The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-20
MR.. RAYNER, OF NORTH CAROLINA.
We make the following extract from the
speech of the Hon. Kenneth Rayner on the
Treasury Note Bill
Ertract from Mr.. Rayner's Speech.

speech OF the Hon. Kenneth Rayner on the
Treasury Note Bill
Ertract from Mr.. Rayners Speech.
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wise) labored
to prove that the present only temporary and
not permanent deficiency and that as soon as con-
fdence is restored and trade reviyes the
der the Compromise act will be sufficient TO meet the
expenditures of the Government differ with him
entirely have attempted TO show that there is debt
of than twenty millions that will fall upon the
next four years, and this must be paid in addition to
the current expenditures. But l believe that if we
entirely out of debt in the present ruinous and
deenceless condition of the country the revenue would
not be sufficient to meet the necessary expenditures
Sir the public money has been squanGered wasteully
squandeled upon favorte partisans and by aithless
agents. We must not only provide for the present,
bit for the neglect and misrule of the past and the
exigencies of the future Why, what is our present
condition. Our army brought into disrepute--our
navy going to wreck--our Notifications deserted
without barracks without foundries without harbors
without every thing, in fact which is calculated to
prove pride in peace, and our defence 10 war
shall not shrink from discharge Of duty for fear
of the demegogue cry that am in favor Of splendid
and expensive Government Those whd know me,
know that am friend to consolidation or to an un-
necessary strengthening of the powers the General
Government. | believe great crisis is approaching
in the history of the world and that it behooves the
United States of America to put hersefin situation
to protect flag and our commerce abroad and our
free institutions at home, Although am opposed to
standing armies in time of peace in the spirit and for
the purpose for which they kept in the monarches
of Europe, yet do believe that our army should be
put in such state of discipline to form nucleus
around which the military feeling of the navy may
rally whenever our yeomanry shall leave their fire.
sides and their homes, order to defend them from
foreign foe. The civilized world is on the eve of
great convulsion. Throughout the States of Europe
liberal principles ready to burst forth into action are
suppressed by the sword and bayonet national dfe-
rences are widening every day the wisdom and for
bearance of states scarcely repress the fervor
of excement and after peace of twenty five years.
three million of armed men stand ready to shed each
others blood When the collision does take place
will be to the political world what the shock of the
earthquake is to the natural and thrones and domi
Mons municipalities and powers will be shaken their
base. Can we, intimately connected as we are get
ting to be in commercial relations with the great
Queen of European we expect to steer clear of diff
fculty2 And if we maintain armed neutrality as
we ought and no doubt should attempt to do ought
we not to prepare ourselves for such position
Gentlemen may say this is all conjecture. If So
let look at something little more tangible Every
one must admit that present relations with Eng
land augur any thing else than peace and harmony
The bayonet of the Brton is cleaning on our North
eastern border, and portion of the American soil is
now trodden, forcibly trodden by foreign feet Sir
this is no Northern question-no sectional question
but great national question: involving national honor
and national rights And if force does become ne
cessary to vindcate the national character we of the
South well the North, will not only pour out our
revenue, but will pour out our blood. England
has also taken possession of the mouth of the Column
bia river, the great outlet through which the com
of posterity will go freighed to the bosom Of
the Pacific, and is territory which claim as in
dsputably ours. We cannot much longer submit to
these aggressions; and when do act we should be
in position to sustain ourselves with honor Let
mt he said that L endeaVOrnU N uetu WAY
element against England. shall be the last one to
insist upon war; whilst the country is In its present
defenceess condition Mr. Chairman, with all nv
admiration for the greatness and the glory of England
yet look with fearful apprehension upon the dangers
Of collision with atglgantc power. With an am
bton more grasping than that of Rome in her pami-
days she is extending her Brarean arms into every
region of this mighty globe. Her flag is floating in
every breeze-her ships covering every sea- Uni
versal dominion seems to be her object and her aim
Suppose should be precipitated into war with
England-what would be our condition. Our army
reduced to handful and they in the swamps of Flo
rida held at bay by the savage Our navy consisting
of but few frigates, and still fewer ships and they
unfit for service. Our Notifications unnamed and
decaying for want of repairs. Without barracks
without ordnance, without munitions of war; and
what is still worse than all these, with an empty
Treasury and no means of suppyingit. With twen-
ty thousand veterans our Northern border Eng
land would invade territory and ay our frontiers
IN ruins. WIN UeeJ OF steamships she would
ravape our coasts, and lay our cities in ashes By
throwing few regiments of her manumtted West
India slave troops upon Southern coast she would
excite domestic instruction there. Her machina-
tons would soon reach the sixty thousand Indian
warriors that are congregated our Western border,
whose yell would resound from the Mississippi to the
Alleganes. This Indian population is already rest
less and DISCONTINUED With lingering eye they
look back upon the deserted graves of their fathers
and with feelings exaspeated and alnos goaded into
madness by the inhction Of their accumulated wrongs
they are prepared for a sudden outbreak whenever
there is the least prospect of Thus hemmed
in on all sdes-on the North, on the West on the
Eastern and Southern coasts--what would be our
situation Gentlemen may say these dangers all
imaginary, and that should triumph over all these
difficulties. | know il, sir; | know it. American
patriotism and American proves would save in the
end, and expe the invader from our soil. But how
much suffering would il cost us how much blood
would it shed2 How many a widowed heart would
it ring with anguish how many an orphan would it
leave parentess in the world In the meantime, what
would become of our commerce, which is extending
itsefino every part of the world Exposed TO the
power and rapacity of our enemies, little navy
would he shattered to pieces and our commerce driven
from the ocean.
said | opposed to large standing armies in
time of peace. Not SO with navy. There ASSOC
Citations connected with our gallant navy, which
should endear it to the heart of every American pa
triot Its heroic exploits during the last taught
England what she had to fear from American vaor,
even on her favorite element. And owing TO the
relative position of our country to the European pow
ers, If we ever have protracted war with any of
them it must be a maritime war mainly What pro-
lection could our small navy afford to commerce.
against the numbers and strength of theirs Look to
England France, Russia, even Turkey and Egypt |
they increasing their naval power daily The |
Mediterranean is literally shinged with fleets of the
European powers. The East West India Archipela-
goes are coverad with English ships and the CONNER
caI system Of China and the Eas., in danger of being
entirely revoluiionized, or put on new footing
France is sending her hostile naval ornaments almost
to our own doors. One day we sec her battering
down the Castle Of st Juan de Uloa in Mexico, and
the next blOckading the port Of Buenos Ayres And !