Newspaper Page Text
o
VOLUME
.NUMBER
MILL.KDGEVILLE: published (weekly) by DENNIS L. RTAN.
TUESDAY, MAY
i 8 ro.
Dr. Bibb’s Speech.
CONGRESS.
House of Representatives
Monday, ■'January 29
The bill rcfpe£ling the commer
cial intercourfe between the United
States and Great Britain and France
and for other purpofes, under confi
deration.
b tftion, fliall the bill pafs ?
Mr Bibb faid he was fo extremely
anxious for a decision of the queftion,
that he would not folicit for a mo
ment the attention of the houfe, did
he not know that other gentlemen
intended to exprefs their fentiments
upon it In th prefent embarrafled
Rate of our foreign relations (faid
Mr. B ) a difference of opinion upon
the meafures to be adopted was to
Have been expected ; but fir I rejoice
that on this occafipn the line of par
ty has not been drawn—that a fpir-
it of liberality highly honorable to
this aflbmbly has been manifefted
throughout the different fcages of tire
pTcfent debate. For myfelf, I have
felt a degree of diffidence in my ov.m
opinion upon thefubje£t, proportion
ate to the difficulties with which we
an? furroutided.—I have called into
ail ion the refonrees of my ownmind,
and lifteneil with attention to the ar
guments of others, for the purpofe, if
poflible, of affertaining what courfe
would beft promote the welfare of
the country The rcfult, aided by
the circum (tar, cos which have accom
panied the progiefs of this hill, has
confirmed me ill the opinions 1 ori
ginaily formed, not only of the pro
priety but th ’ ueccffuy of paffing it.
— What are thofe circumftances ?
When firfc introduced by the gentle
man from North Carolina (Mr. Ma
con) whofe recommendation is enti
tled to as much refpefl as that of a-
ny man in the nation, this bill had
fcarcely friends enough to obtain
lodgings for it in the houfe ; and if
all we read is to be believed, it would
have fared badly—very badly indeed
ow of the houfe. And now we have
til? ftrongeft evidence, (the vote
which was taken a few days ago,)
that its advocates conliitute a major
s'y pi this affembly— every day’s dif-
cuflion has added to the number of
its fiiends, and if we may judge of
the ftTure from the pad, the more it
lh.t!l be inveltigated, the fewer will
be the number of its enemies.—It
I i'ul *ed it be underftood that gentle-
I men a>e influenced by the honeft
I convictions of their molt deliberate
judgments, fuch is the pride of opin
ion, that nothing lefs than the om
nipotence of tru h itfelf. could have
removed the prejudices which were
exceed again!! it.
in tin? prefent unexampled Rate of
the world, Mr Speaker, it ought not
to be fuppofed that any courle can
be preferibed which fhall be entirely
free from ohjeftion. We may de-
rermine what is morally right Sc how
Ur the two great belligerents of Eu
rope departed from the moral and
puhiic law, but unlel3 we had the
rm*ns of etiforceing that determina
tion. it will be perfectly unavailing.
Every man who is really an Ameri
can in feeling ft in fentiment—who
n not infenfibic to the impullc of pa.
U tiiotifm, will acknowledge, that Eng.
m land and France have disregarded all
■ moral obligations, ft wantonly tramp-
H led fen the rights of this unoffending
El nation. But fir, the great queftion
T® xve are called upon to decide, is,
■ what (hall.be done to remedy the e-
9 vil—to maintain onr rights. In the
9 adoption of meafures ior the attain-
ment of tluji? objects, our view muft
ttecc-ffnily bo comparative—our
ib'ice, a choice of evils. While the
fill rpfentnient of ail injured people
might lead them to ails of defpera-
ti.iii, it li Iioves the guardians of their
rights, who have a view of the whole
ground, to confult their molt delib-
•."•o jud inii'iiti—to afeertaiu before
they ail, that their means are ade
quate to the attainment of the ob-
T’vUf;r which th"-; ire to be em
ployed, fc to purfue that practicable
courfe which promifes the molt ad
vantage?. Such in my humble ap-
piehenfion is character of the bill
before you. What is the fifuation
of this country ? For years paft we
have had ample caufe for war with
botli England & France- our rights
have been invaded, our fovereignty
infulted ; but owing to the peculiar
ftate of the civilized world and in
conformity with the genius of our
government, ali honorable exertions
have Wen made to avoid the vortex
of the prefent war in Europe, into
which each of the belligerents has
been anxious to engage us ngainft
the other. We have thus far fuc-
ceoded, and as I contend without re-
linquifhing any of theeffential rights
of the country. We have forborne
it is true to avenge our wrongs.—
The nation has been preferved in
peace—the people are comparatively
I'.appy, while Europe prefents a feene
of nailery, carnage and devaftation
which has not been furpaffed in the
annals of the world. The people
have been fuhjected to fome priati-
ons and inconveniencies, but if they
can compare their prefent fituation
with that of the moil favored people
on earth, without feeling grateful
for their diftinguiflied lot, they muft
indeed be unthankful. Sir, they are
happy and contented in the enjoy
ment of peace and plenty, and I per
ceive the ftrotigeft pofiible induce
ments to (land aloof for the prefent,
from the dreadful conflict which
has fhaken the old world to the cen
tre. The war is near a clofe—Eng
land, the author of moft of our pre
fent political evils, is now writhing
under the confequences of her own
injuftice.—‘The period is fail ap
proaching when flie will be compell
ed to fue for peace—when The will
be conftrained to terminate a conteft
which has defolatcd tlie faired por
tions of Europe and extended its ef
fects throughout the civilized world.
It is well known to every man who
hears me that out of the prefent war
has grown our principle difputes,
and that they will neceffarily ceafc
with the war. I afk then whether
it can be politic for us to aepert from
the paths of peace for the attainment
of objects which will ceafe to exift
fo foon as peace is reftored ? At
fuch a moment as the prefent “ big
with the fate of empires” it does
appear to me fir, that we fhould
take warning from the examples be
fore us—that we fhould await the
approaching crifis.—I do not mean
to fay that war is the greatefl of evils,
or that our form of government is
unfit for the purpofes of war under
any circumftances. No fir. But as
it is the only government in the
world founded in the will of the
people, lo it is the only government
in the world where that will is all
important to the profecution of a
iucccfsful war. Convince them that
an appeal to arms is iudifpenfible for
the prefervation of their rights,& the
people and the government are as far
Superior to thofe of other countries
for the purpofes of war, as they are
for the enjoyment of liberty and
peace. And why fir ? Becaufe the
government is free, and its foldiers
are freemen,—In other nations the
voice of the people is net heard—
they are compelled to fightthe battles
of their mafters, for objeCts over
whicli they have no eontroul, and in
which they feel no intereft ; but it
is file peculiar and diflinguifhed at
tribute of this people to rule their
rulers Are they- at this moment u-
nited for war ? I know, fir, that the
people whom I have the honour to
reprefent, are ready to encounter a-
ny difficulties—to br.ivcanv dangers
in defence of their rights becaufe the
love of country is their ruling paflion.
But I afk, is the nation in a ftate of
preparation to commence hoflilities
with a renfonnhle profpeCt of gaining
by the conteft ? In my humble opi
nion it is not; and to talk of war in
the prefent fituation of party divifi-
ons, is out of the queftion. With
the knowledge which J have, that a
large majority of this Houfe are de
termined for the prefent not to take
an hoftile attitude I will not confent
to conceal from the people the real
intentions of their rCprefentativcs,
nor will I deceive them by holding
out rhe expectation of war when in
faCt it is not to be apprehended.—
When gentlemen propefe to lay an
embargo preparatory to war, they
fhould rccolleCt that we have had an
embargo, and that to their difgracc
it lias been abandoned. That em
bargo was laid by an overwhelming
majority for the purpofe of compell
ing the belligerents to refpcCt our
rights by its operation on their in-
terefts—of fecuring the property of
this nation, and of being prepared
for offenfive meafure3 if they be
came fieceffary. The firft objeCt
was in part, and would have been
wholly accomplifhed, of which we
have ■ evidence irrefutable, but for
: the premature ■abandonment cf the
•meafure ; and the latter objeCts were
fully attained. Why was it ropeal-
I ed ; Becaufe a majority were con
vinced of its inefficiency ? No fir, a
large majority of both Houfes of
Congrefs at the very moment it was
repealed, did confider it the moft
fiiccefsful mode of warfare that
could be waged againft the enemies
of our peace •, and vet a large ma
jority voted for its repeal. Yes fir,
the fame majority who acknowledge
their firm conviction that the embar
go was doing more to enforce a ref
pcCt for our rights than can now be
effected by war. Yet under fuch
aufpicious circumftances it was a-
■ bandoned—and why ? Becaufe of
the clamour of the minority. The
people were deceived—they were
particularly in one portion of the u-
nion, induced to fufpeCi the patriot-
ifm of their rulers—to believe that
the meafures had been adopted in
fubfetvency to the views of Napole
on, and that it could never bring Eng
land to our terms. The minority
was apparently incrcafingin number,
and in an evil hour you hullded the
fhield of your defence. Why was
war not then declared ? The fame
caufes which are now urged in favor
of fuch a courfe exifted then, and
feme of the moft objectionable fea
tures of the orders in council which
was then in force, have been (nice
abandoned by the Britiffi government.
We were then in r. much better fitu
ation to meet the -conflict than we
poffibly can be now. Our floating
capital was fafe in port, and much
foreign property in the country.—
England was threatened with alarm
ing commotions for the want of our
provifions and raw materials. But
the feene is now changed—(he has
a fufficiencv of our product—an
hundred millions at lead of our pro
perty is within her grafp—the party
in this country who occafinned an
abandonment of the Embargo and
who prevented a refort to war, when
it might have been waged fuccefs-
fully, has cncreafed, Sc fir, notwith-
ftanding all thel'e unpropitious cir
cumftances fome of thofe very gen
tlemen who were driven from the
high ground they had honorably ta
ken, again propofe to us Embargo
and War. For one I will not confent
under fuch circumftances to embark
in a conteft, in which we have been
once defeated, when every confeder
ation was favorable to a complete
triumph—becaufe I am unwilling
to be defeated again.
Gentlemen fhould rccolleCt that
the effort had been made under cir
cumftances much more favorable
than the prefent, and they cannot
be ignorant of the caufes whicli ren
dered it abortive. They are to be
found in the mifreprefentations of
defigning men in the differences of
opinion which prevailed among ho-
nefl men, and in the want of firm*
nefs in congrefs. The people were
told that England Wanted peace with
this coun try—that fhe had done us
no material injury—that the priva
tions we had impofed were the con-
fcquencc of a determined holtility
towards her, ar.d cf a dsfuc to juo-
mote the views of the emperor of
France. Well fir, go to war in the
prefent ftate of the country and you
muft expeCt difafter in the com
mencement at lead What will then
be f.tiil ? Why that the warwasun-
neceffiiry in the beginning would be
diftruCtive in its confequences and
'null be ended If you were com
pel led to abandon the embargo, when
no douot was entertained, that in
fix months it would fettle your dif
putes ; I afk in the name of com
mon fenfc, is it probable the war
would be continued until the objects
lliouhi be attained for which it was
begun t Thefeare unpleafant reflec
tions—I wil purfue them no further.
But I beg gentlemen to take warn
ing from the paft—to occupy no
ground which they ate not lure can
be maintained with honor to the na
tion.
In this country, Mr. Speaker, it is
proper not only that the people fhould
be fatisfied of the indifpenfable ne-
cefiity of war before it he retorted
to ; but that thofe who adminifter
the executive branch of the govern
ment—whocouduCt all negotiations
with foreign nations, and who con-
fequently are better acquainted with
our relative fituation than other per-
fons poffibly can be, lhould alfo con-
cur in the opinion, What evidence
have you of a difpofition on the part
of the executive to make an appeal
to arms ? None fir. On the contra
ry the courfe which Ius been purfu
ed fince the difmiffil of Jackfoti 'and
] am far from cenfuring it) preclu-l 'S
the idea of taking a Warlike attitude.
The ‘faith of the nation is pledged as
far as it could be by the executive, to
receive another minifter from Er.g
land, and to renew negociation in
the event that Jackfon fliall be recal
led. The meff.ige of the prefideat
to congrefs & the inftrutlions which
have been fent to our mtntfter at
London, arc fufficicnt to fatisfy the
mind of every mail, that the admin-
iftrntion prefer for the prefent, ne-
gociation to war. If indeed, as fome
gentlemen fuppofe, the prefident is
for war, I have no hefitation in fay
ing he has failed to perforin a ref-
ponfible, conftitutional, and impera
tive duty The conllitution declares
“ he {bull from time to time give to
the congrefs information of the ftate
of the union, and recommend to
ffieir confideration fuch meafures he
fliall judge neceffary and expedient ”
I am not difpofed to believe that the
prefideni has ihrunk from his duty
—he has not judged a refort to war
neceffary and expedient, he has pre- i
ferred further negociation, and he
has given congrefs fo to underftand
Under fuch circumftance , therefore
I will not confent to incur war ex
peaces for a peace eftablifhment.
What then, it may be alked, is to
be done } Shall the non-imcrccurfe
be continued l For one, I hope and
truft it will not be continued It
cannot be the inferefl of this coun
try to continue a meafure which gives
England a monopoly of the com
merce of the world, which yields the
principal objeti it has been her poli
cy to attain, and holds out the ftrong-
eft inducement for a continuance of
her obnoxious orders. What are its
effe&s at home i To demoralize
your citizens, by prefenting tempta
tion for the evafion of your laws—
by embargoing the purfuits of the
lioneit merchant, & affording a pre
mium for the vileft fraud and collu-
fion. Sir, if the wifdom of congrels
had been exerted to its utmolt ex
tent, to divife the ways and means of
enriching the moft wortlilefs part of
the community at the expence of the
honed, they could not have hit upon
a project better calculated to attain
the objedl than the prefent non-in-
tercourle. Compare the high price
of cotton abro.ui with the price m
this country, or at Amelia Illand,
from whence it is carried in liritilii
veffels and on Britifh account, where
ver it is wanted, and tell me if it be
not an a£l of political fuicide. l int
it is ruinous to the revenue, there is
am^lc teltimonv beloji; the houfe)
from the Trealury Department, an,:
> eve v man knows that while it dr-
prcfTes the ptice of ( ,ur prnducls, i:
has e-.'lanced' the- price of lb fifth
goods from fifty t o an hundred per
cent
, _ But, fir, we are told that the non-
intercourfe produced the arrange
ment with Mr. Erlkitie. The memo
ries of tlie gentlemen have certain-
ly been unfaithful to them on the
, prefent occafiou. 1'ne embargo pro»
j duccd the arrangement—-the nnn-in-
| tercourfc was tlie caufe of thedifa-
vowal If gentlemen will examine
dates they will find that it was per-
! fi-’&ly impoflible the non-intercourfe
could have had any fhare in the ar
rangement ; and that on the contrary
they will perceive tlie flrongeft cir-
cumfiancia! credence in fupport of
rhe embargo, it would have been
confirmed by the Britifh govern
ment. What were tiie circumftances
| under which Mr Oakly was dif-
j patched to this country with the in-
j ftvudtions authorifing as Mr. £r.1; : ne
fuppofed, the arrangement that was
made ? When he left London, all
the inform ition which had been
received from this qu irtcr, was cal
culated to infpire the moft perf
a flit mice that the embirgo would bs
: adhered to, and rigidly enforced ; &
; that non importation would be ad-
| ded to noil-exportation The mimf-
try h id leen the almoft unauimous
j adop ion of Mr. Camph.-Il's rep , r c
j tn which it was fole nnly determined
[ that therev.-erebut three alternatives,
embargo, war nr fulmiiffiuti, & ihar
we would not fubmir. A gentleman
from North Carolina (Mr. Macon)
had alfo offered a refolution for con
verting tlie embargo into a total non
intercourfe, (not to fubflitute the
one for the other,) and a determi
nation was manifefted by an over
whelming majority to petfevere in
our^ rcftri£live meafures until the
caufes which had given war to therm
fhould be removed. Ee it alfo re
membered, fir, that it was within a
few days after the intelligence -of
thefe tranfaftions arrived in England
Mr Oakly was ordered to, and failed
for the U. S. Such was the ftate o£
things here, and fuch rhe nature of
the information in pofleflion of the
miniltry, and how is it poffibie that
a meafure which was not in tvift-
ence nor thought of at that time,
could have produced the cffedl which
ha been aferibed to it For myfelf
I am fatisfied that England, forely
affected by the embargo - y feverclv
pie fled from another quarter, and a-
larmed at the fpiiit of refentment
which had been manifefted in the
council i of chi; ration, inftiu&ed
Mr. E'fkinoto make the beft terms
he could—but in ali events to come
to fome retms He accordingly made
an arrangement (and as it was his
duty to do) endeavored as far as po£-
fible to conceal the real caufe which,
led to it and to make the impreflion
that it had rcfulted from the friendly
difpofition of his majefty, when iit
fad it was the confequence of com-
pulfion. Unfortunately for the na
tion, the news c* the abandonment
of the ground xvc had taken reached
England with the arrangement, and
ft was rejected. Sir, I fee! no liefi.
tation in exprefiing my firm convic
tion, th,:t if the embargo had con,i-
nued fix months longer the arrange
ment wouid have been confirmed—
that Mr. fclkine was authorilcd to
make it, and that the difavowal was
the perfidious a£t of a moft fai:JjId ; ;
government.
But fay geuilcmcn, the non-inf;”-
courfe is a proteft againft the edicts
of thi belligerents, and as fuch ou
not to be abandoned. How a meal,
ure, which, wliile it profeflesrelent,
mem for injuries received, thro” ;
millions into the poiketa of your ad-
vcvlaty, can he cotftidered an honor
able proteft, is to my mind potfecti r
incomp,ehenfible It may n-d, e l
be a pi etc It m name, but t is fubniil-
fiou m t.itt. 1 lie b l. before y, n ,s
really a pi deft lui . bo 1 U> the li n -
tien of ,n -c u try ,i i y cvet.. if/:
Call ll.innell, a.n. a^ tai as it ts