Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-06-05

( Rod when the Navy was most unpopular, when
it was called by all sorts Of hard names, and des.
ignated by many coarse epthets, on one OF those
occasions, on which young men address their
neighbors, | ventured TO put forth boys hand IN
defence Of the Navy. | insisted on its impor.
lance, its adaptation 10 our circumstances, and to
our national character; and its indispensable ne.
cessity, if we intend to maintain and extand our
commerce. These opinions and sentiments |
brought into Congress- and, so far as remember,
il was the first, or among the first times, in which
presumed to speak on the topics Of the day, that
attempted 10 urge on the House a greater atten-
ton to the naval service. There were divers
modes of prosecuting the war. On these modes,
or on the degree of attention and expense which
should be bestowed on each, different men held
different oprons. confess looked with most
hope to the results Of naval warfare, and there.
| fore invoked Government to invigorate and
strengthen that arm Of the national defence.
invoked it to seek its enemies upon the seas-to
go where every suspicious indication pointed, and
where the whole heart and soul oil the country
would go with it,
Sir, we were at war with the greatest maratime
Power on earth. England had gained an ascen.
dency on the seas over the whole combined pow.
ers Of Europe. She had been at war twenty
years. She had tried her fortunes on the CONT
nent, but generally with no success. At one
time the whole continent had been closed against
her. A long line Of armed exterior, an unbro.
ken hostile array, frowned upon her from the gull
Of Archangel, around the promontory OF Spain
and Portugal, to the foot Of the boot OF Italy
There was not port which an English ship could
enter Every where on the land the genius oil her
great enemy had triumphed. He had defeated
armies, crushed coalitions, and overturned thrones;
but like the tabled giant, he was uncomfortable
only while he touched the land. On the ocean
he was powerless. That field Of fame was his
adversarys, and her meteor flag was streaming in
triumph all over it.
To her maratime ascendency, England owed
everything, and we were now at war with her,
One of the most charming Of her poets has said
Of her, that
'Her march is DER the mountain wave,
"Her home is on the deep"
Now, Sir, since we were at war with her, | was
for intercepting this march; was for calling on
her, and paying our respects to her at home, was
for giving her to know that we, too, had right
OF way over the seas, and that our marine officers
and our sailors were not entire strangers on the
bosom Of the deep; was for doing something
more with our Navy, than to keep it on ouI
shores, for the protection Of our own coasts anc
our own harbors; | was for giving play to its gal
liant and burning spirit for allowing it to go iortt
upon the SEAS and encounter on an open and al
equal field, whatever the proudest or the braves
OF the enemy could bring againstit it, knew thu
character Of its officers, and the spirit OF its sea
men; and knew that, in their hands, though tn
flag Of the country might go down to the bottom
while they went with it, yet that i, could neve
be dishonored or dsgraced
, Since she was our enemy-and most powerful
enemy-I was for touching her, if we could, il
the very apple Of her eye; for reaching the highes
feat her in her cap; for cutching at the very high
est Jewel in her crown. There seemed TO ME t
be peculiar proprety in all this, as the war wa
undertaken for the redress Of maratne injurie
alone. 1t was war declared for free trade ant
sailors rights. The ocean, therefore, was thu
proper theatre for deciding this controversy will
our enemy, and on that theatre my ardent wist
was, that our own power should be concentrated
to the utmost.
So much, Sir, for the war, and for my conduc
and opinions as connected with it. And, as d.
not mean to recur TO this subject often, or ever
unless indispensably necessary, | repeat the de
maHd for any charge, any accusation, any allega
ton whatever, that throws me behind the honora
BILE gentleman, or behind any other man, in hon
or, in fidelity, or in devoted love Of that country
in which was born, which has honored me, an
which serve. |, who seldom deal in defiance
E now, here, in my place, boldly defy the honor;
I bic member to put his nsinuation in the form
+ charge, and to support the charge by any proc
Whatever