Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-03-22

miar sentiments expressed by other gen.
tlemen. had really alarmed him. He fear
ed that all was not right. He was apprc"
hensive, that there was some MYSTERY III the
present views of the government, which
was judged unfit to be communicated eli.
Their to the people or their representatives.
He feared that some design which could
not be avowed, was maturing to keep up
large standing army in time OF peace. Or
tina; the peace lately negotiated, which bad
been hailed with SO much enthusiasm, was
docep;ive--tbat the people had beer q"
mused and would be deceived in their eX
pectations of permanent peace and iucreaN
sing prosperity. He could rot but be alar"
raed to find that the secretary at war had
recommended the keeping up IA regular ar
my of twenty thousand--to hear that this
plan met the appreciation of the adm.iis-
tration, and to see that 1t found advocates
in that house. MIR. 5. said, that II appear
cd to him, as if gentlemen had forgotten
not only the 6rst principles OF our govern
ment, but had determined to reaounce all
the sentiments which their friends had tor
merly avowed. Mr.. s. said, that il there
was any one principle which might be CAL
led fundamental to our civil Institutions, *
which above all others, had received the UNI
divided appreciation of the friends of civil
liberty in the United States without dis
,inciion of party, it was this--that a stand
ing army was not to be tolerated in time OF
peace. IL formed a prominent cause OF
complaint in the vindication of indepen.
dertc, ard was denounced in many of the
state constitutions 1T was directly in oppo-
sition 10 the uniform opinion OF our sages &
patriots Yet the plan seemed to nave made
many rev friends-All the common place
reasons in favor OF such a measure, (and
none other had been urged) had been re-
sorted to. Reasons which always had been
and always would be pressed into such
service-Such as the unsettled state of the
world d; large armies kept up by rival pow :
ers, the unruly disposition of savage tribes,
the necessity of always being prepared for
war to preserve peace. He was alarmed
at The sentiments expressed in regard To
the peace, The honorable gentleman had
urged as reason against reducing the ar
my, that we had no security tor the dura.
ton OF the peace-That the British gov.
eminent had not rehnquished its preten
sions--And that if the same causes of war
should occur again, the peace would also
nave an end. And the gentleman also adj
ded, that our condition was only that of
truce OF suspended hostility. Mr.. Stockton
deed; and his only consolation was deri-
we'd from a conviction, that it was wholly
nnfouDdcd: he asked if it could be possible
that the treaty lately negotiated was mere
ceceptione He hoped and believed that l,
was not, bnt thatr had been produced by he
dear bought experience, that nothing was
10 be gained by the war The error int
which the gentleman had fallen was this
ne supposed that as the British government
mad rot reiinquished its pretensions, the
causes OF The war still existed, and might
again produce hostility, il again resorted 20
ny that government. But Mr.. 5. said, that
This opinion was not correct the hon. gen..
teman seemed to have forgotten that we
had declaredt the war. and were the com.
plainants, and that going to war for speci
nc causes, when we made general peace
without providing tor the n, we must be
considered as having abandoned them /;
there exisied no necessity for the British 20
give up their pretensions, unless they intels
ded so to do so far from it, by the &C
knowledged laws of nations, every cause o.
war not provided for by the treaty is con,
sdered as gwen up, and can never be again
toade the foundation OF hostility, without a
breach of public faith. This rule was gen.
eral, and had received the unqualified ap
probation of The most approved writer's up
pom the law of nations treaty of PEACE
not only puts an end to the war, bui aLo
ishes the cause oft The party who made
the war, and then the Peace, can rever a-
gain Iecommence hostilities for the same
causes hence in modern treaties, there
will always be found Leading provision.
that the peace shall DE firm or perpetual. O.
universal, or of the TX import, The mean
ing of which is not that there shall be no f..
ture war, but HIT peace is 10 be perps'ua.
as far as respects The former ports of diifey'
ence. Mr. s said, that the operator cf tte
principle Of national law upon he So Jet
was obvious. We had gone 20 wer osie i
bly, on account Ct the orders in Councd-
we had continued it because e isnrtss
ments from American mere ant YES els
we complained, as cccHsion required, abcu
bloCkades and oher subordinate ma ters
es to the orders in ctuuc,l, the treaty dic
not operate upon that uhjecf, bccaGse they
had been repe aled az the beginning 9th
war, and did not constitute mater IN dis
pute when he treaty was sisned-thereiorQ
that subject was not touched by The treaty
If they should again be renewed, we should
have the same right to 50 to war on that &C
count as We had before, < no uoTe But he
thought that there was not tie Iemolest pro
babilily that the British government, after
having vCigr.ariIy abandoned them, would
ever again resortto such an experiment ;;
but the causes for which the war had be, n
Continued after the reDeaI Of hose ordsrs