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Sj is FRIDAY; MARCH : l3t3: - J 7-.' Hi 7nz SPEECH : "OK.TUE KEjy ATIMY BILL. t Irttrictlc reronKiwide bf fr. Ro- tMtsww (fcrtnerly pf eiaiburr. V.) the v.-b from it xW Sutc of Louiii, i vita pjeiiurr, wmta iooucs ' v- Mr. ROBERTSciN.-.ilr. Chiir- I mi well aware xnii toe House !!rn (ifit listen'ot tliVwithMmuch J, Vance io a further discussion of thi 7tct roief considerauon. Never .virts. it is mf intention explicitly, tui corchely,to statq acme of .the tea- tthicb influf nee mt to surport-tbe ctiu'c proposed ; ' some ofhe views cxneced wi.h.tliern which. command fff approbation,' and induce my aid. ii-f I purpose io make a few remarks tf bf bill itself, and tubsequebtly, livhout foll.ming gentlem in ' the ir. fsr.d rxpansive range of argtiracn rjire, fecJamitory and defamatory e-Iv-ccncr, in which they hare thought : !- irc, to reply to tome of ;the cbcrv&'ions which struck me with r.rst force, and whicH my memory still reiaici The hor.orable chairman of the com- y'.-tcc on Military Affairs, is cnti.Ied i? ti thsnls of this House,, and of the ti. c. for the able. and lucid exposi icc he has given, of the pan intended to bt pursued by the government in the irttccutien of the wa in "whichwere trfrg:d, and cf the. objects or' the at uitrru.t of which' anj.iocxease of; the c-Ltary riUbUshincnt is deemed nc ivury. What is that plan, and what vt the otiects in contemplation I The cover of tne nation is j to be called out, icuionfor tbe defence of our, sea ciiit and extensive frontier r the resi de to be sent forth to battle f gainst rcr taf lacablt foe, to drive him from &e American continent, and thus to in ure curuture peace,' if not our union jr.d indep oder.ee These objects are ifrwcd, and effortaand energy are ne caury to their surer.4 1. The propriety of defending our cmin Vj zinl6 denied by no.- e. This -?r.iiwn is dear. Even ihe gentlemen m U.c cihtr side cf trie House, (is. it i fjibiruable to speak) do not oppose lor mj-self, htsitatc not to say, it jrei.-ei itself on iny feeling with irrc v.ible force. Whcri I take into ccn taticn4hc exposed situation of the jec, e uhc ra it is w pride and honor t9pte.fu, when I view them kur c.iwt'd by numerous and warlike tribes ci hilai.s, skirted by 'strong holds in te pr.iicss'.on of a nition devoted to r fur, containing in the bosom of fttir cccrtry a class of beings always ea fit vt4tl to overwhelm them in ru tf't 1 lese bjrht of otherxonsjderations, srn cornptlled to urge, as 1 do most ejrr.csuy, that no obstacles may, be li-rcnn in the way of our complete pro tectior. 1 have lived for some years in i-e ccun-ry to which 1 have called yoi rl 'aiiuv l "have not been 'altogether w attentive observer,' nor indifferent l1 ti !crts. The ncglefted state' of militia under the territcrfal govern ttat, its present unorganized and un fr.cd y.'r, have net escaped my nc-J- B;.t we rr'usi Warae the cul-, n.,t U:e soil The inhabitants ,f5fcTi expert irrthe management of ,;thcsc acd in the use pf arms." The eruis are good. It is unnecessary tlr prettances oi on internal nature.- 5-r '-:rr it to be cAnL-nred. our situation s:cure. 1 have stated, sir, th-st wc '-r.'uunded- by nuniefcus and war trius cf iIians. 1 'will not rc c vxl l-ir nuruberti" nor b!zen their Kcr f I cng miicbicf. These facts , " r-cToti&js to retiuire rt petition : t ,r dependence of. Spain, their na wtir,.iheir relicion ami their i- .? ' . lu'v icwns an extensive t 1,3 trade is. carried on, and from whcxr they refh.lisue toriji vessels of that nation to the c rrr cf our conn excited ;a- from New- -.cu ir4t strong noins in our Jttd.re ntighhot'htioJ.are iri the pes-' ionof a people devoted to our en e j'" . fhe Spcr.iards on ourcaatcrn j ,C!;u 3r under their perfect controf.. l'7tor..ider the EncUsh'as falfocc -r is. the Creek-Confederacy, I receivedfeet tain information that tbe Spanish' com mandant at.btt Marks had assured them that their friends the BriiUh. wete ex pected; jsoon Jn "considerable, ibrce , at that place and at Peosacola, and T that they bhould be furnished with arms and other monitions of war to be used a gainst tbe Americans.,? Sir, humanity to that people,; as well as tbe irresista ble claims we have to protection, re quire that -a force- should be stationed on the Mobile and Mississippi, sufficient to prevent the effect of pritish arid Spa eish machination, or to throw back. on themselves the evils of hostility The honorable chairman of the com mittee observed, that gentlemen might object that the number of troops allot ted for the defence of particular districts was too small. Sir, I do not think the number allotted for tbe defence of Lou kiana competent to effect that object. Leaving out of view her inttiQSic worth, her invaluable products no. where else to be found within the limits of tbe U. States, let us consider her in relation to the western country, as the superb ave nue through which passes to the ocean ne productions ot jnc most extensive and fertile lands, bordering on the same J river,-to be tound on earin- lne ne cessity of her protection will be thus rendered more obvious, and it will be admitted that the safety of, Louisiana connected with, the prosperity pf the fairesi portion ot our territory, indeed I may say with the preservation of the union itselt. iiut my motives would De misunderstood, my feelings outraged, f the support I give to the bill before the House was attributed exclusively. to the circumstance growing out of the situation of- the state I have the. honor to represent No, sir, the war we are unhappily engaged in is just and neces sary, not to have been avoided without a sacrifice of rights and principles en joyed and . defended by .every Indepen dent nation. But gentlemen in opposi tion say, as they have always said of every measure, whatever its character, that we are wrong,; trrat we have no cause fur war ; that the course we pur sue leads to ruin. disunion, slavery ; that wc do not carry along with, us the! approbation of men of understanding ; that the moral sense of the community is against us . yet, when they are chal lenged in the plenitude of tfieir superi or wisdom to suggest other measures, to point' but some other and better course they are silent,, dumb ; not a word. To elucidate their conduct by a familiar example. You are clamorously arrested in the highway ; you are-told that the road you travel is beset with danger, that it does not lead to your destined .goal. Your informant boasts of his intimate knowledge of the route, and when ycu ask or expect to be re lieved from the doubts which he aloue may have excited, you are answered, it Is not his business, he is not your guide ; but- the night npproacbe, the clouds lower will you proceed, or stop and listen longer to. this unprofitable an,d idle interference ? Sir, a sign-post points out the way, but it does not go along with you. The lew of the minority are too obvious to be mistaken :- they wish for that power which they once possessed, and possessing, abuud they wish to deprive tbe government, I do not mean exclusively the Executive,' of that po pularity they at present possess. It is not then to be expected that they will either co-operate in, or recommend wise and salutary measures, for that would be to strengthen their; political oppo nents in the confidence1 pf the people let us. then, with -a single vievv?to thq honor and interests of our country pur sue that course which its' honor and in terests, require let us exercise, with firmness so l deliberation, the rights of a majority : it ia 'unimportant whence this majority, comes the rightto go vern the nation is complete; we are li mited by the constitution, but, not by a minority. - Let ,the minority pursue their accustomed course i let them cla mour, and' if : they please advise. VI would listen to their advice with cau-"tion-7-to their clamor; with contempt.' f I now proceed .to examine some of the . objections which.' hare been made, riot'tb the biilj but, to, the further rprose- cuikjij oi iuc war c ar i renoun ced as unconititution,.!, vcruel, the ' ef fcctt.Frtncb'influencr, and as intend ed 'to'piace Jarhe's th'c'Sd on the hrone M America.-' I 1 makirrg 'the first bb- jccuoni genu emeu couju not cave oeen strioas- thry '-could, not have' befir1 deemed wiorthy or an answer .a ne powe'ri fofmakc..w,ar belongs to. all "na tions ;' is of the essence of yerriraent ,: but the , corrstitutibn of ; the u. Staei gives 'it eircaslyi in so inany, words!, u the Congress shall have, power to, de clare war, to raise and support armies Whether the war -be-defeTisive' or; of fensive depends onT circumstance and r-ccioeni- doi cannni attecr me ripni. If warbe defensive aqd cfenilve. JJtill the whole tis v equal to. its pars.v But fo what does this doctrine lead? Do gentlemen believe ittojbe true X Therj it becomes their duty to move for the appoimmenc oi a commutes io enquire into the circumstances of the capture of the Macedonian, and ifit be discovered that she was taken at more than a ma rine league from the shore. to cashier the American officer, declare the attack and capture unconstitutional, and re store the vessel to her former master. Then an enterprise, giving rise to a new era in maritime history, and entwining round the brOws. of the United States, a wrpath of imperishable laurel, turns out to be a violation of that instrument on the sacredness of which depends the u- nion and happiness of America. The war is not unconstitutional, nor can it by any possibility be, so considered. Sir, I listened to the gentleman from Massachusetts with.astonishraent, wh.n he denounced the war as unjust and cruel : and this char ere i made bv an American against the American nation, the only one inhabiting this many-peopled jIobe wkose escutcheon is un stained with blood, .whose character is not blasted with human butcheries. We are held up thus in contrast with the Britishthe British, among the most ferocious of nations, calling them selves civilized. Look to India, Ire land, America look ' throughout the world recount the millions of bcr vic tims to the sword, dungeon and want ; the murdered Irish the starved Indian, and confess that she stands unrivalled m carnage. If the bodies of the men whom she has massacred were brought toge ther, they would literally form a moun tain of slain. ; If the. blood which she has spilt were collected, it would, with out a figure, the multitudinous sea in carmine But in what instance have the citizens of our country merited so foul an aspersion ? We learn of cruel ties practised upon them on the ocean and on the land ; while their heroism i aod humanity are acknowledged by the j enemy an, enemy compelled to appre ciate, although incapable of irritating their conduct. .ICis not, it will not be,' on our part, a crtKl war. America will never forfeit her just claim to a charac ter exclusively her own. In this, she finds no rival among the nations of Eu rope can find none, for they are Steept in so far, that, should' they "wade no more, ,f Returning were as tedious as go o'er." man from Massachusetts to French Tn Buence ; and this assertion is made in presence of numbers who voted, for the measure, whose pure and unsullied cha racters have raised them high in the confidence of the people, and should have shielded them from such hateful suspicion. But the .charge, whrrever made deserves to be Tepelledr Let us for a moment consider it. Where, sir, does this French influence exist? Where is it to be found ? In the states of Ten nessee, Kemuoky, Virginia; the Carol i- nas, and Georgia I Do the citizens of these states speak the t rench language.' lo they read French books? Are there Frenchmen living among them ? vAre they connected with the French in irade, by marriage or consanguinity ? Ie- lieve not. How. then, did French in-1 ttuencc get among them the scattered inhabitants of our forests the 'industri ous agriculturists of : our country I But I ought not to havef;omttted Louisiana perhaps it may .be found, there. rLet not gentlemen -be-alarmed there is no French influence there that yrill endan ger "their liberties or disturrtheir "quictC Th natives of that state, are likeur selves American ; and 4hey,-have at least been severed as lonfirfrorarFrench domination, aS" we from.Bntis.1iV .Their intareststind them to us they are' well aware of the mutual benefits which re sult' from oui-. connecuoo r But, sir, if French jnOaenieft ,cxtst in. that country, it haa not reached iine:: ,T was not gc- nerally' the") choice of : lbatv part'of tbei coliimuiicallcdF wun rcgfcr, ior nef gcncraiijL possess j my.esUcm; EutJ sir thecry "of.French o throw. dust In irom- sceinft .wnai wurnoisoear looking on. suppose inere snouia oe, a yoruon of . ourjoounty wnere BntishlnSuence i s. Said to exist : Is the Engiis Ji languaje- theret spoken r Are the people Vconnect; ed witl) thelEnglisa in tradvjirycoh sangnnuy, in an wc various-rerauons to which society gives risi I ThnWeK presents itself satoftcef V J - .i" This warris waged for the purpose ot placing James the 2d-on ?the trbne ot- America." I entertain almost too favorable an opinion of the genflemai) who made the remark, to believs ?that he really feels the suspicion. He-hai adduced no argument, he has staled no fact ; but he has indulged;himself in a style of accusation disgraceful 'to hifn self, jand L insulting: to this llbuaei He has shamelessly departed from theusob- tect to abuse a character haldin? na of- r) fice in the government, exercising yno controul, interfering not with our public, councils ; a" 'gentleman- vvho. in ; the shadesof retirement enjoys that calm and tranquility, 'which. flow, from; the. consciousness of having performed well and strictly his duties towards his couri-; try. I had thought that . in relation to Mr Jefferson, the Porcupines and CjI lenders had cropped the choicest flow ers of Billingsgate to deck their 'effU sions, -until' .the Houe was presented with tUe bouquet of ihe honorable re presentative from Massachusetts .-, -v' 'The gentleman TronT. Virginia (Mri Sheffey) gives a very piartrcularstate Tftent of the expence we shall encounj ter and estimates (with how much ac curacy I shall not pretend to say) the amount that each man enlisted. in the army will cost the government,' J3e has also stated there was no probability that the 'additional force would be rais ed ; that the citizens of our country. would not; forego ihe-happiness of do mestic situatioh, t he rewards with which industry is crowned, become soldiers of whom he spoke as tayern loungers, haunters of. tippling shops; whiaKey drinkers, See. -':' ' . ' : Sir, the people of the U S. never calculated on going to war-without encountering the expences incident to such a state. ut, u accordipg to. tno Ihon. gentleman's predictions, forces cannot be raised, why the apprehen: sions ot enormous expence ? But the opinion is most unfounded rThe patriotism of our country! will fill tip the ranks oPher armies. .The patriot ism of the State which the genUexnan represents ought not to. have escaped him. In the neighborhood of. my former. residence, volunteers, conspi cuous alike for their characters and talents, have marched to the standard of tHq nation ; and in abandoning the comforts of their homes in pressing forward to fight our hattls in court ing danger, and submitting to unac customed privations, little did they suppose that they thus exposed them selves to the contemptuous epithets so liberally bestowed by a representa tive from their own state. ' V But it is said that, as the orders in council are repealed, the question of impressment is the only one,' in controversy between the Jj: States & Great-Britain ; and on this "subject the hon, gentle man' fro m N. Carolina (Mr. Pearson) has withoiitidifficuit settled principles about which the ju-v rlsta have differed jn opinion, drle contends that individuals; cannot di- Lvest themselves of their allegiance7 j mat uie rignt oi expatriation apes not exist j that the practice of nattiraliza tion is w rong. Thesel opuxionsjaie as erronieous as they, are rcipuant to every principle of human liberty? and owe their origin to feudal times and feudal states times nd ; states, the prolific sources of the. Vilest principles in politics and morals. 4' f, ' I believe that every civilized uatiOtf under thisun is'in the practice5 of na turalizing Ipreigners.' - Thepmnjpo-1 tent Parliament of Gtai BritiinT ercises this 'Iright.- Thex, ri& ofl independent nations ''eqaIV!' cver-cours c Great-Britajn jbrsrjg in" relation to the subjects or citizens pi other countriev these countries': are amoorizea ro ' pursue in rciaxiQnxo the subjects of Great-Britaio. Whali csfeJietadmifetfjn contrary', if Re does not aclrao wlede she is complled act iripformity D influence is intended to i tp this ptlrjciplif J 'heJiiihM Her" hisipry an example of her pnhisht: ict Irelandbeceia-ench'a n K-Jf m W9aal couldnSjtvestrjelf 6 anegiarKfoTKeiasubjec aw;ay M suoiecr. were true nonr ls-.ir tnac.- v.; ,?f'i Served in war ogains t' hisnati Ve ..cotin-'- . a4 ! try, wa& wwu uicu, itwwu.guHty of hiEhvtreasoa bu&when'a terribid i reiaiiaiio- yas nreaieBeapy tne ; citizens, to the capncioOs tyranriWot jeyery gcuy mtciiiji iieriiisrv ne.ey, ; . No argument lbeeir tj authorities cited, to establish theprih-r, ciplai for which Brltain'anoSeradVc) catesj contend. rt he, rJiint tor mpreaiC s el ve if th t prJe ratidn of a pfi n pleo J :' posd by.v.ery otherrton rj after ihavjng emalbated ife iw'J-l of jiian frort so mjmyf skifts, per;' mi gkiltng chains tp be rrve'teiiaroiino!C him 1 vri::v;c,; 'WA seamen pf any, desenptjo IrornlvesseU bn.. -the'. Xifflvse9'cl6S'.;' '$$ U KnlnMH ..A.ivao. ixhKtu- ' ' - v '' . ft'W. f t ' Thesea ifthe$ighWsy icbmmojLt'tQ ajlfi 'i nations No muidpatfreuTaUbns - can, operate on ,tj and vain would be . -rd WI dte searclfihto tJhIaws; of nations joiVv. MSif men,, - is. .an abominajble mterpolatfonr. rxiKianu. . r ne scarcB-oL'. vesseisior on lap ngni, or jscarc n ior artici es; f on tra6and;6t pKvhicji ought not to be admitted. . But if it, wereoubtfnl low forh therccdw :, necessarilyltpllotv, frorpour beingjn i iP 1 pje, imperiously forbid ;iicxwise uioNrecuire that Great-rita t vj not be permiend '$"M to take seamen ;tro.m ourvesselsv;.? - Bti t gentletneh: artbpnoseit1 ' V'V .3' fartherriros rendered it; necesaryavejen'r amoved i Jtiave we obtained the. ob jects for- which it'Avas com.menbed ? To .Ka ! nam AKrl (bfn "mUmI system ofeiocade:aandbnedl5Sl oj IjJS "sysiem.wuier, junaer ne pretence oi , ! ; -. -a1;-being a military rneasuretvasr eon , - A f vcrcca into a TOmujertiai scneme, oe neficiul to" the, beienis4"de stiucciv alone. ktq the 'richts of neti r trail;!' : Have ouittzensffi'becn fe- ' stored to heiroint)n? sandis; position evinced 4g i onnttearing therri frbh tneir hdmesinmiitcViri lu- ture -!!v yhat-tfill he; the. cbnseqaence" of . Jay ing jdbwri our rms, pf - shrinking ; irom uur present , aiiuuqe r - vyeare .'VflX feet olOreAt Britain tlavintr IB Cam attHmritM" tn nhfain x i , . - r , justicewe: are io&cooeniruitf leas wgoeiationVA dmil that vare . $ unablei -t6vedforc;-ourdenian m' cannot; carry, on ,thr war ; , fiat the . friends of; the; -.Bnsgoyenlentin' this country v (tp; use theiri ! wp! i pressiop) 4V ill nop perm iri such a.situa!tiobr-With suthdmissionjitb eipct Jasticcwcijh xtrerae, EngllWouWre herhabi tuaL sbtoliakioris 'svoiiir I ryisha statefprg ucuccia lo-Tierseui: tne. most- lnjunr t jp ,btto?;infiiiitcj 1 13; ? i diadipceirvjrerr thecjoij helb?tp(feed- ng jand: ctrrichinirivy5at t f j of late? vcrv dearlv j)rove . Pormerlv - . rl scs-, wcrcxvvcij ;uur. tV'.I' Yessir.v willrntrlv-woukl she return v Pi n cferlof &eiwdar.TO cett VvJTIi ten years would add another thousand 10 s,wc inqu-anu ' xmeupan , vessels already carj-tedthcr portsi .i J . Tbb.: loDg Ldid weis ujerdisjgrace -.-7-i.T;l Mid i ?. - i v.. 'IS p II! 1 I . .1 y J--1 nr. d W i. j . J-- V. .0- 1?' ...... . . . . t t 4.; 4 i . , - f
The Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
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March 5, 1813, edition 1
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