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SPEECH
. DELU'XRED BY Ma. GlLfi9,
im riti
Scrutc of the United States,
0. tc l Uo Fctrnjrj.l&rJ. in support of tit
Rtjlio nujKcdfy Union
g j oj itx 4ine momtb.
Fuji 1 Thit the evenl Uwt hying
gn e tufgo on all a'p nd vU m
p.M t ttJ hxrbort of cbc United Sr. b
Tcxalci on 'he 4 h Jiy of Mrcli next.
oi to Crtot-Brutin and France, and
Ciir dependencies ; and tut protnon be
BVlebUw fr rohibi-inj all O"1
ul iotcrcoarse rith these nation and then
iendenoei. and the imitation of .any
article into the Un.ted Sutes. the gTowih.
rroijct. or manafactare of enuer of the
iai nations, or oi me uonimwu w
jfuem. ,
Permit me no. Sir, to eted n-
Lthrr act of this energetic adminis
liatii toward the United States for
a fcr animadversions. 1 mean, hirt
t ieir interferin,; in our political con-
cim in many reipects, but particu
larly by holding out inducements to
m. . .;t.n tn vinl ltr OUT IW I (!
cn apptaliot;.utn people aainv
t..etr own covcrnmenl by ome invi
a. .Ic'aecncy. I allude, Sir, to the
o uer Usued shortly after the pas niR
our embarco laws, tor rcce v.n
t skIs which, should violate those
la i, Tn without the customary pa
p rs ; and to the publication of Mr.
C ntrn's letter a ldresstd to M.
P kaef on the 23d nl September
la t, in one of the newspapers print-
i in Boston.
1 con-tder both these acts as High
ly insulting to the American people
a d jroTetnmcnt ; and they ought to
h re been repelled with i.idinatton,
a d fud hire juHSed h stility. li
ft f. Sir, in issuing this order the
R rUH miniitnr aniicars to me to
" - " 4 It
h tc set a dancroas example !o o
thcr nations, particularly to the Uni
ted States, because the United Statu
mieh: retort her faroritt retaliatory
ysem upon hrse f. Suppose, Sir,
irmiediatcljr upon the receipt of that
o dcr in the country, me u. states
h.d retorted by oassinc a law hoUl-
j 9 T
i g out inducements to U-ilisli sea
men to deert from their ships, and
laffjrd them protection, and even
to promise them prelection and re
gards up-n bringing in, the ships
themselves ; do you think. Sir, that
Crrat- Britain would have been alto
gether, free from apprehensions as to
U effects' of 4jch a retaliatory mea
sure? The Biitish fleet, Sir, is ex
tremely formidable to te govern
ment, the floating dungeons. and se
vere discipline not always palatable
to the seamen. They have several
times been very much out of hu
mor, and it is impossible, to foresee
the consequences of the inducements
the Uaued States have in their pow
r to offer the disaffected. But, !ftr.
tkis subject presents another consi
deration on my mind. In the year
1793. Great-Britain entered into the
war aiinst France solely upon the
ground of resitting the spirit of dis
orgauirition which it W43 alledged
Trance ws introducing into 'all r-tions-
It was for the alledged act o
separating the people from their go
vern men:. Now, ir, how is (Jrcat
Bntain likely to wind up the war ?
Why, Sir, he serms now to have k.-.
orae "he champion of the very sys
te ii, against which she originally en
tered into the war. She now stems
lo have become the common distur
ber of the peace of all nations. Sure
ly, Sir, the British natton'br parlia
ment never tan, upon cool reflection,
opnrove of this profligate act of its
laiittry.
Let me - now,' Sir, implore yoar
tnost serious attention to the publi
cation of Mr. Canning's letter in the
Boston newspaper. The time aud
oycu instances attending its publica
tion aggravate the act. It was. an.
unpardoojble insult, and ought to be
rvnelled with indignation ; particular
ly insulting was it to those for whose
tue it was more immediately intend
ed. Is it possible that the British
parliament or nation can justify thi
act of abandoned proQigscy I . In thr
wsei of Genet, Yrujo, Sec their mi
ttistenai functi ns were suspended
Their recalwas immediately request
ed and complied with. In those
oasrs the authors were owned ; in
this he is concealed. The (Publica
tion is conducted or directed by an
rnrisible hand r but Sir, tht act
not the less disjionorable repre
hensible oo that account.
No, Sir, the author skulking from
public view, stamps the character of
the transaction with peculiardisgrace.
Insults of this kind, Sir, have been
practised upon the British govern
ment and nation. Let us see how
insults of this nature were received
md treated .by that government and
nation. Several cases of this nature
lave occurred in Great-Britain, but I
vill select one in point which occur
red in the time of George the 1st, in
ilie year 1727. It will be touou re
forded in HcUham's memoirs of
George the Isi, pages 192, 193, and
in the proceedings of .parliament of
i hat dy, in reference toihat subject.
These I have examined and find
hem still rVire pointed h n the his
torical account of them, particularly
Jie resolutions of the hcuse of com-
nons, which are highly worthy of
miitaiinri ; thc are contained m a
i-rv'l Attre h-ik. and I therefore de-
ij . -
elmed brinLnnc it 10 the S ti.te. The
case wan, sir, that the Imperial re
idcnt at the court of l-ondon, Goum
de Paliii, was instructed by his go
vernment o present to hts Britannic
1 jesty a strong and pointed memo-
nal against certain expression or
intimations in the. King opeven to
Parliament, which were .suggested
by ihe I uocrial Court to be unfound
ed and false, as they probably were,
Sec. Sec and to publish the memorial I
for the information of the B.itsh J
nation. How, sir,
did the British
g-ivernment and nation receive and
cpcl this insult? Sir, it was recei
ved with universal detestation .and
repelled with umversal'indgoation.
U hushed for themoment the spirit ot
. i i
party. It was iieemeu an insui to
i .1 MJ r..
every man, woman ami cn-iu in
3rita,n, Sc &c. H.it, si , let me
rive you the cccount in ih- words o4 ,
he bts'orian.
With i he memorial also was
transmitted from Vienna a Istt r
from the Chancellor Count Zinzcn-
lorf to Count P dm, expressly com -
mandiug him, in the name of his tin-
serial Majesty, after pre enting the
nemoilal to the King of Great-Bri-
lain, to publish it together with the !
letter annexed, for the information.'
f the British nation. The Chan-
cellor Zmtendorf affirms in this let
ter, that it is eay to see that the
sneech was made for no other pur-
a
ose but to exhort the nation t a
upture and open war with the Em
icror ano apain, ami to., matve tne
Parliament approve the bur hensome
md nrecioii- te me .tures, lohicfrthe
$ovtrnn'nthas taken for private ends
too u?d known. lUa( on the fist
rcion of. thtse false supposisions
the Empemr and the King of Spain,
order to silence them, proposed a
tormal act de iion ofendendo, unto
which all the contracting parties of
the treaties of Vienna might entc,
ill suck a time as a deh'iitive atrrce-
ment might have taken place ; but
i hat this proposition was rejected
tie says, that the articles of the
juadruple alliance , are expressly
tnd . publicly laid down as the un
alterable basis of the treaty of Vt-
enna, ana ma; to. ammi uui uy a
secret pact concluded at the same
ime, engagements have been enier
e4 iqo by their Imperial he Cath die
l iirstics, repugnant to the same,
" ap outrageous insult to the Ma
jesty of the wo contracting powers,
who i vea right to demand a repa
ration ; roporttoned to the enormity
of the . ffront. . . And that the high
contrac ng parties had no other I
view than that of making peace be j
tween themselves, wuhout injuring
any one else." The allegations con
tained in this letter and memorial
seem b t too well founded ; lut the
.ntempcrat- language of these pa
pers 'avtj high and just offence ;
and VI r.' Shipper; Mr. Hungerford,
Sir William Wyn lham and all th.
le ders of opposition in ParTrarnent,
varntly .concurred . in the address
nresented to the thrfcne on thus e'eca
sion, and which passed the House'
without a dissentient votej And an
order was'stnt toIVI. de Palmsig-
lifying that said palm, having.de-
Tivereti inio ine nanas.uinas ni .j.'y
t his late audience, a memoriai
highly injurious to thehonor and dig
nty of his crown , snd also having
nblicly dispersed the am,'vith a
tetter fruni'thc Ciiunt de aSUiieQdo.i
to him, the aaid Palm, still more in-
sol
jesty
publ
forth
UWIIJt . -
- Here, Sir, we find the Imperial re
sident, the Ccvtnt de Palm, immedi
ately ordered out of the country, Sc
the nation rising into instant war to
repel the insult and retrieve1 the
wounded honor of the nation. Here,
Sir, we find the bickerings of party
silenced ; we find every heart ushed ;
wef find the opposition facing about)
and the whole nation opposing a
hosile front to the authors of the in
sult. Can you believe! Mr. Presi
dent, that- a nation which feeLs so
just a sensibility, when an insult is
inflicted by others upon itself, can
for a moment justify its Ministry in
inflicting a similar insuh upon an
other nation ? Can you believe, sir,
that the British nation or. Ministry
can feel any respect for . those for
whose use ths publication was in
tended, when you contrast their con
duct with the generous and correct
conduct of the British opposition ?
Vhen, instead of rousing every A-
merican to repel the insult with in
dignation, it seems to have been re
ceived with complacency, and direct
ed to its inqiuilous end ! And shall
we be compelled to believe that all
honorable feeling is lost and buried
under the dominant influence of par-
ty sensibility i Surely, sir, this can"
not be an attitude which any party
- - -
would wish to assume, and thus pre-
sent itself either to the American or
the British nation I Yet, sir, the only
difference of the character of the in
sult in the two cases is, that in one
the author was known and avowed.
and in the other he secures himself:
by his invisibility. But, sir, if the
author of the publication be an au
thorised British ajent, and he will
ivow himself inr a bold and manly
way,. i nave no nssiianon n. saying
he ought to be sent out of the coun-
j try, let the consequences be what
'Ithrv may. Sir, in no coun'.ry in the
world ought this point to be held
more sacred, and the insults more
firmly repelled, than in the United
Slates, where our presses are under
no restraint .where not o ly free
dom, but licentiousness characteri
ses almost every page.
But, sir, our degradation does not
stop here Let me select one olh .f
act for a single animadversion. The
British are now driving ,a forced
fade, in violation of our laws, on our
southern frontier ; and: whilst it de
monstrates the , importance of our
commerce to thclf prosperity, it at
the sam time d grades us below the
Spanish colonies for they do some
times resist such aggressions : but
we take them with patient forbear
ance and quiet submission. Let me
now, Sir, compare the injuries and
insults received by the U. States and
by other nations from Great-Brita n,
and contrast the resistance. Sir, I
wish I could spare myself the pain
and mortification of performing this
task but Ideem it indispensable.
It is a sacred duly I owe to the peo
ple, and must be performed. Sir.
the demand upon Denmark whilst
observing an. honest neutrality, .was
to be sure flagitious, but it was re
sisted by. war. The overture to Swe
den, whilst in the depth of. distress
and difficulties, to be sure Was.perfi
dfous ; but the messenger was Or
dered to be incarcerated. ; The, con
duct in PoriugaU whilst weak and
deserted by ita( government, conquer
ed almost by a foreign host, was
cruel and insulting ; but it was repel
led with indignation, and perhaps by
nostility. The horrid catastrophe
f the bloody. tradedy, in, Spain iinbi
yet known, & as my mind is perfect
ly ex Jtnpt frbm even the semblance
of a wish to' exaggerate British out
rage ; so I vtiII suppress my antici
pations. in; relation to the fate' of the
Spanish-fleet.,." Whilst' the UnitedJ
Elates nirc injurcu anu ,,uisuucu
t.iah all .these nations together, are
done to bear with patient meekness
in 1 long suffering andthe gallant,
lonorable an 1 high-minded Ameri
. .m petple" to be told there are no
R auses of war,' That they must be
Vi ill morer humiliated ; still further
, 1-graded- . Wait with patience till
smother catalogue of .lnjuriea,' and,
insults shall at'ain the f Air,' utisullttd
mt thnn lh memorial. hi (VTa-'hAn1 Knrrt mn rtn cn fi ' ', rr n ' l'- JVi" Zi -cLZiiC-t-iH-'f' .t -v
looked upon him es n longer . ) commend submission aUoget her !--- ' ew
ic Minister and required turn: Mr. President, the love ofpeace is" where Hoes itiis ihJIirir.teltlH .
atiui iu utyari uvui n mul-, one oi me mosi amiaoie passions or f not call it svmnathv. lieraii tlreat-
I page of your national characterl .rmereDbMibte
. . ' . - - - y - - , .... . . - . :
---- ..jv ?w ' W . v - ; i cvci'yv; vaJeuraiion upon j prtjoauic ..vt h
the human mind, ;It js -fondly;; che
nshed oy the American people. Hut,
on, WII6U tv wwwwviv, . i
of war it becomes of all passions
the most despicable In its appli-
cation it is of all others the most
uukui luiiaio iHiu i UUIUU3 io uauuii
; excites contempt and : in vites' at-
uuiu auixiau , . wiujsi at nonac
it d'spirits the people, jand disqiiali- ;
fivS them from exerting the energy.!
they possess.' Is there not ground tc
fear sir, that G. Britain has mistaken 'j
thecharacter of the people) & govern-
nent of the U States in that respect? !
And if so, is it of nd importance Jto j
undeceive her ? And how can this be
lone ? It can only be-done bv manlv. I
. i .
open, direct and honorable war I Let j
war, then sir, be openly resorted to,
and vigorously conducted. Gire the
people an opportunity of retrieving
their character, or .at least of pro
claiming theif true character to the
world. It will even he found (Econo
mical of blood ancj treasure ; it will
in the end be.favorable top-ace it
self ; for, sir, (permit me to borrow
an appropriate and emphatical.e'x-
c - .i : r
prcsion rroni geniieinau nam
Connecticut, Mr. Hilhou.e,) it will
be a war for peace. Yes, sir, as that
gentleman expresses it, we must
fight for peace.' .Without war, or
fortunate events abroad, I am satis-
I ficd we can ha vis no peace I ! I
I fear, Mr, President, I - m tres
passing too much on the kind indul
gence of the Senate, but, Sir, I can
not conclude my observation with
out examining the most p -omincnt
bjecti ns urged against a warNvith
Great Britain. This I propose to
do with candor and impartiality. 4
; The first objection is derived from
the supjMjsed character of the quar
rel in which Great-Britain is enga
I ged. ill is. said she is fighting the
bit'Ies of the world against the, spi
rit of I'reuch domination. vThat ber
national existence is at stake. .That
she is fighting merely for her natali
solum, Sec., whilst France is contend
ing for the domination of the world.
This is not the true character of thej
quirrel' Th?y arev both fighting
fr.domin tion ; cach upon the ele-
meht o which he can apply his pow
er. , .France claims domination . on i
the land'Grciat-Britaipon the ocean j
But. it is said,.f i he emperor of France 1
should succeed itid d' SiroyG Britain,
or control hf licet, his power would '
be directed against the United States, .
and th y would be the , next victim. J
This is a remote and exjtremely im- j
probable contingency,. It is, my opt- j
nion, ;hat the changes are greatly, in !
favor of xCireat-Britain's succeeding
in the contest : and 1 believe that
our situatioa would be -just as cnu
cal, if Great-Britain, havi ig the com
mand of her fleet had also the com
mand of the men on the conti
nent, as if Francs having the com-,
mand of the men on the continent,,
had also the command of the .British
fleet. .. In either event; we ould ex,
pect no mercy, and our only. .reli met
f jr preserv ng our indepcTiderice,
would, as it ought always, .to beup
on our .own courage- and resources.
I would, therefore deprecate either
of these -events'.- Bu, Sir. .whilst t
should dep'ore the circumstance of
either, of these nations sujbduing the,
jther, I think .the chances of ulti-i
mate success in, favor of Great-Britain.
I s'ate a few of ihie grounds
of this opinion.' . In Great-Britain the
i government is strong,; stable, and po
pular, and trom ner insular siruairjnj
he navy offords the nation a complete
protection' against foreign; invasion.
The resources 'of Great-Britain are
great, and her people brave and lQy
al,.&c. &c. These afford hi-r, strong,
securities, .vln France, the' order of
things' is scarcely settled. UThe dy-
Lnasty. irs new, probably depending on
f the life .of a , single individual ; Vthef
f chances of ,his death. 4lo.ne and .the
f probable consequehces flowing; from
mat silicic .rTciiki.-iTjwrcti-Dri-'
tain a bitter prospect' of final success
in the cootest'thari hy 'reachable
calculation of probable events would
give France, 'in relation, to the.coft-
iuest oi Areai-nnrajn i ms con-
L ii de rai i o.a t h e re for e ; has ' n o. alarms
or terrtrs'tor rnetMi is certain
- ; .JJritaln' hal',no ..feeling frhic;i
M ean be derived) where, I say, Sir
; ooes iivs( sensioiiiiy- ioirine saieiy;oi
; Great
j United Ses!aldne.i certainly h
the Britisli nation norViinistry Let;
, , , mc can your recollection to Air. vanf
hing'sddnguage jn therkubct; 0 J
i you near mm exoress:anv wmnm
ftars of the loss of national existence
vanf timid alarms i-om k;the ihQu
ence 'of French 'power ? Wfjat 'does
he say, Sir ? VOfi ihe;3'dpfepte'r4
ber last he tells you? that Bonaparte's
gigan tic projects of domiriation weri-'.
then broken dip rntg f agments utter--J.y
harmless ard-cpntempflbi;...tiil
on the 221 of Novembe last, that
Bonaparte's decrees were iiierely no-
minai ; mat irpm nis im jjieucyy uey
had -cea-ed to" be iisphjeyous via
practice,- &c. &c;; And What Ido Jtfi
mi nisterial pamphleteers i tell ' you ?
Why, SiK that Bonaparte Sc his train
of dependent" kings are tlie tributa
ries of &reat-Britaiii; and thai-Bri
tish rivals also,' shall: follmv in the? I
train to grace tne magnmcence or
the scene, and shalj contribute their
homage also, ;to 'the supremacy, of
the B ilish nlvy.l Is this the. Ian-,
giiage.'-.f a nation struggling for its
existence ? ' Is this the-language of
a nati n Vremblmg -vwithj alarms of
subjugation from French po,wer ? No,
Sir, the British nation has no such
feelings nor apprehensions ; this seh
siUiliy exists, only in the U States.
If Great-Britain realfy felt these a
larms, she would feel more respect
for the rights of other nations ; slip
would m dera'e her claims upon' the.
ocesin ; she would leave to other na?
tions some little share in the xerf .
cise of rights upon that element j
But, Sir, where will' this argument J
end ? - If on account of some rem te, j
improbahle.' and co uingent danger
we are to bear all the' wrongs alrca i
dy heaped upon us by Grfcat-Bntaini
when are we to' stop ?, When will
the load become, t ?o grievous $6 c.
b'irne ? . I wish this point ascertain1
ed and fixed, that Great-Britain my
know it as well as ourseHves for there
;7 is no doubt sh will pile on as loa
(, as w will bear, and perhaps she may
overstep the bounds ; tram tne wanr;
ot avowing me limns. rir, mese .
g ounds f objection are unsubsta.Q
tial i they are noththg more than!
mtre- pretex's for indulging our ha-!
bitual predelictions fot Great Britain
and if we think otherwise we deceive j
ourselves. The plausibility of these i
suggestions may, perhap?, however, I
have extended their influence beyond
the sphere lofBritislf pireilections j
But, Sir, I '.am. convinced in, all thostf
cases, it fias arjsen from the want of
a due consideration;: the subject..
The only effects qf entering into
the war against Gjret-Britaio, would
be to. lessen tliev raflge' of h?r cortf
irercea'nd Cmlt the: dangerous in
fluence of het navy, and thus to rest
tore, to ;cmr selves some ot her. lost
commercial rights. But htr nation
al existence, even in that case", would
not bb endangered, 8c eyeh if it were.
she could, stop the var at 'pleasure, .
oy xloing. us- less. than justice. , -:
vt- Indulge roe how, Sirin exami- j
ping another,T"ob0ction: f against n-.l
tering into a-vvar wun ijreat-Joruain;
which, whilst; it is the most unac
countable, has, I believe, more influ
ence on the -vniinds -of gentlemen,
than all .other, consideration takeri
together, It is, Sirthe strange ,sug-.
gestiorr,that i the ; B ritislv; mi nistry
had refused to accede to the just and
reason able propositi 6ns .made v.pnl th e
part of the; United tefroma be
lief of the insinceijt ot pur govern
mei:t in cotiductibg the negciation jjj
and' that, if trw'javxrtqrew-
newed in sincerity artel 6od: Mih 'it!
-would baaccepted on' tteyraof; h elx
riiriiisruEroveriiiiiciii. -vjuuujhjcs o&t.
Qti.r ajagant - as tM suttositioii ; i sf .
6ermitme;',fd:Vtpa d
LllOUS CHI. lt.,U VMC t4l? UiaUf A
. ask, by, whom ;Alrrc r iiegiation a
. with .Greatuam jbeieri conckicted
sihee theCqinenScifnen
Kiii HasMr ICinfceveV U made ai
jbjr.inUm
nart of'the a JminBtraU
t. ,
e4
' ; 'i t
i
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X
J '
.1 .
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