The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-07-30

was funded, and moderate taxes were imposed
4 navy was built FOR Interpretations 81 commerce.
We considered all nations, equally: in war as
enemies, in peace as friends and there fore q
strict neutrality towards all nations, was pre-
served. 1t would be impossible to enumcrate
every wise Teasuresof the Washingtonianad miz
nistrations: suffice it to say, that during their
continuance, the prosperity ofthis' aeountryzvas
unexampled in the annals of time. The dreams
OF fancy were mostrealised. Cities rose up as
if by magic, Throughout our country, RrHlNvealth
flowed in upon us from all nations The will
derness yielded to the hand Of agriculture, and
fields loaded with the rich harvests, covered
those gloomy forests, where wild beasts, but a
few years before, had used to roam. &
Happy, indeed, were these people, had they
but known their own happiness. Notwithsand-
ing their prosperity, faction still continued to
rage and to Increase. The possession of power
was the end of the opposition; about the means
theyiwere regardless. Their leaders pretended
to tender solicitpde for the welfare Of the people.
Their voices were loud in, favor of public econo-
my, and against navy, army and taxes
Although France had wantouly captured; a great
number of our vessels without ca,ise, had actu-
ally demalIcd tribute from us, and had threat
ened our country with invasion, and withthe
dreadful fate Of Venice, if it We're not pad ;al-
though she had twice refused to recognise our
ministers, who went suPphcating forPeace, they
wire opposed to raising an army or navy for
our defence. After an army had been raised,
notwithstanding. 1T was commanded by Washing
ton, and destined to act against foreign enemy,
they loudly expressed their apprehensions, That
twas intended to destroy our republican form
OF government, and substitute monarchy In its
stead.'i7The taxes, necessary for its support, af
forded them n fresh theme of defamation By
means such as these, they Succeeded so well in
their endeayors, that they at length became'the
majority ofthe nation, and got its destinIes pla-
ccd in their hands How they have used their
power, twill now be my endeayorto show,a
!. They began with the destruction of the navy.
1t has been supposed by the Federal administra-
tions, that a navy was our best defence From
the locality of our country, and from the nature
of such force, they knew that it would be pc
cuharly calculated to protect our shores from
foreign fnvasions, and To make us respected by
the nations of the world; without, like a stand
ing army, endans ering Iii Liberties, 1t was also
tereSeen by them, that without a navy, Youraeom-
merce would be exposed, as a richtemptation, to
the avariee of all nations, and in consequence
Of our own weakness, we would be subjecte to
constant insalh and injuries upon the ocean,
without the power of resistance. 1t had there
fore been their pelicyy gra lHally to erect navy
and they had built great number Of vessels at
the time When the first democratic administration
came into power. + ~ - ,.. ...'..
nj tHdG hiOUieHL the scene changed. L nGY haQ
promised the people an exemption from taxes,
ind unless they could perform, their popularity
was in danger. They did not hesitate what
saurse to pursue. They. Immediately sold our
aational ships-they disarmcd the 'country--left
.ommmerce unprotectedand invited insult and
Injustice from abroad, that they might not be
indcr the necessity Of imposing trihing tax,and
hereby injuring their popularity at home.,.,....
Thanks to Providence, the delusioa upon this
IA an1 ~
,ears in its proper light before the public. The
title remnant of that navy, which had been fond
yicherished by Washington and his adherents,
tut which was de'pised by the patriots Of the
present day, has risen triumphant above its enc
MES at home, and has made the proud mistress
# the ocean tremble. The people are w:con-
linced that the navy is their best defence
The, democratic administration next declared
var against commerce. They were not sat isfed
With depriving it of the protection Of navy,
rat they acted ias though they had determined
pon ats humiliation. At time, when the ma
ions at Europe were conYulsed by dreadful
vars, the United States being neutral, and wien
consequence thereof, all our native productions
'ere in the greatest demand, and the carrying
ride ptesented.t to our merchants. a rich harvest
. every quarter Of the globe, they shut up our
orts by embargoes and non-importation laws. |
y these means, the streams of wealth, which |
'eEe flowing intoour national treasury and into |
,ir country from tAe thousand fountains of com
lerce, were suddenly dried up. These acts of
arricide gave an instantaneous and a dreadful |
low to our prosperity. The voice of business |
5as no longer heard in our cities The Stiffness |
death pervaded every street. Detection and |
espair sat upon each mans ceuntenance- The |
ewspapers of the day, instead Of being filled |
Nth arrivals from abroad, and sales of mer- |
handize, tcemed with bankruptcies. And our |
hips were laid up to rot, as melancholy monu-
tents of the weak and wicked policy of our
oF eminent. " 80. ~ - 81 81
Who that has witnessed these things, cannot
bserve the hand of the Corsican despot, like |
nat dreadful hand upon the wall Of the Babylo-
ish monarch, writing our destruction. Who |
an avoid believing that Bonaparte was the
PURGE Of this policy and that it was intended
, operate IN Unison with his continental system
might perhaps be unwarrantable to assert,
nat our administration were actually corrupted
y France, but that their politics were biassed
y a warm and improper Partially for that coun-
", there can be no doubt 80
Time will not allow me to enumerate all the
ther wild and wicked projects of the democrat
&c administrations Suffice it to say, that after
hey had deprivedus of the means of defence, by
estroying our, navy, and disbanding our army
fter they had taken away from US the power of
ecreating them, by running commerce, the great
oarce of our national and individual wealth;
fter they had, by refusing the Bank Of the Uni
ed States a continuation of their charter, en-
arrassed the financial concerns Of the govern
nent, and Withdrawn the only universal paper
Medium Of the country from circulation; after
he people had become :inaccustomed to, and of
curse, unwilling to bear, taxation; and without
money in the Treasury, they rashly plunged us
nto war with a nation, more able to do us in
ury, than any other in the world. '''ii-'' ~
What was the dreadful necessity for this des-
,erate measured Was our country invaded
10: Were our librties in danger? No. Was it
o protect our little remaining commerce from
he injuries it sustained by the orders in council?
No.. Commerce was not such a favorite, and
he merchants wished for no war ON that ac-
,ount. Besides, IF the existence of the orders in
,oancil hid Been its true cause, after their re-
,fal, our country would have aeceptedsthe olive
,ranch which was offered by England. .s.li-
wv That then was the causes The one for which
draw;thefsword and risk our all,
was to determine an abstract question of the law
Of nations, concerning WHICH, an opinion differ
ant from that of straffoa. held bv