr opposl-
ton to his rayages must e necessity I've chirf-
ly baadc by land. Ia psne5ratmg our rivers,
~, ia h;s attempts ~ Gs6@rk MS troops on