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CONGRESS.
EE ELITE OF TEE UNITED STATES.
Monday, Nov. 16.
Mr. Mhchill rofc to call the at ten
Ton 6f the Sensite to a motion he had
made at the commencement of the fes
{idtJ, relative- to additional means of
defence, and further -meaiures of tecu
iyi'ty to the seaports and harbors of the
nation. This important fubjeft had
been introduced by him at an early
day. It had been printed and laid
upon the table for conhdefaticn, and
it was his original intention to have
futiered it to lie there until the official
intelligence alluded to in the me (huge
of the Prefidsm should arrive from
Great Britain,
Recent and alarming information,,
“which had reached the K-t of govern
mem, the riling of the Senate, on i’ ti
pav lad, though lindtuicd with rumor
and refting.on the credibility of pri
rate communication, had, however,]
altered his mind upon the business. j
The invafiorj of Zealand, the capitu
lation of Copenhagen, and the cap
ture of the DaniOl fleet, were events of
the ucnioft moment ioneutral powers;
and taught them that the greateil mo
deration, and prudence and forbear
ance were of no avail in guarding a
mild, an unoff ending and peaceful peo
ple againil the violence of its rapaci
■ ous and stronger neighbor. ‘A visita
tion of a Gmitar naiure might, in the
course of things, be expeQed from the
kme quarter, and the fairefl of our
s commercial cities might be wrapt in
flames or battered to ruins,
Vveir after year hath rolled away in
fruitleis negcciation. He doubted
whether in tire present posture of affairs,
there-would be any faiisfafftory adjuff
memos the points in dispute. It did
nor, indeed, follow, that the failure to
efFecl a treaty would not neceflarily
bring on a war. But the domuiioii of|
the ocean was so proudly ulupped by
Britain, and the usurpation maintained
by such a prodigious naval force, that
it would be calculating extravagantly
upon our good fortune, toexpetf that
our rights would not be invaded by
them : and in an age of the world,
v.'hen it was fafiiionable for the ruling
statesmen to fweepaway like cobwebs,
übllrad principles of right and written
maxims of public law, it was surely a
f’eafon when the weaker powers ought I
to employ every precaution for their;
fafety.
It was not his intention to recom
mend the conftruclion of a navy car
rying metal enough to dispute the em
pire of the high leas. Hrs only ob
ject was to provide a force fuffkiem
to protctl our acknowledged territory,
and to preserve peace within our sea
ports and harbors. During the inter
vals of peace it was the duty of wife
statesmen to prepare for war. Al
though the United States had been in
the enjoyment of that bluffing, with
little interruption, for more that* twen
ty years, there had been too little done
to guardagainft those evils which in
the common course f events it was
karcely poflible to avoid. But al
though threatened with hostility from
various quarters, the nation on the
cvhole #njoyed a good share of tran
quility. There was yet time to pre
pare for the political temped which
yould probably succeed the calm we
had long experienced. The Treasu
ry was in a condition to furnifh the ne
ceflary sums, without imposing a cent
of tax upon ourselves. And with
time and money at our disposal, he
conceived it to be a duty of The moll
imperative obligation that CongreU
should now retrieve, by more than or
dinary exertions, the carelelfnefs and
neglect of preceding fcffioa*.
During the last meeting of the na
tional legislature, indeed, a decent ap
propriation was made for the repan
and erettipn of defenlive works when
they fitould appear to be molt wanted
But how inadequate was this provi
lion ! Exigencies had arisen during th*
tcccfs, which had obliged the Frehien
to contraD debts on the national ac
count toalmoft three fourths of a mil
lion of dollars. And the bill on your
table, Mr. Frelident, has been brought
in to makegood ibis anticipated fund.
Had Congress made more ample ar
rangements for the general fafety, had
they taken cffeGual measures of de
■ fence at an earlier day, or had they
made the legal provision for purchas
ing the stores and implements which
j the general welfare requires, the Exe
cutive would not have been compell
ed to take the steps which he has done,
; of pledging the national faith for a
large amount of unappropriated mo-
Tvey. But the Secretary of the Navy
j has a£led wifely as well as boldly on
this emergency—ar.d the only senti
ment to be uttered on theoccafion is,
that in consideration of the reluclance
j manifeftedin Congress to adopt an es
■ fefcluai system, and of the preilttre of
; the exiktng circumstances, it was great
j iy to be lamented he had not arttfeipat
! ed three times as much.
Yet evenafter all this expenditure,
the Atlantic coafl was certainly not
protected as became a nation profefs
mg the feelings of bravery and honor
and boaffing annually of Us.great and
accumulating wealth. The vexations,
captures, seizures, and murders com
mitted by the fubjefls ot foreign so
vereigns Within the United States,
were encouraged by their total impu
nity, Ami a iheet of paper comairv
ing a proclamation was read by them
with little other edneern than they pe
rused any thing else in print. Mr. VI.
laid he was entirely pcifuaded that
lomcthing more might be done and
ought to be done, to enforce respect
to our laws within our undifputtd li
mits, and at any rate he was convinced ■
of the propriety of making a Itrong!
experiment for the purpose.
M. M. then took a fnrvcy of the
coalt from North toSouih, and a Iked
whether it-was not expedient to do]
iomething more for the lecurity of the;
Capital, and other numerous ports of
MalfachufetU ? Did the capacious but;
defencelefs harbor of Newport deserve
to be left in its present condition? As
to New-York, which might be called
the neart efthe union, it would be un
kind and unnatural if he did not ex
perience the keenell ferifibility for its
iafety. Conliderable indeed had been
done towards its defence out of the
appropriation for the year ana out of
the Executive anticipation. Os this
he thought it becoming in him to make i
a public acknowledgment. But much ;
more remained (till to be cccomplilh- 1
ed.; and this would require the aid of
additional appropriations. The har- i
bor of New-York and the entrance of
the Chelapcake were the favorhc place
rendezvous to piratical and bolide
fleets. They were peculiarly expo fed
to their aggrel&ans and ii/fulls; and
were worthy of more powerful protec-;
tion than had hitherto been extended
to them. In coupling Norfolk with;
the city near the Hudson, he meant to j
expiefs from the openriefs of their
ports and their contiguity totheocean,
the equal claim they had, efpccialiy
after the recent tranfa&ious in their!
refpcfctive neighborhoods, not to the’
favoritifin or but to the c- !
qual jullicc and to the protetling arm !
of the nation. Though N. Carolina!
might be confideredas fafe behind her
Ihoals and beaches, it was far otherwise
with her fifter-fiate on the louth. For
Charlelton prelented itself to his eye
as requiring further luccour from go
vernment. The fame remark applied
to Georgia. For the works at Savan
nah had not recovered from the ruin
ous hate to which they were reduced
oy the ilorm of 1801, and St. Mary’s,
now that the African slave trade was
•rohibited, would deserve further re
paration as well for ti e purpose of ex
luding the {hips of enemies as of those
ho make merchandize of men.
Tracing the Ihore along to the
nouihof the Milfilippi, he beheld a
♦eak and vulnerable point at Orleans,
•nd whether that region was contider
d as the feat of tiomelhc feuds or the
nark of foreign aggrelTion, it undoubt
edly required a more ftdble and c.isr
gctic support.
Although his proposition had a pe
culiar reference to the Atlantic boun
dary, where our territory lay conti
guous to the pretended domain of the
i Britilh as lords of the seas, he did not
jwifh to be underflood as confining his
ideas of proteefiori to that quarter of
the union. He felt that as a statesman
and a Senator, all and every part of the
nation was entitled to the protecting
care of the government; and the state
of the Weft and the North whereas
proper objeCls of its care and defence
as those of the East and the South.—
Jfanv gentleman should propefe a plan ]
for increasing the fecutity of the inland
frontier where danger was to be appre
hended from the savages & their Euro
pean connexion, he would give it his
hearty aidand co operation. Wheth
er the post near Narches or at Nachi
toches, the Chickasaw Bluff’s or Mas
sac, St. Louts or Maimi, Detroit or
Mfdukmakinak flood in need of re
pairs or reinforcements, he was ready
to vote the neceffery appropriations
I he warlike & murderous Sioux were
adually at war with us on the Miffou
ri; and a Hate of commotion fc-irccl t
less than a war had long exilted in Mi
chigan. Whatever,was nece.Tary {Ol
teaching Indians to dread our di I pie a
furc, and for bending the stubborn will
of insurgents to the yoke of the laws,
should receive from him all the coun
tenance he could give. To Vermont
and the whole country bordering on
Canada, he would vote ordnance and
arms.
To fome persons the posture of our
affairs might appear less furious than
they did to him. He was no alarroift
—but the proflration of our commerce, j
| the murder of our citizens, the viola-j
non Os our sovereignty, were each of;
them solemn matters. “ They demand- j
.ed foir.ething more than that passive;
land forbearing temper, of which our!
I nation had given proofs almost with-]
t out a parallel. There was a period of i
j extreme endurance; and that period
wa< now come. The people who en
joyed liberty held it upon this express
condition, that they should attempt to
wrelt it from them or even to encroach
upon it.
To spend our breath in enquiries
whether a-king in Europe is mad or in
his senses, is as idle as the prating of
The Athenians whether Philip of Ma
cedon was lick or was dead. White
; were talking about if, their inde
; pendence was deflroyed. Let us be
! atlive, and neither be lurprifed in our
fk-ep, rior in a reverie that is no better
I than Humber. But on a theme so co
pious, hr, It would be easy to expan
,tiate at great length. The only diffi
culty 1 feel is in condenting my re
marks. For moderate as my elocu
tion is, it would not be difficult for any
one, pofTeffing powers of speech ftnail
er even than mine, to difeourfe to you
; for hours.
Mr. Robinson advocated the mo
tion in warm and decided terms; when
the question was put and carried, nan
con.
] That the part of the Prefident’smes
; sage which relates to the defence of
our feapor: towns and harbors, and
The further provilions to be made for
their fecuriiy, be refered to a fele&
committee, with leave to report by bill
or otherwile ; and a committee was
accordingly appointed, confiding of
Melfrs. Mitchiil, Adams, buiupter*
Miiledgeand Robinson.
HOUSE OF REPEESENTAZU'ES.
Mokuay, Novemoek. 16.
Two other members appeared and took their
feats.
Mr. Holtnrs said he was re dm died by the
committee of Claims to move that they be dis
charged from the further conuderatioa of ieveral
■petitions 0:1 compenfatiofi for iervices during the
revolutionary war, and to move that they be re
ferred to the committee appointed on the i'uh'edt
oi claims barred by lUtutcj of limitation.
A greed.
Mr. J. City observed that he understood rca.
ny large purobafes had been lately made by dif
ferent agents for the United States, fome of
whom are paid lor their services a certain per
on the amount of these yurshafes. He
thought’ this the wrwft poifibk wry rj ;
the public money. For the purpose of
and to bring the fubjedt before the lioufe,
moved the following refoluticns which w-re i
dopted :
j Resolved, That the Secretary of war he diref}.
erl to lay before this Flivufe an account or c*b.
mate of the.purcbafes of onerchandife and fuppi.l.
made on behalf of the United States by th, Z
perintendant- of Indian trade, by the purveyor 5:
’ public supplies, and by the milita-y agent. - n !f ”
different diil-riA#, for the three years ending
. 30th day of September last, fpecifyi-ng, ass a ’
, may be pra&icable, the amount purchakd, )' 0
what departments, at what place, and by vd,..
, cfScer, together with the emoluments, corrirrus.
1 fions, or salary allowed to fucli ofHcer.
J Resolved, That the Secretary of the jiavy-,
| directed to lay before this Hoofs an account
estimate Gs the purchases of merchandise andfc.
’ pjies made on behalf of the United States by 4
navy agents in the different ports of the Unite’
States, for the three years ending on the JOi'ii
day of September last, fpecifying, as far as mayf’
prafiicable, the amount purchafod in each y f -.’
at what portend by what agent, together
tbs emolumenis, commissions or falariesTiov.cd
to such agent.
Mr. Nelson rose to move reference rfr
tition of Samuel B. Beal, prefentecl in March
1793, and which nad been renewed every l>;T !n
lines, so that it had gone the rounds of nil r 9!r .
mittees, Secretary of state tec's’ The petitioner
dates that a final fettiement for feraiceu duriu'-
the revolutionary- war, he received a certificate
for the balance due to him. As he was iVim.
ming a creek lie was obliged to pafj with tbtie
certificates in his pocket, they got vvet and b?.
came useless to him. Ms N. moved that the
petition should be referred to the committee r.p.
pointed to cpnfder the uibjcft of claims hrjtd
by ads of limitation. Agreed.
To he continued.
FOR. T£ INTfiLLIGEMCLU.
Mr. FELe.iv,
THE fubfeq.fent remarks origiaplly
htued from the lips of one of lue moil eloquent
statesmen, and ingenious poliricians, who (n:
appeared in the Parliament of Great-Britain
| They explicate the illiberal and hoftjle conduct
jof England towards neutral nations, for year;
; past, in a glaring and convincing point of view,
j The expanded, and benevolent mind of thehon
jorabla C.iarles James I-ox, could r.ot but view
,so odious a system as that prosecuted by the
[ unjust and corrupt government of Great-Britain,
as deserving execration. With the patriotism
of an honorable Sngliibman, he exposed the
malign operations of his degraded government,
ar.d anxious to retrieve the honor of his country
by feeing a more honorable course cf conduft
adopted, exerted the vail powers of his mind to
effefl it. Lord Stanhope has - lately dilplayed
a similar temper, which re fie ft s upon hib char,
after an honorable luftre, In’ times of public
em’mrtiflment England has been wont to look
for her principal supplies to Poland and Ameri
ca. “Already (hut out from Poland, where/’
aiks Lord Stanhcpe, “ will you receive {ap
plies for your naval arsenals, if you go to war
with America ?” But he a iked in vain—none
of his brother members of Parliament coo’d an.
fiver him.
The infertiou of these remarks will tend to
Jeftroy the efficacy of those observations, which
have iflued from the hirelings of England in
this country, considerably, and will oblige
A WELL VZJillEa.
EXTRACT
Frcfn Mr. Fox’s Speech, delivered hi P.mlfr
merit, in the year 1795.
“ WITH rsfpeft to AMERICA, I
(ball fuy nothing at-present, except that, after
giving orders fer taking her ships, we reuajbd
those order?, and have finCe entered into 3 ‘air
ty by which we agree, properly I believe, juft'ys
ar.d if juftby, wifely, to pay for #he/aftmei5 wd
felly cf iffuipg them.’ Next, with regard tt>
Denmark and §weden, which were in r'rjSs ede
so intimately conneAed in. point ofintereft, that
whatever was addressed to the one might be Ann*
{ideved in fact, alt'iough not m i jrr.i, as add rie
ci to the other. To the Court of Copec.lia,;®*
we presented memorial after memorial, couch’d
in mod peevi.'h and offenlivC terms of ren-o
tlrcncc, on the neutrality of his Danilh mcjcltv.
These memorials were nr, fevered by the mini has
Mr. Beniftoff, with such temper, Jirtnucfe sri
diplomatic knowledge, as obliged us at length,
‘todefift, and raised his character higher than
| that of any Danilh miuiiteV ever was befc.'C.—
We engaged in a diplomatic contcft upon the
fubjeft of neutrality, in which we (hewed our
complete ignorance of the rights of neutral na
tions* and were foiled accordingly.
What has been our cor.dtift towarcb tiw
Grand Tufcauy, a Prince wlro, altH
belonging to one of the mod iduftrious farn.he?
of Europe, is known not to'be pollefll-d ofanf
great military power ? Lord Hervey ghei t
the Grand Duke of Tufeair/- —not to the Iha*
peror, the king of Pruilia, or any potent Mu>
j arch—and fays to him,. “ Can you pretend
1 m?inta:n neutrality with such a govenmeul, &