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.... 4 .... : 3 0 J? . - - -'- : : "the IRUrU oorGUIDE-7t'hr PUBLIC GOOD oohno." . . . , ' ;V - ' VouLJ- - - . . , uriuuitfGlQNtfi.C) WESDaT JANUARY , 809. -' No. I. 4 ' .... ,.,,, ,,, 'v, ., , .j., '.,.., i ...,... ..'.,. .1-,! j,'"'-,-, , ,-lf llfll, u ' M " zj i , 7 i ii: in r i y ' '' .MR. GILBS' SPEXCtt.; ,i DtVivered In Senate of th United Sttci, an Tl)urfdiy4iih" November, 1808, mi the refoliirioivof Mr. Hilihoufe, to ie. peVl the Ebaro LaV6 r. PreGdent--Having ifuring tbe re;. i cpfs Ol Congrefs retiied from the political "worli', and having, little agency in the paf fuij; political fcf net, living iri part of the country toorhere there u 1 ttle or ro dii fe.e'nce in politicalopiniors and vvheie the embirgoljws are almoft uuiverfallv. ap proved , I fell the real want of information . npon' the fuhject, now under difiuilioa. 1 thought I luitw fomething of the gencri jbjtifls cf the embargo laVs, atid I had not b?ca inattentive to -their general operatiwft upon (ociety, as far at I had opor;uniiiei tl obfetvirg thercupoiv ' ., " fubjetl h excited to much fentioilii in the miudt of many gentlemen t met with, as to cnprofs theit whole ihoughts, and " Imolt to bamlh every other topic of conVerfation ; I fell alfo a curiofity to ktiow, what wtre the Iiorrible e U thtff lawn in o her pant . cf the country, and which had efcaped my obfervation in the part of. the country in which I refide Ot courfe, Sir. f have giv en tq th ger.tlemcr. uho have favored us wiih t heir obfervations on boih fides of the uc(iion under confideration, the mod ; -. iare'ul and retpectiul attention, and putt! culatiy to the gentlemen reprelemine the tallera fedion of the union, where iroft of . this feaCbiiiry had been excited " I always Bftea to senttemen from ilut - part of the Uni eJ bta-e i with pteufure, and' frecerallf vi diiuu, i iti i;.ucl.m y c.'.ijcii;J to ac ' knowledge, that I h-ve receircd from thctn kTt Utktaction, and left inforntattoa, than Bfaal t and lidl left conviction. . . ' It was iuid'y to have been exptQd,Mr PufuUnt that af.er fl many angry 'and turbulent pallioni had been called tcito ac lion, by the merit agitations throujhout the whole United htatei, rcfu'ting from the election bv the people, to aln.oil all the in.por'arit offices within their gift uf panicuiany iiwrn me cucaions ii eienur furchufing ihePtelideni au Vice Pjrflidcnt of tbe U. S. that gentlemm wuid have rift here perfectly eismpt he feel-ingi,-hi. h this Hate of tl.irgi vrat natural, calculated to infire jJt Iff was it to have been eapdedSti that gentlemen U had ik pif fled the powtr cf tht lMion, and h, Jrom fame cufe or other, lud loft it ; (a loft, which the now tell us thr y but rtmmr and 1 ftar, might have led, dtrf j dflrtt) gfnt'emeo too, bir, who at onetime dating he e;cc tionec ring fcrne, haJ indulged the fond arddelullr hope, that tbroah the priva tkms oeccff.rily impofed upon our fellow ci.'ucai, by thi un tamp ed irr Cons cf the brHgffent puweri, they might once tnoe find their wy to oHict and power, and who now find ihernfelvel difappotnted In thi dartin eipeclaiioa. It was not at all to be eipfdvd, bir, that thrfa gcrtlf . mew Could now appear fcrre, peiftaiy etrmpt I oa the onpleafint ffclirci, whtch - to dtcad.f ttl a appoi;itm?nLmC Cf tt fla. , tif have f toduce-i. It wi a demand upon Lurr.irt ru'ute, for toofrett a ficrn.ee and fievrt dtfirable foch an ttemptioa might have bn at tht pttCrtit moment, and bowct r hooorabW it would hate beta to thole gentWoxn, It was not ctprAtd. , Cut, .sr, I had inJu'ged a hope tHat the IMtaoediaaty lUi.gtit, a4 dUEculties prcf W tiptntH, by the tgtcirmg bcl!igettntt atte Jed .00, wi h fo mr.y c(tcunlccri ,44-laJ.juUf i MmauUka keueJ ftidiUi yUtM bjfam of erety trade tiatt tf tHi boy,Nwl,ich womM l.e wh .ly fippcJd, or at lead IVpnded, Uttfe tars pk.fant fcelingt, unt J fame it-tJufrt, cm. In thr j,v-til tasertftl and wt ftri of rt.e pio; , ivuld ue bren drviH, to ftwli t ttl, aad tf f vifible, 16 (uIim Ct extraorduurr cntis l)uviur even in tlui I tion hope too, I have been totally ufappoiuted t was the. more encouraged iri tarn hope, when upon opening this debate the gentle man from ("onsdticut (Mr. Hilhoufe) fecmed fanfible of the f acred obligation, lm pofetl by the crifa, when he exhorted "us in conducting ou' deliberations, ut.rrly to dif card the influence "i party mint - It would have given me great pleafure, Sir, if the gentleman had afforded ug a magnanimous example of a pretext fo admirably fuitedto the prefent Rate of things But in this too, Sir, I have been unfortunately difappointed. That gen leman's obfervations confided almolt exclusively, of retrofpett ve unimad veifions u;ion the original objects arid hor- ib'e effects of the embargo l iw-;, without feeming to ihink it was. worth his attention, to favor us with any reflections unon the profpeuive courfe of mear res. which the people ( iateielU, the public ufe'yind gen eral weltare to impcrionlly demand, . I hit gentleman reprefenteii the embatgt laws- IS mere acts of violation, impelled by nocaue nor neceflity i whillt the Britjfb. orders, and French edicts, were fcarcely glanced af, and ceitainly formed the lead prominent feature of hiso1 fervaions. He repreft n ed thefe laws as a wanton and wicked attack upon commerce, with a view to itsdeltruc tion, whllft he feemed fcarcely to have re collected the extraordinary dangers and dif ficulties, which overfpread the ocean - in deed, Sir, e defcribed the cre,o as per fectly fiee from dangers and difficulties, umufflol by any flbinis, and that we had nothing to do, but io unfutl our canvas to the wind, that it would be Blifd with profpcrotis gales , and wafted to the ports e with open arms of inondlhip and hofpitaiity i I wi!h,Sir w th all my heart, the gentleman could bur realize thofe dreaming vifioni $ theiriealiiyvroultJ act like a magic fpell uport the embargo laws, and dilTipate them in a moment I Bat alas, Sir, . when we comedo look at realities,' when we turn eur,yes upon the real 4nfrt end .ijji trf'ut which da twrfortaJ tit titan we thai) 1'md them fo formidable, that the wifdom of our undivided counlels, and the tru rgy of our utidivided action, will fcarcely be fufuwient to refi.l and conquer them. To my great regret Sir. we now fte, that the Ui'ued States cannot even hepe to be blrffd with this union of mind and action, alihough certainly their deareft intcrefts demand tt, K : Mr Prevalent, perhaps th? grea-efV jn convenience attending popu'ar governments conCils in this t I hat wlu never the union and enttgy of the people are moll tequired to refill foreign aggrefitoni, the pteflure of thefe aggrtOioni ptefents rr.ofl temptai n to di.liutts and diviLon. Ws there ever a ft tonger illufltation of the truth and cor. rcctiicfs of litis observation than the recent eflirts made under the p-cfTure of the era baVgo laws ? The moment the privati ns, reluct intly bat iece(Tri y impofsd by ihofe laws, became to be ftlt, was the mtment of fgnal to ererr political dem gijue, who iflicd to find bs way td btTice and to powtr, to eiciie the dillrufU of the peo pie, and then to feptwt them fiord the ocraDiutt.elhckiYefciititj greuioa, wiMcn ingenuity cotua ccvite, and every mifreprcWniation, which a:feluid could invent t oothing wasoffi'te'f, which tt wai conceived wuuldhive a tuideucy to eflecl tiib object. Bat Mr, PrcfiJcn',. the peuplt ol the U. Sates mail Lro tlt Wfljn ww, ar J it alt future times, of dificfprQiij the bs!d and d.nnenuous charges and it.finua'ionf ff fuch fprmg demaiogur, Ity mu.?eta lo rfpecl n4 rally toand their own gomaAunr, or they revet cart ptfent a ftmidab'e f retat to a ftftdgi 40t(ltf Sir thi prop t ol iM United rStati hve aOrady Ic4fnt this I. (Tn. Iley Iwre ttctr.t y itcn an hoi. ttaV! aiul 4 4 hmt kiow '''' M, "'ptl. H,ey lic u Uir ttatt t'fvt,tt dcntur.'iiiJ to ;be ! ... v n, and to the world,' tltst'they pcflefs f are alfo inoft expofed, recoTnmeiided the emoargo lor.tne protection or ootn t ana it has laved and protected both. Let us too much good fenfe, to become the dupes ot thele deiUuve artifices. ' and too much i atfiotifm to defert their governn.eht, when it ttands molt in need of their lup port and energy. ' . Tht gentleman from Connacticut fMr. Hillhoufe) has made the molt ftrict and I had almolt faid uncharitable fcrutiny into the objects and effects of the embargo laws, in the delufive hope, I ptefume ot obtain ing a triumph over his political adverfaries. I propofe to follow the gentleman, in a fair and candid comoarifon of information and -opinions upon this fubject vam 1 ihall t.o io in me. mou periect cuaetice, mat, whpn'-ver a 'horough examinatibn of the object and effects' of the embargo laws (hall be made tliown, and the merit of the meafure fully underftood, that there is not appuud and fupport the admin ftration Uvini? worth fSe ;,mice. But, v awpLIUtli WUU lifts UiC UIMLUillelilU nateit neirt ot an within his bofom. American, throbbing Mr Proficient, I have always underload that thefe were twoobjefts contemplated by the embargo laws.-The Crft prccau tiotary, operating upon ourfelves The fecond, coercive, operating upon the ag grefliug belligerent! Precautionary, in faving our feamen, our hips and our. met chatidize from the plunder of cur enemies, and avoiding the calamities of war. L'ucr- cive by addrefling ftrong appeals to' the interefts of both the belligerents. I he fitll ol jfft has been anfwetec) beyond my "fanguim expectations. .To make a fair & jtift eRimate of this meaturek reference W-4-d-ai4r"61toir't t.c 'time of its adoption. At that time the agguf Cons of both the belligerents were fuch, ai to leave the iJnueJ S ates but painful alternative in the choice oi one ot three me-ifurer, to wit, the embargo, war, or fubmiflion -i-I xnow that this pofition has not been admitted, though but faintly denied in the difcuuW I fhall however proaed uion this hyuothefii fur the pre lent, and in the courfe of my oblemtions will prove its cotrectneft by the flatements of ihr gentlemen in favor ot the refolutiori. Before the recommendation of this mea fure, the laudable and provident circunv. Ipcclioo of the admtnitlration, had obtain ed tokrHiy correct c fltmstesof the amount nd val ie .f the fliips md merchandife be. lunging o the cuueni of the U. State then afloat nJ jhe amoant a'nd value of what wal thortly expected to l afloat i together with a conjectural flaiement of the num ber of fcaaica employ ti ta the navigation wrcor. It wis found that -merchandife to the value of one hundred millions of dollars was actually afloat, in veOVIs amoun-irtj in aide to twenif rrillicns more Hue an amount of merclundile and vcfTe s eqUil to fifty mitliuns more, was expected to be Ihorily put aSiat and that it would require filiy thoufand teamen to be employed i'i the navigtioti of this enormoui amount of oroperty The adminillratian wa infof mtdof the lioflUe editls cf France prev; viouRy (Taed, and then ia i flatcof tiau. "vmt and or an tnrentwn orrnrpart of t;. Britain ao i.Tae her orders, tht chiraflt r nd bjeit of w! ich wtte alfo known 11. otytt vras, to Iwee? this valuable coft. irerce from the o an. The fruition of hil coam:rc was aiweil ktn to (J. Ut train, as to ourfdvti, and her inorJ.nate cupidity coaUnot wiihilid th tempt, t wi of the rich boaty, the vainly thou.t i:h:a hrr power This was th Qa:e i f tifiHarttion at the tunc this CuVure tecotimfftded. 'ITi Pteftlem cf li t U. Slat's ever witihmi nJ aniKHt fu the n frf vaiJD ol I be petfafil and pr pftty cd all our fel low ti'.irrns but prtHty of th rlcr ihin'i, wlr ie ptu,Hny is noQ eSjHN'd 10 itiv, tnd (.1 im Itameit wUU rHtfwii now fuppofe for a moment, that the Pre- fident, poiTftedof this mfptmatton had hot apprtfed the merchants and feamen of their , danger, and had recommended no ' meafure for their fafety and protection : would he not, in that cafe, have merited) and. received the reproaches which the. ignorance or ingratitude of merchants and others have fa urjultly heaped upon him, for h s judicious and anxious attentions to their interetts f lr is admitted by all, that the embargo laws have faved thia enormous amount of propertyat)d llis number of feamen, which, without them, would have forcibly gone intoahe hands of our em mies, to pamper their arrogance: flirriulate 4heirinutiice, and increafe their means of ' ' '' annoyance.- .'. ' , ' -. ing worm tome notice- nut, air, we af told that inllead of protecting our fei men.it has driven them out of .hecounrry, and into foreign fervice. I believe, Sir; that this fact is gteatly exaggerated But," . Sir, fuppofe for a moment that it it fo, the !'" government has dose a:l in this refpect, u " was bound to do It placed thefe framea ' in the bofoms of their friends and hmilies, ' in a flate of perfect fecutity ; and if they have hnte thought proper to abandon thefe bleflingt, and emigrate from their country, ' ii was an act of choice, not of necellity. But what would have been the unhappy ' cSefliny of thefe brave tats, if they liad ' been permitted to have been carried into capuV.ty, and fenr idrift on unfriendly and inhofpitable fhmes ? Why. Sir, in that cf-, 4'ywoui4 baft ld ttcrctMUMi ftutuuif " would have drjvtn them into . a hatd tni ignominious fervice, to fight the ba"!e of th authots of their c'rcaltuLwilairitie', agalofl a nation with which their coutury was at peace And is the bold and get, rous American tar- to be told, that he is to difrefpeci the adminiflration for its anxious and effl-ctual attentiens to his inteieii I Tor relieving him nonai dreadful cap ivty f Even-under the hardthips he does fufltr, and which I fmcerely yjret, every ,u.e rous feeling of his nohle hetit, wcuid tect jhe bae attempt wiih indignatiou Bur, Sir, th Ametican feamen have notdeferttd their cVuntry ; furctgn feamen may aa probably have gone in'o foreign fervice ; and, tor, ooe,.t am glad of it. 1 hope tl ey will never return i and I am willing to pals a law in favour of the true hearted Atnet ican feamen, that ibefe foreign fenuit never fliould return. 1 would evn prohibit them trom being employed ia merchant veflels Tlie American feamca havefouni emptoymeia in tbe coun.rr and when verthe ptcpet feal'on fhall arrive lor cm. p'oyitg them on their piopcr eteii.eii', yt wll fiid ilicin, hie ttue birds of paJ.e, hovering in ctouds upon jcut Aio er. ' , . Whi tt confidttii'g this j-.it of the fub, jett, I cannot help tapteiung my rret, that at U time of paiH g c ur (.mbar; laws, a proporiioa of bur fainn was not takeh itito ihe pub ic fctvkei beCaufe.m 7 lOt'gmwut, tltcna'ioa leqairrd tre frrvicrs, end it would hve lien fot. t alle v iat ion to heU h arrt lltp i, wt.i ci; t mvaLre pctutiarITn-polea upm thtm, u a clafi ot citizens, by UcAirg heir imnw wu atcwccupaiioni and the otUr clafTet, as web at the pub ic trefury, were able o conttibu't to their alUvtatiua and I am willing iq do tht fame thing M litis tnnr. iodefti, tit cMHi(Jtt.!t is (! only regret I have evrr fib, at the mesfutei of tle lH, Coiifls. I lleihethiraCtei-! like tU. of en frat-knefi, ar.4 the gecrvt fe irs ; wl ihe Iwuiil A3eriva tat tnS, wbrfirr in my power, Taot eady to give, and 4 Wrth p tafuf gift him ny rrr4rctiuo ar4 fuppoit. One of th itiott impofabt tt-4 gteeable criicif c4 tU enbt lav, a giri.'g tttft bj;c3 feUowi i 4t sJTylam. Jit, ha, ihf stf )ft the on1 reM rfit wl Uac ctnOttgo, UhttfrtHrvtt m ftjt 1 4'
The True Republican or American Whig (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 3, 1809, edition 1
1
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