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ITKOU THI DEMOCIATIC PafiSS.
Who is there, wnose viens are filled
with American blood, that is not rous
ed by the following energetic elo
quence and whig sentiments delivered
f t General Smith, of Baltimore, at a
tite popular meeting***) given in the
m-6%? t
GENERAL SMITH.
-Friends, fellow citizen —l might
tty acquaintances—for I know you
all, and have known you long. Per
haps you are surprised that I came not
sooner to participate and take an effi
cient part in the cause of republican
ism, to which such an extraordinary
opposition is set up—set up by the
same party, which eight years ago
you prostrated in the dust. Fathers,
who know what parental feeling is,
will excuse me, when they learn thai
I have been ten weeks travelling with
a beloved daughter, whose health was
impaired; and thanks to God, I havt
succeeded in restoring her to tin
blessings cf health and the bosom o
my family.
Observe, fellow-citizens, frott
whence and from whom this outer}
this stubborn opposition comes. I
sets in from the federal party ! The*
held the reins of .government twclv*
years; and did they disburden you oi
your national debt ? No ; they wen
out of power and left us saddled wit!
it all. Not only so ; but they violat
ed the constitution of the Unite*
States by the passage of an alien law
by which the unhappy foreigner, wh
Lad taken refuge in America, fron
the hardships and oppressions of Eu
rope, was subjected to a capricious
exportation, at any minute at the will
of the chief magistrate. Then follow
ed a sedition law to gae* the mouth of
discontent and suppress discussion
and popular murmers. But all this
did not suffice ; taxes were laid on
domestic industry to support the ex
pences an extravagant government—
and monies’ were loaned at eight per
cent. We were approximating to
monarchy Hut the people were alarm
ed—they rose in their might and dis
missed the federal administrators from
office.
You elected republicans to fill your
councils and administer your ufftirs.
And have they not done more than
the most sanguine.amongst you could
have expected? From two articles of
taxation, (on each of which was im
posed 500,000) one million of dollars
was withdrawn. The whole of the
internal taxes was repealed. Not a
single tax is levied from you—and,
yet what have we done? We have in
seven years, paid off thirty-two mil
lions of the public debt —without op
pressing any mart or draining the
streams of revenue dry. And how
have we done it ? By carrying into
the public administration, the same
economy which every prudent man
exercises in his private dealings, and
it. bis own family.
General Smith then took an exten
sive view of the embargo, too much at
large for us to copy here, Britain, (said
he) if sh; ruled her actions by public,
recorded laws, we could understand
her conduct an well as guard against
them : Lut she acts when it suits hei
by orders from her king and privy
council, and often without notification
—but by instruction to her admirals
and commanders, she bounces upon
the property cf the neutral, like a
hawk upon an unwfcrV bird—and seiz
tire is the first intimation of prohibi
tion or danger! Os this nature \va
the orders in council of January 1 Sc)7.
which forbade neutrals to trade iron
one port to another port of France o
her allies, und?r this order above fift
or sixty American ships were capture*
Lv British cruizcrs, Then follovve*
* ver memorable orders in counci
r x November, 1807, declaring al
American (neutral) v essels good prize
if bound to or from Franco or any o.
her parts or allies—[France retaliated,
and said that $u ‘American’* vessel
bound to or from the British islands,
or which should submit to be boarded
by a British armed ship, should be
good prize. Then as Mr. M‘Kim
told you, was our commerce placed
in double jeopardy. But the the sa
gacity of a Jefferson foresaw the com
ing storm; he recommended safely,
and we ari safe. We resorted
to an embargo, as we had done before, 1
to preserve our ships, property and!
seamen from the gripe of European
plunders. But, lam told, this em
bargo is a terrible measure, and quite
intolerable. I was one of those who
drafted tire present law; and it is ver
batim the same with that passed ii
1794, excepting that the act of ’94,
was laid for 30 days, and this is inde
finite. The act of 1794 was continu
ed for 30 days more; and a powei |
vvas conferred on the president to con- 1
tinae or revoke it at his mill and plea-\
sure —and he might have prolonged it
tor 15 days after the commencement
of the next session of congress ‘
There, gentlemen, there was powei
for you ; but that congress threw th<
responsibility upon the president : tlx
•resent congress have, with mor*
magnanimity, taken it upon them
elves. They speak this language t<
heir constituants—“ If we have be
haved illy, let us bear the blame : J
ve have acted rightly, .give us credit’
i do most unequivocally demand nx
.hare of the blame—for i have vote*
or the embargo! And of all the act
*f my life, I think it the most patroitic
‘Ct. Some cf tlie very gentlemen
vho rail against the present embargo
er.t a deputation to congress in Phil a
lelphia in 1794, requesting them 1*
prolong the embargo until Ertgluw
should grant us justice. But that con
gress was federal; and the embargi
was taken off at the end of sixty da}
only! Setting a dread, a pemiciou
example of fickleness at home—aru
speaking this language most impress
sively to foreign nations—“ The Ame
ricansarea money-loving, money-seek
ing, money-making avaricious people
wno cannbt bear any policy vvhicl
touches their pocket—touch them oi
that tender part, and they will yeild to
what you wilt.’’ This opinion so
reign nations have imbibed or U s,
from the policy and measures oi fede
ral times.
I am disappointed at not finding
Mr, Winder here; for I was really
curious to hear what an ingenious law
yer could say against the embargo. I
j am told he talks of war at times as a
substitute. If he talks of war with
Britain , I fear he would loose, or of
fend many of his present friends ; and
if he proposes war against France,
I know net where a Frenchman
‘could be met. If I were an admiral
I could not meet their fleets at sea ;
for most of them are gathered into
their ports; but your ships and car
goes, if put afloat, would afford rich
spoils to their privateers. And against
both France and England I presume
he would not wage war at once. But,
why speak of England ? It has been
hardily asserted, that her orders in
council are not enforced—and that no
tribute is exacted under them. Con
demnations, gentlemen, have taken
place in consequence of them. Even
-.hips which have sailed from the Uni
t'd States, under the permission of
he president to bring home property
broad, have been seized and carried
into England, and there obliged to
oay tribute or be condemned. Ves
.els, which carried passengers out to
he British dominions, have heed sub-1
jetted to tribute , also! But gentle
men, I hold in my hand incontestable
woofs of the exaction cf tribute un
ler these orders cf council.
The brig Sophia, captain Carman,
from Rotterdam for Baltimore, which
urived here on Tuesday last, having
n board six pipes of gin, not belong
ing to the owners (of the brig) was
•ufried to the port of Harwich, in Eng,
and—and, by special favor , the gin
vas allowed to he guaged on board,
vithout landing it; and he paid on
he seven hundred and twenty gallons,
eight pence per gallon TRIBUTE be
sides tonnage on one hundred and
thirty four tons—pilotage, light mo
ney, and all other port ehai ges.
What American will submit to this ?
Is there a man in all this vast assem
blage who would stoop to pay tribute
to England ? (No! No! from all
quarters \) And yet merchants,
whose business is commerce, cannot
see the evils of the embargo ? But
lawyers in their charity and disinteres
tedness kindly undertake to tell us ol
them ! Generous souls! The mer
chants are much obliged to them—
and the farmers could not possibly see
or feel without their instructions !
The general reviewed the embargo
law in every possible light, and ex
plained most ably the relative situa
tions of France, England, America, at
| and prior <to its passage. England
[wanted to get as many of our ships,
property and seamen within her grasp
as possible, and then, said she to her
self, America must bend to our terms.
‘lf she can resist the claims and peti
ions of her merchant.-—j et tlie en
icaties of mothers, fathers, wives,
kindred and friends—-to redeem their
mpressed citizens, sons, &cc. from
he British navy, will compel the A
nerican government to strike to us.
vh l gentlemen, .he foresight of Tho
nas Jefferson and the vote of congress
verted, these projected calamities
tom our country : they laid an em
mrgo— which we all feed ; but it is
omparatively only the restrictions of
i day. In London, we know vast
bets were made chat our embargo
•’ ould be taken off in three months.
They thought us a money-making,
■bjcct race, who had not patriotism
trough to carry us through a great
treasure. Jefferson too, traduced at
home, is misunderstood abroad. They
mstake the u an—and cannot fathom
he statesman. They thought him
weak, wavering, and “ pusillanimous. 5 ’
I hey are woefully disappointed. The
mhargo jtus outlived their calcula
te ns of its duration. The embargo,
•>ay what federal gentlemen may, has
produced deepfelt effects. \\ hut has
raised the manufacturers and mechan
ics at Manchester, to a pitch oi insur
rection f The embargo. W hat has
thrown fifty thousand cl the woolen
manufacturers of Yoikshire, ccc. into
confusion, discontent and revolt ?
the embargo. What has raised four
in the W est-Indies to twenty or fifty
dollars per barrel ? ‘l’he embaigo.
If lam not greatly misinformed by
letters lately received from England,
the embargo has brought England to
her senses. France too, a couple of
w hose islands are in a state of starva- 1
tion, will learn to be just towards us
fr m the same measure. I should
not be surprised, if in one month from
this date, the embargo should have;
completely gained every object for*
which it was imposed—nay, perhaps
Mr. Jefferson may even now have re
ceived dispatches, that may warrant!
the removal of the embargo, but I do
not know that he has. The time will]
come when the embargo will be extol
led as the most wise and patriotic p )-’
licy ever adopted in any age or cdun
try.
But some very superior geniuses
vdould remove the embargo at all e
vents, whilst British orders and French
decrees remain ! Where would they j
trade ? We can trade to no part of
Spain or Portugal; We cannot trade,
in safety, 1 mean, to any part of Eu
rope, and all that remains besides that
commerce is not worth pursuing—it
is scarcely sufficient to bait
for us ; and perhaps was so intended,
Our property is in port; many of our
ships are there, it is true, but I had ra
ther weep over them than afisr them.
General S, then took a survey of
the militia law of Maryland. The ca
vils, were affected to be made against
the militia law, but they were reU'v
against the militia system. The quar
ter whence they cam* evidenced their
intention ; they were made by the
same men who advocated the federal
administration, and the standing ar
my. What did that tend to ? T*
monarchy, it is an inevitable conse
quence of discouraging the militia.
Place any man at the head of an army
with uncontrollable power, and from
that moment his character receives a
new stamp ; his views anew bent—.
his ambition is called into play. This
it was that elevated an Oliver Crom
well—this it was that hoisted Bcna
parte to the pinnacle of royalty.
He again resumed the subject cf
the embargo ; addressing the farmer*
for whom benevolent lawyers ex pro.!
sed so much concern. Who were
tWy that imposed the embargo ? Not
the merchants—for there were but
four of any note in congress ; not tlie
lawyers, for we have got rid of most
of them in congress. The embargo
was laid (he might say) by the repre
sentatives cf the farming interest of
the United States. ‘They know the
risk they ran, but they knew the mea
sure was wise—and at any rate, the
business of a representative was net
to court popularity, but to regard the
best interests of the nation.
THE PRESIDENTS ANSWER
To the 7i i embers of the Baltimore Bab
tist Association.
I received with great pleasure the
friendly address of the Baltimore Bap
tilt Affociatton, and am fencible how
much I am indebted to the kind dis
pohtions which dictated it.
In our cady Articles for liberty,
religious freedom could not fail to be
came a primary objedi: all men frit
the right, and a just animation to ob
tain it was excited in all. I was on!/
among the many who befriended it*
establishment, and entitled but in com
mon with others to a portion of that
approbation which .follow the fulfilS
m* nt of a duty-
Ezcited by wrongs to rejefft a foreign
government which dirt Red our con
cerns according to its own inter* fir,
and not to ours, the principles which
juftified us were obvious to ail under,
(landing* ; they were imprinted in the
breaH cf every human being; and
providence was pleased to diret't
the iisuc of cut contefi in favor of
that fide where juttsce was. Since
this happy f. pparaticn, our nation has
wifely avoided entangling it fell in the
fyftrmof European tnterefts, has taken
no fide between its rival power*, at
tached itself to none of us ever chang
ing confedcraecs Their peace is de.
i firabie; and you do me juttice in fay
ing that to preserve and ensure this
has been the conffant aim of my rd,
ministration ; the difficulties which m
jvolve however, arc now zi their ul
timate term and what will be their it
fue, time alone wifi difetofe. But ba
it weal it may a recollcGiion of our
former vaualage in religion and civ,!
j government, v/jl! ciruie the seal of eve
ry heart, and the energy of every hand a
prclerve mat independence in beta*
1 which under the favour of Heaven
facrifice of private inter
eff will now maintain.
| lam happy j n your approbation cf
!my reasons for determining to retire
.iota a flatten in which the favorer
®y ! Ci:o '' ,r citizens has so long confine
ca and supported me; arid I return
your kind prayers with supplications
to the fame Almighty Being fbr your
future welfare and that of our beloved
country.
TH: JEFF PERSON.
October 17 ’OB.
—
BUTTER and S VIOAKED BEEF
2ht sulscriter respectfully informs the public, a*&
his customers in particular, that he has re
ceived per late arrivals ,
A Supply of
Butter, Smoake j Beef and Tongues,
Spirituous Liquors, Wines, Muilard,
With a general assortment of
GROCERIES,
Which he wjll cheerfully dispose of to those
who will be kind to favor him with their ‘cuilo.'d*
at his fuKe, ia Bay Lane, near the Exchange.
John Uigur.
October L’B-~6t—59
- j
Bills of Exchange,