The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-29
From the Charleston Courier
THE PROBLEM SOLVED.

|
Hitherto it has been matter of some doubt whe
Their principal Southern cities unapproach
able by steamers of the largest class That doubt
| is now removed, and We have had ocular demonstra-
! lion that sand-bars and shoa-water Coast are no
longer barrier against the easy and rapid approach
of the heaviest war steamers that will be employ
ed by the navies Of the world. The arrival of the
| Clyde, ship of more than 800 tons burden and
her presence abreast of our wharves in the very midst
of our commercial marine puts at lest every question
connected with the practicabllity ofemploying these
steamers in naval war!are upon our coast And yet
| our eyes are not open upon this subject As ma
ton, bind absolutely and perversely blind to
the Of events in Europe. We shall probably
refuse open eyes by timely effort and perhaps
supinely and insignIfcantly wait the inevitable ten
dency of things, until we are aroused by the pery
expected thunders Of first attack! Amidst the roar
of enemy's artillery-wth the lightnings of his
fires about ears, and his smoke in our abitatons
the scales may drop from our eyes and We folding
our arms, look abroad astonhed that should have
slept sleep of seven-and-twenty years, without so
much dreaming, in all that me that others were
| awake and plotting mischief against us
We may, however, conso.e ourselves with the re-
Election that "China games" can be payed in this
hemisphere. Our national somnoency may continue
our cities may be surprised and burned-utery de-
stroyed-and then the game is only just begun. AL
though the follies of luxury and extravaganza have
made most fearful strides in the land yet section
has become impotent by corruption as to tolerate
contribution the easiest method of deprecating or
repeing enemy. The ransom should pay for
captured city would be cheap to Us in national
point of view-because, instead of specie silk tea
1t would be composed of good "klood, thunder, and
STEEL the bodest and braves of foes can ever
ask.
1t is the dictate of common prudence, not less than
of sound national WISDOM that we, in the language
of ou great Washington, should Gin peace prepare for
wal" But this excellent admonon seems to
be regarded by statesmen maxim to be used in
ornamental and fancitul, rather than in practical
sense-and mere rhetorical flourish rather than
in good sober earnest.
With discreet administration of our affairs at
w ashngton we should never for moment be left
unprcpared for vigorous resistance at any of the
numerous points of access seaboard. No petty
Indian war-nothing connected with our domestic
policy should ever be permitted to jus ity the
ton of our principal forts. Come what may--at all
times and under all circumstances respectable garri
should be maintained upon our Atantic and he
Northern and Western frontier. Ii it becomes really
necessary to the troops from the harbor of
rich commercial mart the forts should be instantly
placed in the hands of the naval authorities. The
maments Of fort and of ship very similar,
that naval officer would ever feel the slightest awk
wardness in exercising the duties of transfer. In
fact some of the ablest fort defences recorded his
tory made by sailors and marines, under the d-
rection of their respective officers.
The dilapidated and miserable condition of our har-
Dor Iefonces, along the whole of our Atlantic line,
has been truly lamentabe, for many years past and
deep reproach to the Government. While factions
have been busy in distributing and squanderng a
dundant Treasury while frivolous aspirans to
notoriety have rittered away, the time and money of
the nation, principal seaports have been left al
most totally defenceess. Within year or two past
the extraordinary spectacle has been witnessed In the
emporium of American commerce, of a total inability
to ret urn salute Of courtesy due to the flag of TO
reign wan o-war Ought such things to be in
country like ours--or do we believe in the decision
that human nature is changed and that men are pre-
caring to reverse the maxim Of Knight against rght?
The times portentous-and the apparent calm
at this moment is pregnant with The evils OF which all
history admonishes us to be watchtul Dangersor diff
cullies of any kind, when anticipated and provided
for, ale readily controlled and surmountcd if not
wholly repealed.