Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-01-19

,,,;Il;aas &c dollars upon the New
Eprlaad states. and the exrenees q
the last year For defence IN Massa-'
chasetts, approaches 60 one million
OF dollars.
From these facts. Z is almost SUI
pcrf,uous to state The irresistible ill-.
{ ference that these states have no ca !. !.
naeity OF defra.ing the expenee re-
mlisife fortheir own protection, and.
~ the same time, of disclIarging the.
demands of the national treasury.
The last inquiry. what eonrse Of
conduct ought 10 be adopted BY the
acgrieyed States, is in high dc !.
gree momentons. When a great q
brave people shall feel themselves
deserted liy their government. and
reduced TO the necessity either Of
submission toa foreign enemy. oroI
appropriating 10 their own use, these
means obedience which are indis,
pensable to self preservation. they
cannot consent to wait passive spec.
tators Of approaching roia, which
il is in their power to avert. and 10
RESIGN The last remnant Of their M
dustrious earnings. to be tlissipattd
in support ofmeasures destructive OF
the hest interest o. the nation.
This Convention will not trust
themselves 10 express their e"p,ic-.
ton OF tile catastrophe 10 which
ssucA a state Of ihings inevitably
tgnds. Conscious OF their high re-
sponsibiliiy to God and their coun.s
try. solicitous forlLe continuance OF
the Onion. as we'll as Tire sovereign
" OF the States. unwilling 70 fur
nish obstacles to peace -resoiute ne.
YER 10 submitto foreign enesay, q,
! eoniiding in the Divine care AMI proc
tec,iou, they vii. unit! the last nope
shalt he extinguisbed. endeayor 10 d.
vert sneh consequences.
With this view they suggest an
arrangement. witch may al cnre be
consistent with the honor and inte-
! rest Of the National Government. &
the security Of these Ststes.-Faisi il
will not be difficult to conclude. if
that government should be SO iispos-
ed. by terms OF il these States
might be allowed to assume their
own defence, by the militia Or other
troops. A reasonable portion. also.
Of the taxes raised in each State
might be paid into its treasury. and
credited to the United States. but to
be appropriated to the defence Of
sneh State. to be accounted for with
the United States. No daubt is en-
tertained that by such an arrange
meat, this portion Of Tie country
could bs defended with greater ef-
feet, and in a mode more consistent
with economy, and the public con-
veniencc. than any which has been
praetised.
Should an application for these
purposes. made 10 Congress by the
state legislatures. be attended with
success. and should peace upon just
terms appear to be uaattainable. the
people would stand together Tor tbs
common defence, nntil u change of
Administration, or OF disposition in
the enemy. should facilitate the oc-
cHrrence of that aaspieious event. it
would be inexpedient for this Con
yention to diminish the hope of
successful issue to such an applica-S
ton. by Recommending upon sup
position of a contrary event, ulterior
proceedings. Nor is il indeed with
in their province. In a state Of
things so solemn and trying as may
then arise, the Legislatures Of the
States, or Conventions ofthe whole
people. or delegates appointed BY
them for The express purpose il, ano-
Their Convention. must act as such
urgent circumstances may then re-
quire.
But the duty incumbent on the
Convention will not have been per-
formed without exhibiting some &c
neral view Of such measures as they
deem essential to secure the nation
against a relapse into the difficulties
a ~. 4 II 4 4 al i