The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-02-12

surv note bills for he did not know how ma I
ny millions more. some attention ought to be
paid 20 the principles on which the present
majs ity had come Into power---to husband
ing the public resources, not squandering
them.
The gentleman had told the House that
our military force, even with the proposed
addition, would not be reater than it was
last year. MIR. S. said it would be great
er by the number of officers ar least. Last
year. officers enough had been appointed
ii he mistook not. for an army of sixty-three
men aud their number was not
reduced. This amendment, it agreed to,
will add to the Military Establishment, on
paper and at the Treasury, three thousand
men.--He rose principally to call the
Yeas and Nays, on this question. He could
not persuade himself, ne sid, that there
are not among the thousands of men who
eat the public bread without rendering any
service therefor, a sufficient number compe-
tent to doduty i'll rifle regiments, without
appointing others. He therefore could rot
So fir t amendment.
Mr.. Robertson of Lou. said he should vote
for the Senate's amendment because, al
though every observation made by the gen.
tleman last up might be true, yet he belIev-
ed it his duty to vote for u as an augmenta-
ton of the army Although the men no"
in power might have come into il On prin
cipies of econ my, they came in on broader
principles The general good and the safety
OF the Country, which is now Stronger aud
ought to be more operative principle than
that of economy. The view VIII On h Il teen
taken OF this subject b. the chairman of he
committee. Mr. Il. said. ought to excite the
attention of the house. He h I'd adver;ed 10
the present state Of Europe -and demanded
whether, under present circumstances.
larger army was not necessary tor the pro-
lection and safety of our country. What
certainty was there that with he immense
armies now under the control Of England,
ard her great navy, she would not make
an attempt on this country infinitely more
hazardous to our existence rs an indepen-
dent people than we can anticipate. 1t was
impossible to take view of the present
|omnpotence of the British government,
without feeling u conviction + her pow er TO
|lnJure US. Whilst there remained 4 power in
Europe in some measure competent To conn
teract her upcndous force, II nigh not have
been necessary to feel, IN rclaLon To tina
power, as prudence at present dictated.-
Our attention had, he said, tor u length OF
ZINE been diverted from the Course Of CT reat
Britain and fixed almost exclusively on the
disposition Of him who had b@en called the
tyrant of the world, 70 produce in Europe a
power destructive uf the liberties of Europe
and ultimately of this nation. What was
the present state of thingsf How much
soever we might have had TO fear, under a
ny imaginary state of things, from the pre-
ponderanCe of France, we had infinitely
more now torear from Great Britain.
Whilst our sympathies have been directed
10 the IA e of Spain. Holland and Italy, Bi1
tain had, either openly or clandes.ineIy,
possessed herself of ali the naval power OF
I'll 1sN nrl1 flgr REL . h.
continent called upon US Mr.. K. SAID. to
AXE view OF the situation OF our country,
now, differing materially from What IL mad
oeen. Whilst we had been amused b. a
iarms scduloUsly excited as 70 thr growing
power OF Bonapartc, Britain had Possessed
herself OF all the power necessary to enable
ner to operate.~ Sac Is the power VII IN We
ought to fear--againSt whom we ought To Oe
on our guard. Instead o. using her iesour.
ces III Europe in future, why might they not
be employed 70 suosldize foreign troops fa.
service in this country Why might no,
the troops in Spain be transported to h
United States What was to prevent it
The ocean is free TO her ships. he SAID,
and she has no use in Europe now
for the immense force and expenditure
heretofore employed. Under full view or
these consider atoms, he should vote tor the
Senate's amendment. So far from refusing
the demands OF SOVernUlS all lie tSdTeC
was, tuat there would not be a suthciency of
proper feeling throughout the Country on
this head; and that enough force would not
be asked for the security Of our liberties
from impending danger. &
Mr.. Webster of N. H. opposed the a
mendment Of the Senate. For his part, he
said, he was not panic struck with the late
increase of the power of the enemy. He did
not feel the hrmness of his nerves shaken.
particularly when he re Hected how Capable
the ountry is to meet any exigency which
might arise. lie could wish that some Of the
considerations now so feelingly impressed ON
ths House had suggested themselves To
gentlemen. before the measures were taken
which placed US in our present state Of war.
He did not know, he said, that the Java
force OF Great Britain was greater now than
it was when We entered into this war AID
however that might be, he did not feel thar
the salvation OF this Country rested on the
question whether three regiments of iufIn-
try should be converted into rifenen, or
the rIfiemen sh ud be raised in addition to
the present military establishment MIR.
w. said he should he sorry If he could sup
pose that the safety of the country, its capA
city to deiend isslf, depended on this
question. Gentlemen nov spoke as if thsy
were Afraid of being overrun as if at this
early period we were hardly able to defend
ourselves. He trusted the government
would now see the necessity of defensive