Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-02-11
Mr.. R.aNDOLPH'S SPEECH.

him subject of unfeigned regret, that the very
few unpremeditated words into which, few
days since, he had been so suddenly and unex-
pectedly betrayed, should in the opinion of
those for whose judgment he had much greater |
Difference than for his own, have begot neces- |
sity for some further illustration. He could, with
the most serious and unaffected sincerity, as
sure the committee, that whenever he was so
unfortunate as TO be under the necessity of
trespassing on their attention, the pain which it
gave them to listen, was not greater than that
which he had i'll addressing them; and he
hoped that that consideration would secure
respectful attention to the little-the very lit
tie, that he had to say.
Sir, said Mr.. r. the resolution before you, if
we are TO take the word of the honorable gen
tleman that moved it, is, in itself, almost moth
ing--a speck in the political horizon but sir,
no man better knows than the honorable NOV
er that it is from clouds of that portent in the
moral and political, as we'll as in the natural at
mosphere, that storms, the most disastrous in
their consequences, usually proceed. The res
olution, in itself, is nothing, when compared
with the consequences which it involves. 1t
appears to me that the bearings and consequent
ces Of the measures proposed by this resolution
have not yet been traced to their utmost ex-
tent; nor, by any means, Mr.. r. said, did he
intend TO undertake the task. But he would
give the committee, as succinctly as he could,
some of the views in which it presented itself
to him.
tits with serious concern and alarm, said Mr..
r. that | have heard doctrines preached in
this debate, fraught with consequences more
disastrous to the best interests of this people
than any that ever heard advanced during
the five au' twenty years that | have been
honored with a seat on this floor. They inn
ply, to my apprehension, a total and funda-
mental change of the policy pursued by this
government, alb urbe cOnduG-from the foun-
dation of the Republic, TO the present day.
Are we, sir, to go on a crusade, in another
hemisphere, for the propagation of two OBJ
jects-obiects as dear and delightful to ma
heart as to that of any gentleman in this, or
in any other assembly--L Liberty and Religion
and, in the name of these holy words-by
this powerful spell, is this nation to he conjur-
ed and persuaded out ofthe high way of heav-
en-out Of its present comparative happy
state, into all the disastrous conflicts arising
from the policy of European powers, with all
the consequences which flow from them?
Liberty and Religion, Sir! l believe that
nothing similar to this proposition is to BE-
found in modern history, unless in the famous
decree of the French National Assembly.
which brought combined Europe against
them, with its united strength, and, after re-
peated struggles, finally effected the down
lal of the French power. Sir, am wrong
there is another example of like doctrine :;
and you find it among that strange and pc
culiar peope-in that mysterious book, which
is of the highest authority with them, (for it
is at once their gospel and their law,) the
Koran, which enJoins it to be the duty of all
good Moslems to propagate its doctrines at
the point of the sword-by the edge of the
cimeter. The character of that people is a
peculiar one: they differ from every other
race. 1t has been said, here, that it is four
hundred years since they encamped in Europe.
Sir, they were encamped, on the spot where
we now find them, before this country was
discovered, and their title to the country which
they occupy is as good as ours. They hold
their possessions there by the same title by
which all other countries are held-possesson,
obtained, at first, by successful employment
OF force, confirmed by time, usage, prescrip-
tion--the best of all possible titles. Their
policy, Mr. r. said, had been, not tortuous.
like that of other States of Europe, but straight
forward: they had invariably appealed to the
sword, and they held by the sword. The
Russians had, indeed, made great encroach-
ments on their empire, but the ground had
been contested inch by inch; and the acqui-
sitions of Russia, on the side of Christian En-
rope-Livonia, lngria, Cour1and-Finland to
the Gulf of Northumberland. had been
greater than OF the Mahometans. And, in
consequence Of this straight forward policy, to
which Mr.. X. had before referred, this pecu-
Of the powers of Continental Europe, whose
capital had never been insulted by the pres
ents of foreign military force. 1t was curl
Gus fact, well worthy of attention, that Con-
stantinople was the only capitol in Continen-
tai Europe-for Moscow was the true capitol
Of Russia-that had never been in possession
OF an enemy. 1t is, indeed, true, said Mr.. r.
that the Compress Catharine did inscribe over
the gate of one Of the cities that she won in
the krimea, (Cherson, think " the road 10
Byzantium :" but, sir, it has Ir)veG-perhaps
too low word for the subject-but a stumpy
road for Russia. Who, at that day, would
have been believed had he foretold TO that
august flor SO she was) and illustrious woman,
that her Cossacs Of the Ukraine, and of the
Don, would have been encamped in Paris
before they reached Constantinople? Who
would have been believed if he had foretold
that French invading force, such as the
world never saw before, and trust will never
again see, would lay Moscow itself in ashes?
These are considerations worthy of attention
before we embark in the project proposed by
this resolution, the consequences of which no
human eye can divine.
would respectfully ask the gentleman
from Massachusetts,, said Mr.. r. whether in
his very able and mastery aTgument-and he
has said all that could be said upon the sub
ject, and more than ! supposed could be said
by any man, in favor Of his resolution-wheth-
er he himself has not furnished an answer to
his speech had not the happiness myself to
hear his speech, but friend has read it to