The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-12

nts views. The chairman was Gen. Pnrrn
Il. FoRTER. The President, in his message
earnestly requested that the country should
be put In an attitude Of defence as soon 81
possible, and on the goth OF November the
chairman brought In a report In favor Of the
Recommendation. The proper resolutions
House resolved itself into Committee Of the
Whole, Mr.. BREcKINRIDGB In the chair. on 4
bill from the Senate TO provide Tor raisine
twenty live thousand troops. Mr. Clay adj.
with all the fervor and energy OF his mn.
ture, reviewing the whole conduct Of
Great Britain towards us. and declar.
ing that her object was not SO much
power which she foresaw would. at NO verv
distant period, contest with her the supreMa.
cy on the Ocean. He denounced in terms of
the utmost bitterness. the system OF i'm
press sment Wnicn she had so long practiced
with impuntty, and said that war was iusti.
ned by every consideration OF honor and pat
riotisn, and he hoped il would be declared
before the end Of the session. The bill pass
ca, ana Mr. CLAY afterwards spoke warmly
In favor of q bill for the increase of the naval
force. by AN addition Of ten frigates, which
was also passed. To Mr.. CLAY's eloquence
the country was mainly indebted for this re-
sun, ana lot the glorious consequences which
ensued. IN the deeds of our gallant little Navy.
On the first Of April, the President trans.
mltted TO Congress confidential communica-
tion recommending an embargo for sixty
days. The question was discussed fn secret
session, by the House. A stormy debate i'm
mediately ensued, Mr.. CLAY advocating the
proposition of the Executive with great zeal
and eloquence, principally, he said, because it
was a direct precursor Of war;" The oppo-
sition, led by JOHN RANDOLPH and josiah
QUINCY, fought with desperate determination.
The former said the Speaker was mistaken,
when he said that message was for war. He
had he said, !" too much reliance on the wis
dom and virtue OF the President to believe
that he would be guilty of such gross and un-
paralleled treason" The language of Mr.
QUINCY was equally violent. Mr.. CLAY re-
piled to them both in his warmest and most
vehement style. The message was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations. They
reported in its favor, and the House adopted
the report. In the Senate the time was
changed to ninety days, and in this form it
became law. The attitude Of defiance was
now boldly assumed, mainly through the ex-
ertions OF MIR. CLAY, supported by Mr..
LOwNDRs, Mr. CHEvEs and Mr. CALHOUN
In short time the President sent in his war
message; on the Sd Of June the committee re-
ported a bill in favor Of war, on the 18th it was
formally declared by Congress, and on the 10Th
the President issued q proclamation declar-
lug its existence. Mr.: GALLATlN was called
to report system of finance proper for the
occasion. He disappointed everybody He
pointed out no new resources, but confined
himself to the old odiOus system OF excise.
stamp duties, &c. Nevertheless, MI. CHEvEs.
at the head Of the Committee of Ways and
Means, went to work in the best way he
could to prepare bills for collecting the taxes
&c. When he had nearly gotten through. it
was discovered that both the President and
Mr.. GALLATIN were opposed to the imposition
of the taxes at the same session with the decla-
ration Of war, the latter OBSERVING that the
people would not swallow both together Mr.
CLAY and his friends were obliged to submit
aud the delay turned out, as he expected, to be-
most disastrous to the public service. Con-
gress adjourned to meet again in the Fall
During the recess, important events had &C :
CURED. HULL had ignominiously surrender
ed At Detroit, and the disgracefal affair Of
Fort Niagara had occurred. Attempts had
been made to adjust our difficulties with EugL
land, and had failed because the British Gov
ernment would not give up the right to i'm
press our seamen. In The meantime HULL had
captured the q Guerrier, after an action of thir-
ty mil utes. and the Nation was intoxicated
with the fame of the triumph. In January,
1913, the Military Committee reported a bill
for raising twenty thousand additional troops.
1t was vehemehtly opposed by Mr.. QUINCY,
who took occasion, in his speech, TO denouEce
NAPOLEON and Mr.. JEFFERSON in terms of
the vilest billingsgate. Mr.. CLAY replied
His speech is the noblest defence Of Mr. JkF-
FERsON and his policy that either ever receiy-
ed QUINCY had submitted a proposition to
impeach Mr.. JEFFERSON, while he was Presi-
dent, and the House had considered it,. But
when the vote came to be taken. he found him.
self in minority OF one. Mr.. CLAY dWelt
with immense force upon this legislative feat.
The day on which he delivered this speech
was intensely cold, bat the crowded audience
were electrified by his eioquence. He con-
cluded by strongly recommending the calling
out of the whole resources OF the nation. in men
and money, for the purpose Of resistance. The
bill passed.
The first session Of the next Congress took
place in May, 1913. Mr.. CLAY was again
chosen Speaker. The President, in his mes
sage, alluded to the savage manner in which
the enemy had conduc ted the war; and upon
motion Of Mr.. CLAY, this portion Of his mes
vnfar rNaAf f<
the speech which he made on this occasion.
Mr.. CLAY declared that If the conduct of the
British and their savage allies had been truly
represented, it deserved the reprobation OF all
Christendom. The report of the committee,
at the head of which was Mr.. MACON, fully
confirmed all that had been saidof the enemy's
atrocities.
In september. 1872. the Emperor AIExAN
DER, of Russia, had intimated to Mr.. ADAMS.
the American Minister at 81. Petersburg, his
intention to-Offer his mediation between Great
Britain and the United States, and, in March
of the next year, the Russian Ambassador at
Washington formally offered the mediation Ut
his Government. The British Government re-
lec ted these offers, but proposed to meet COM
missioners of the United States at Gotfenburg
or London and treat directly. In consequence
of the offer Of the Russian Government,
Messrs. GALLATIN and BAYARD had been sent
to ST. Petersburg TO join MIR. ADAMS, and the
offer of the BRUSH Government being now
accepted, Messrs. JONATHAN Russell and HEN :
the 10Th January, 1914, Mr.. CLAY resigned his
station as Speaker, in an appropriate address,
and a resolution of thanks was passed the
same day, only nine members voting against 1t.
The ePlenipotentiaries first met a Gottirge
but afterwards transferred their sittings to
Ghent. The whole time employed in bring
ing the negotiations to a conclusion, WAS
about five months. The proceedings were
slow in consequence OF the British Commis
sioAers sending every note home to be decided
on BY the Ministry, before deciding on it them
selves. At one time the negotiations were
like to be blown up, by the publication of the
official dispatches Of the American Commis.
sioners, giving detailed account of the whole
proceedings, and exI ressing small hopes of an
Adlus tment, in consequence OF the demands of
Great Britain. The British Commissioners
were greatly exasperated; but the affair was
smoothed over by the inimitable tact of Mr..
CLAY. Numerous anecdotes are related of
Mr.. CLAY and the Commissioners, but we
have room for them here. Upon two
points, it seemed impossible for the parties to
agree. The Americans claimed an equal pri-
viiege with the British in fishing in the Gulf
OF New Foundland, and the seas in the neigh
borhood, and the British claimed an equal
right with Americans to navigate the Missis-
sippi. Mr.. ADAMS, Mr.. BAYARD, and GALA.
TIN, were disposed to exchange one privilege
for the other. Messrs. CLAY and RUSSELL
opposed all exchange. Matters went SO far
that Mr.. CLAY finally declared he would sign
no treaty which gave to a foreign nation the
same terms with our own people-that it
would be just as reasonable to insist on our
right 70 navigate the Thames. The other
Commissioners finally yielded the point and
to the nrmness of Mr CLAY we are indebted
for retaining In our hands, the exclusive navi.
CATION Of that great Tiver. The treaty of Ghent
has long been before the world. We need not,
therefore, speak OF 1t here. Mr.. CLAY remained
in Europe nntil September, 1915, visited both
Paris and London, arrived in New York ia
October, where he was complimented with
public dinner, reached home In the same
month-and found that he had been elected 70
Congress during his absence. Doubts having
arisen as to the legality Of thiseiection, . new