The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-26
From the 81. Louis Bulletin
OUR NAVY.


The Boston Courier says much in few words on
this very important question. 1t Is not worth while
to mince matters when abiding to our relations with
England and shall not hesitate to say that we do
not differ widely from the Courier on this subject
Misunderstanding but cannon ball has ever
brought her to acknowledge the existence of right
of any sort in any other nation IT our Government
has any intention Of securing our merchantmen against
the annoyance of British armed ships, it must increase
our Navy-and that right speedily. Nothing has
ever been--nohng will be, obtained from Great
Britain by negotiation. She considers all negota-
ton as form permitted for the purpose Of amusing
other nations while she is preparing the means and
deciding on the mode of subectng them to her despo
tism and converting them to colonial establishments
Boston Courier.
We can remain at peace with England solong as we
quietly submit to indgnity and injustice without muir
muring, and longer Indeed we are not qr>e
sure we can live long in peace with her, though tame
ly submitting to indig and injustice Quee,
Victoria may possibly find it necessary to employ her
people in with US, to keep them IN subJectIon
to herself
Be this as it may we have nop important md deli
cate question TO be arranged by negotiation, be de-
cided by arms whilst public opinion is destined. ere
long to force our President manufacturers, at wash
ngton to turn their attention 10 some Other matters o
national concern which must and will lead to.the
adoption of defensive and retaiatory regulations IN
commerce. and to which England probably will not
willingly submit.
acquiesce in that unequal trade, which now carried
on with England, and which has nearly impoverished
the country and almost destroyed its ability to sustain
anu Banking system. The excess OF our imports over
our exports has involved us in debts, the principal Of
which cannot now pay, and the interest on winch
it is almost if not quite impossible to meet And
what have we to shO,c for it all Not the value OF
Franklin's whistle
What is to be done We must first obtain induI-
gence from our creditors, and having done this,
must place trade upon the footing OF reciprocity
in conformity with the plain dictates of duty and the
principles of common sense we must buy only OF
those who will take products, or their proceeds
when exchanged, in payment and we must INSIST
either upon equal ad valorem imposs, o. impose re-
taatory and discriminating duties "To this com
pexion it must come at last , and the sooner the bet
ter That temporary conflict with England would
be likely result from the adoption of the latter al
Tentative is not to be disguised II II be hr VIII, lei
it come-bH let us first prepare for IT,
Why should trade with any nation upon unc-
quail terms If England will refuse some ofour most
important staples -four and tobacco which her people
want, but which her government will not admit,
cept they are starving for want OF the former and VIII
consent to pay exorbitan tax for the latter amount
ing to actual prohibition as, regards 9-loths of her
people if she will refuse these important products of
ours why shall not realiate by excluding some
of her important manu- acures which our own people
ca n by encouragement, provide at home Gus sub
mission to this unequal trade is not only rulnous but
degrading We say them that it is the duty Of oar
Government to insist upon fair and reciprocal trade
Preparatory to the adoption Of this policy, howe
YER let us be ready for the consequences OF carrying
il out Our Navy must be very greatly increased.
Our future conflicts will be, on the ocean. There is
our commerce there are we assallable and there
only are we weak Our coast is extensive, and can
not be sufficiently fortified on the land Our thou
sand rivers are navgabe by steamships, and the
periority of England in those fast moving batteries
would be alike disastrous to our commerce, to our
seaport towns and to our national honor Thousands
and tens of thousands of strong hands aud stout heart,
might flock to Boston, to New York, to Norfolk e.
Charleston, or to New Orleans to meet an enemy,
but they would hardly reach in time to behold III,
smoke of the ruins of those cities :#a
Can any proposition be palmer, than that il Is The
imperative duty Of Congress, to place our navl
force upon such footing, that the aboycmenlioncd
consequences would not result from war with Eng
land Does Congress fear that the people would
complain of an outlay of few millions of dollars.
to protect property to the amount OF hundreds OF
millions and the still valuable treasure al
our nations honor; Whatever opinions, hostile 70
a naval force existed in the carly history OF our go
vernment there is sensible man, ana certainly no
patriot who at this day would hesitate to sanction
such an expenditure would be necessary to proec
our commerce in every sea, defend our coast from
north to south and upon the lakes and cope with the
fleets of any nation on the globe.
The amount of property ahoat upon the ocean and
upon the lakes annually, belonging to American en-
Gems cannot fall much short of two hundred millions
whilst that accessible to the steam vessels of an enc
my IN commercial towns, would swell the aEGfc
gate to more than thrice that sum; and all pjs " n
our National Independence and our national honor aTr
to be protected and defended by Nary
Ought not our Navy to be increased Mos an.
questionable
We shall occasionally advert to his very important
subject, as our leisure permits
y-r PRE CHING AT the CApIroL.-The Rev 81
4. q. a.