Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-01-27

| repeat, that Il there is denger to be appre-
hended from the ,vowed principles of the Holy
/ Alliance, it is in America that we must resist
! them. Like the generous animal which issthe
emblem of this country, let us not go forth to
seek enemies. It,hey threaten us, LIT our war
ming be heard over the waves, In the voices of
millions of freemcn, resolved to maintain their
liberties. If they approach our shores with
hostile intent, we may arise in the collected
strength of great nation, and hun destruction
/ on the foes Of freedom and Of America.
| 1 think, Sir, that any resolutions we pass on
this subject ought to4be expressive of our policy
and of the position we occupy, in relation to Eu-
rope, and that whichwe are resolved to assume
i'll relation to America; and, with that view,
propose the following resolution as substitute
for those offered by my friend from Massachu-
sets : -
Resoioed, That this House view with deep
interest the heroic struggle of the Greeks to
elevate themselves to lie rank Of free aud IT.
dependent nation; and unite with the President
IN the sentiments he has expressed III their IA
vor: in sympathy for their sufIerings, in inter-
est in their welfare, and in ardent wishes for
their success,p
MIR. Rapdolph then rose, and said, that this
was perhaps one of the finest and the prettest
themes for declamatio ever presented to de-
1 Lucrative assembly. But it appeared to him in
bcen thrown upon it. He looked ut the mea-
sure as one fraught with deep and deadly dan
ger to the best interests and to the liberties OF
the American people; and SO satisfied was he
OF this, that he had been constrained by that
conviction to overcome the almost inseperable
repugnance he felt to throwing himself upon
the notice of the House, but he felt it his duty
to raise his voice, against both the propositions.
He would not at this time go at length into the
Irnhiect. hir ipfo inn In,
move that the committee rise, and that both of
the resolutions might be printed. He wished
TO have ii re 10 think of this business-to
deliberate before we took this leap in the dark
into the Archipelago, or the Black Sea, or into
the wide mouth of the La Plata. He might be
permitted to add one or two other views. He
knew, he said, that the post Of honor on the
other side of the House, the post of toll and of
difficulty on this side, if, indeed any body should
be with him on this side. 1twas a difficult and
an invidious task to stem the torrent of public
sentiment when all the generous feelings of the
human heart were appealed to. But sir, said
Mr.. r. was delegated to this House to guard
the interests of the people of the United States,
not to guard the rights of other people and if
it was doubted, even in the case of England,
that land fertile above all other lands mot ex-
cepti g Greece herself) in great snen-if it was
doubtful whether her interference in the politi-
lSo " TIC SoHtiittSIit, SGpdfStcO III
only by narrow firth, were either for her no.
nor or advantage if the effect of that iuterfer-
ence has been monumental debt that paraly-
yes the that might now stilSe for Greece
the arm that certainly would have struck for
Spain, can it be for us to seek in the very bot
ton ofthe Mediterranean for quarrel with the
Ottoman Porte? And this while We have an
ocean rolling between? While we are in that
sea without single port in which to refit ship?
Al l. e ID
cession in our path Shall we open the Pan
lora's box Of political evils? 1t has been wise
ly and truly said, that it is possible the mere
r'lmour Of our interference may produce at
Constantinople or at Smyrna that which will
drive us at once into war. We ali know the
connection that subsists between the Barbarv
states and what we may denomnate the mother
power. Are we prepared for a war with these
pirates9 mot that we are not perfectly compe-
tent to such war; but does it SUIT our fnan-
ces? Does it, Sir, suit orr magnificent pro-
iects of roads and canals? Does it suit the
temper OF our people, Does it promote their
interests /? VIII it add to their happiness -
Sir, why did we remain supine while Piedmont
| and Naples were crushed by Austria WHY
did we stand aloof, while the Spanish peninsula
was again reduced under legitimate govern
ment? five did not interfere then, why now
Sir, refer you to the memorable attempted in
reference OF that greatest OF statesmen, when
he was in the zenith of his glory-,vhen all his
dazzling beams were unshorn. You know
mean Mr.. Pitt; and sseter you, as common
taly OF that attenpU,sd int sayence, to the
speech of Mr.. Fox, a speech fraught with the
wisdom of a real statesman. Here Mr.. Ran
dolph paused. When he resumed, he said |
perceive, sir, | have overcalculated my strength
feel that am not what l was. The effort OF
speaking is too much for me. The physical
effort has suspended, fas, when physical effort
is violent, it always does,) the intellectual pow
er. What wished to say was, that this Quixo-
merica, Or | will add, to North America, $50
much of it as lies without our own boundary
YOU know mean Mexico, that this Quixotism
is not what the sober and rejecting minds of
our people require at our hands. Sir, we are
! in debt as individuals, and we are in debt as
nation; and never, since the DAYS Of Saul and
unpropitious period have been found for such an
undertaking. The state of society is too much
disturbed. There is always, in a debtor, ten
dency either to torpor orto desperation-neither
is friendly to such deliberations. But he would
suspend what he had further to say on the sub
| ject For himself, he saw as much danger, and
more, in the resolution proposed by the gentle
man from Kentucky, as in that of the gentleman
| from Massachusetts. The war that may follow
on the one, is distant war; it lies on the other
side ofthe ocean. The war that may be ndu-
ced by the other, is war at hand it is on the
same continent. He was equally opposed to the
n amendment as well as to that which had since
been offered to the original resolutions. Let US
look little further at all ofthem. Let us sleep
thnrY, hofr