Newspaper Page Text
CONGRESS.
lIoUs-K <;F UePRI>ENTATIVES.
Saturday, Feb. 21.
The order of the dnv heinp
rtlh'fl for on the l>i?! for hotter
foriiftnir the ports and harbors
of rl e United Sta'e®.
Mr. COOK move'! to fill b~
Hank with the sum f*f 300 •■Oft)
f]oih*r*i, nnd in support ol lus
motion 1 poke as follows :
Mr. Chairman, when on a for
mer occasion f proposed to ap
propi if.te r>ne million of dollars
F6r the put pose of fortifung the
ports and harbors of this nation
arty design was to propose a per
manent and general appropria
tion instead of the temporary an
ti md grants hitherto made, and
which are by manv considered as
little ltti.s than a wn.-.te of public
money. Such grants not affording
10 tile engineer the means to per
feet a plan of sufficient boldness
for our great and rapidly grow
ing nation.
Reflection, anti the discussions
in this blouse have confirmed me
in that opinion. I am convinced
it would be the most proper inod<-
cf conducting a bht ral system ol
defence lor our country and by
far more economical than by par
tial and yearly grants.
The probable expence of forti ■ 1
fying the port of New-Ycrk has !
been estimated at 320,000 dol
lars ; anil I a‘k,sir if that single
object shall consume that sum,
will rSO,OOO dolla.s be too huge
a sum to apportion among ad
urn numerous po t-> from Saint
Cioix to Same Mary’s, and on
ward to the southern extremity
of our newly acquired territory ?
Can it be believed that the one
thirteenth part of the annual re
venue on impost and t image is
too heavy a sum to be taken f <m
an overflowing treasury ior the
important <>b|eit of securing for
centuries to come, our numerous
cities containing wealth bet nd
calculation. Is this sum more
than sufficient to a fluid wot Its oi
ticnilv built as our lasting interest
would direct.
liowefce., with a view to meet
the Wi sh A^jfother gentlemen, a
.smaller .uVs now proposed,
which l hope will prevail.
Sir, in leplying to novel opin
ions, it is not my intent to im
peach any gentleman’s motives,
pntiioiLm, or bravery. I shall
impugn arguments and not pet
sono. Indeed I should think my
self guilty of defrauding the na
tion, were I to waste their tune
in those personalities and un
merited invectives which are
.strong coin s with some gentle
men, and very impioperly per
muted in tins 1 louse.
i oinduce this .louse to apply
but a small annual sum for the
object before uj, we have heard
it predicated ol fortifications,
that they are worse than useless
—end oi cities, that they a;e un
it table and unwouhy of defence.
Vfue ic not intuitively seen
that cities are defensible & wor
thy of such dele nee—the doubt
ing., if they be not reason pi oof,
may be syJlog.istically convinced.
Tims we lineht ia\, what
ceils moll labour is molt val
uable — cities coil molt labour,
ihercfoie are cities moil valu
able. W hat is molt valuable
is niolt worthy of defence.
Cities are moil valuable, there
fore are cities molt worthy of
defence. But not to go far’
iher into proving tell-evident
politicos, who can be Idem
v.hen mcafures of injudice,
degradation and cxtieme ca
iatnity are thus recommended
for onr adoption ? Aie nut
ti e minds of the jufl, ti c libe
ral and die biavc, icvolud ai |
the mes lures propole a ? T
not this docirme or Runaway
ijm abhorrent to all our jtnl
;*iul facial feelings, ai.u to mole
ir.efhmaoie (eciiu s s which gave
cs the ccuiury wo aio bound
to defend ■ A nrv ?-'d w- j
nicer mode t!f vo.rjo't F ,1( " v
urged upon n.- ; a pierr no lei:*
divergent frcir. reafonor plan*
(ibilitv of refti't, than it is from
example or experience. Sir,
1 do not feci clifpo'ed that v.e
Ibould rifqne rural! on a pro
jcdi so tinpromifing. I? might
suit a favcgc or an extremely
barbarous nation, and mould
readily be adopted as ffatute
law in I : ayti. But Heaven
forbid it fliould ever find ad
vocates in this or any other ;
poiifhed or civilized nation.
Surely it would require the j
eloquence of a Curran to pre- |
sent you a pitfuref’que and j
olowintideforitnior of al 1 the i
horrois confeq jent upon an ;
aslailiug foe, on a defence lets,
populous and devoted city, j
The mind is painfully a 1 retted
with the bare imagination of a
retreating multitude of ruined
forlorn fugitives, dc ip oiled of
ail the fund objehis winch h-id
(aliened them to life —a count- j
lcfa. numher of every age, sex, :
and condition, inter period with
the-lame, blind, halt and with- ,
ered crouding to the country i
so ruuneroiifly that the very :
ground might be liippofed to
groan beneath the weight, and 1
rebuke the folly and madness :
of the defpainng multitude. :
This monUrous do&rine of a- I
handoning cities, navies, gun*
boats, and million*, to Jack,
pillage, and conflagration, at
the mere fight of an enemy &
of retreating to forells, to dens,
to caverns of the earth, is un
warranted by examples in the
ancient, dark, or modem ages.
Indeed, fir, with the ancients
the city was the five qua non
of national exiilence. W hen
IToy fell we hear no more of
the fTojans, and the Cartha*”
the ruins of their city. In
tbofe days each city was dc
fended as a Thermopylae, Mo
dern tatties Support a doHrine
equally brave Sc politic—hence
the propriety even under
our late Fabian commander of
! t lie battle.’ of Brandy-wine and
j Charlcfiown. Nor has Great
j Britain, although lurrour.ded
j by floating cattles, omitted
j itrongiy to fortify against a
|li leakned invasion.
Mr. Chair man, if the (laves,
; ofadefpot, or ;he fujects of a
king (tunnelled to fight for
1 rights not their own, if they
j defend the abatis of their forts
l <St bravely meet thetr foes at
| the parapet, (hail we ids valo
j roufly protect our dwellings,
our property, our families, Si
our holy Sc (acted right of felf
govei nment ?
j ulliy to appreciate our hap.
j pv government, we should
| conlider it what indeed I think
it is, the only solitary one on
eertb, founded on tire will and
interdl of the governed. For
aii others cither in a greater or
lcffcr degree, partake of force,
fraud, or superstition.
We are also acting as prox
ies for poflerity, and on us are
fixed the eyes and the hopes
of the friends of long insulted
humanity.
Shall we not act unwisely in
the extreme ii v.e lore our mea
sure, permit our strong boxes
to be rifled, the emporiums of
our wealth invaded by withhold
ing tire trivial expence of a lock ?
None can deny, L think, that In
such timid parsimony, v.e may
be suddenly arid easily subdued
by a conqueror, whose fancy may
lead him to act like Charles the
12th, and send bis boot as his
deputy to role the conscript fath
ers of this land.
„..!* robe a* conform-
T corrre.K •
i ’ ,1... ,Iterates cl. interest s
r .t 1 1 cv os it is to ,!c:ie of justice !
that the enemv •
.hr,old Ve met at the water's edge
“rd will not gentlemen from the ,
•rr.rior coji>der that the scene |
of Ullage and war would he thus j
hpppilv for then-, far removed |
from their peaceful mansions & {
! possessu ns ?
Should a different mode of re
sistance be adopted, what sum of j
mono is proposed for erecting
asvlums in the internal country
and what positions are to be se
! lected for a retreating multitude. \
i Immense sums would be expend
jcd f.abt rintbs as extensive as
I that of Fgvpt will be found ne
! cessary to hide all but your ac- j
live warriors. Such retreats
■ would be found to he indispensa
blc-—tour hospitality would soon
be exhausted —added to which
| consider ation, the fugitives would
be dolesome companions to the
projectors of wretchedness and
misery.
As 1 verilv believe that a de
fi-r.ci less sla*e necessarily leads
I to a su> jugated state, a sense ol
: duty winch 1 otve to myself, to
! my country, and to futtuity, o
bligrs me to expose the fallacy ol
such dangerous propositions.
I do most seriously and hear
tily detest anti abhor royalty, fk
the doctrine of the many made
for the few, or the many made
ft r one. It is for tins cause that
| i would defend our republican
j rights against any and every’ as
sailant. profuse expenditures
j which generate heavy burthens
j on die people ar e ever to be avoid -
j eu ; but is it not possible to \ ergo
to the opposite, though equally
I dangerous extreme —we should
j carefully shun the rock Scylla, hut
| should we less cautiously avoid
the vortex of Charybdis.
Sir, forms of government, like
every other human production,
1 are imperfect, perhaps the only
! weak part of democratic govern
j m=nt is its liability to factions
j and extreme changes —hence we
find in such governments, Hint
- ,J • vuwvu -.♦muiu, u liU
from system, make opposition
to every measure their opponents
may approve. The Roman ge
nerals adopted a different policy
1 he errors of the past ad mini*
| station may lead us to others,
j opposite indeed, but not less dan
gerous,as one extreme is too of
ten succeeded by another.
But of gentlemen who are
j willing to look arguments in the
j face, and fairly meet them, 1
| will ask, whether justice, -good
j faith, or honesty, will permit
j them in these belligerent times,
to suffer our ports and harbours
to remain defenceless?
Justice is a cardinal virtue, St
the only basis of aligood govern
ment, and everv government not
thus founded, is from its nature
evanescent, or evidently fleet,
ing. Sir, I will ask, if any be
hardy enough to claim allegiance
and at the same time refuse pro
tection?
W ill you issue decrees of dis.
franchisement and excommuni
cation? Will you put citizens at
the ban of the empire and still
claim of them obedience and re
! venui? If you should act thus
| unjustly, will you not drive the
j oppressed into rebellion? Will
they not be justified in following
(lie example of the ancient Thes
salians, a people inhabiting a
frontier state of Greece, who,
I wlun threatened with a Persian
invasion, asked that their coun
try should be fortified, and who
being refused, joined the invtt
der> to subdue their own coun
try men.
Jt is an incontrovertible fact,
! Btat the minority have their
rights, this will eternally remain
a fact so longas force and justice
ate distinct. Ihe agricultural
representation is, aud will re
main more numerous than that
from the cities. Our interests
are one, united and indivisible,
and tun were they not thus ln
sepi.rabiv linked, the genius of
i htn government forbids unequal
J light-., bir, it is lor the sake
of safety, justice, and pro?-cti
on that we associate in govern- !
ir.ent—deny and refuse tins, and
ail the uses of government are
at an end. _
The cities have their claims,
the merchant and mariner have
their rights, which wc as legrs
lators have sworn to deti-nd, be
cause we have sworn to support
the constitutin'*, *nd that consti
tution makes it our bounden du
ty to provide for the common
defence and genera! welfare-
Manv merchants a;e opposed
to the administration; is it be
cause they are not generally re
publicans? I hope not. Many
of them perhaps look too singly
to their own interests, and be
cause government does not do e.
very thing for their protection,
therefore thev do nothing- *f
thev ask too much, perhaps we |
are willing to grant them too lit
tle.
Sir, every species of govern
ment, of whatever name, which
shall not equally protect every
single individual ol the nation in
his civil and political rights, is
a tyranny, and as such to be de
precated and opposed.
“ Not even the anointed hand
of Heaven,
! Can authorize oppression, give a
law
For lawless power, wed faith to
violation
On reason, build, misrule, or
justly bind
Allegiance to injustice. Tyranny
absolves all faith.”
I lament that the mutualities
of the different parts of this one
great whole, are so little attend
ed to; that localises so much
prevail over our minds. Do we
to spectators appear in the sub
lime character of national repre
sentatives, or do we not rather
tooohen appear as state, district,
j and ev en parish champions? I
t cannot but hope yet to see the
proud day, when we shall be
come truly national, when the
whole country shall appear to
each, as one common and equal
object of attention and care—
rfh oK.,)J tow l,e vhol a,
joint stock, and as such repel c
f very violation;
Crowned heads must be ini
; mical to the success of our expe
riment ol seif government; as its
success goes to hurt their selfish
trade of self governing. Their
forbearance is therefore uncer
tain and precarious, and we
should be constant ly ready to re
pell. bhculd they he permitted
peaceably to land their hosts of
veterans used only to the bayo
net, I fear our militia would
waut time for they are not ail e-
I qual to those of the division of
my honorable colleague on mv
left ; many are sadly armed and
poorly equipped, in such an e.
vent a war of posts would be oUr
only safety. Thus, sir to a coun
try defended by militia fortifica-
I trons are absolutely indisperrsi
ble. I ask, sir, ol military inert
who served in our revolutionary
war, could we without fortifica
tions now so decryed,have sue.
cetded in that war ?
Asa sedative we are constantly
as sailed with the cry of too soon
dr too late, too much or too little.
Are We not immediately threaten
ed ? We are asked, why pre pure,
it is too soon. Arc* tvu actually
threatened, insulted, and despoil
ed, then tve are lu!d it is quite
too late, and we have no time to
prepare.ls a liberal sum proposed,
that is ruinous—is a small tine
named, it will be utterly useless,
i hus 1 ft ar we shall be hushed to
j sleep on the verge ol a precipice.
! 1 o avert the eviis or war, lei us
j “ ‘sely he prepared to meet them.
I trust, we shall tef,bvsuch pre
paration, deter till aggressors, and
by our justice and bravery, in
scribe our li'tcdoin on the most
I lasting records ol 1 hue.
From the Charleston Tines.
Messrs. Csx Sheppard,
i ne subscriber having obse: v
ed in your Paper of iuesday
last, an article, dated Savannah,
I Mh March, iust. relative to the
capture of ih e _ B
coa, in which amonc* ‘."'’B
it is said, “ that fronuwß
opposition ina.de to |,„ . B
in taking possession of
and. it was generally ‘B
that (he place ha i l ;e , n p^B
designedly lhe ,;! 1u ‘ n iA B
had been nightly extended TB
the mouth ot the °B
neglected on the 3Ur ol 1).’!B
ber.” This comp / f him ,B
test against,and solemnly C r, n ' n ß
diet the above paragraph, bB
cause, he conceives lus
therein concerned. Kvt.-rv ;l B
in Curracoa knows, or c;m B
informed why, (for
past) it has been physicalfy D B
possible to shut the cntranee ol
the port with a sufficient chaiß
and why it has been necessaryß
discontinue, for several niuni.liß
the closing ol the port in the ;i |
sual manner. It cannot
said, with propriety, that B
security of the port, in that rB
spect, ha . been neglected. B
Trie subscriber does not cnn|
sider it necessary to nuke j ;i ß
further observation on t: ;car|
ous insinuations rout m;r! :uh|
paragraph alluded to, being
his way to Holland, there tomß
der a faithful account ol kiitoß
lonial Administration. fl
P. J. CHANGUIOnB
Late Governor of Currm^m
19th March, 1 07. B
From the .jarxr B
ru; .\i.. B
Os the Schooner Sally Amß
Cargo, from. Sew Fork, ‘::.iß
to Guadaloupe, in the hfl
Court of Admiralty, IkUat .Vfl
J ohn’s in the island of A nth B
sth Feb. 1807. fl
‘1 his American vessel, dfl
tained and sent in by a king’sfrß
gate, is loaded with Amcricaß
produce, gin, claret, soap, oiß
&c. The owner of the cargoiiß
native Frenchman, but has beeß
a citizen for upwards of
year s, and resid ‘d all t'nattimß
in New-York; nor did the cafl
tors make any difficulty on toB
point. The goods were ship'Bj
upon hia account and
consigtied to a French
Guadaloupe. The captain ttH
not only ftirnished with all tIH
usual documents, resweiiag tfl
neutrality of his vessil audiaß
go, but hurl also an adtliiionH
certificate, signed by the cslkH
tor and naval officer of N.
stating, that the di tie rent fortiß
articles had been duly iwmrttß
and the dutie ; thereon secntcM
also, at what time, where froß
by what vessel, and bv wh'.H
whereby it appeared that mfl
thereof had been brought to‘B
York by the. Sally Ann, or
imported by the present
ol the cargo; who, in ■
to the above, had gut iinnettdiß
declaration on oath, t!iatn' ,De ß
the goods were imported hvsß
order, but that he bought tfl
j whole in N. York. I
i he first point nn w’'ich ‘fl
! agent for tl'-e captors groyndfl
their claim, w as, that partoltfl
claret which had been importfl
only on the 4-th of Dec. and : H
Sally Ann had cleared on :fl
22d of the same month; ‘hefl
lore, from the short s[ ce fl
time, this wine could not be ccH
sidcred aa constituting ? url ß
the general stock in trade oflfl
United States; but that it B
imported for the ixpre-.spurpfl
of exporting again to the cJ
iny’s colonies, which is contrfl
to the intent and meaning B
majesty’s order, which pioluofl
neutrals from tarrying on
between the mother’ country
the colonies ot Ins eneirtci, J
making no difference ‘ V ‘ ICI B
this was done thiough dre niw®
of one or more vesselsi 01 C B
or more persons; and hicie fl
ing no cer tifieate on uoanh ,v fl
ing that the other goods ,a( D B
been in.ported with t ,lc i | ‘- c ‘ lll fl
of expor ii'.g them “b’ aiß B
the enemy's colonies, they “■
so came under die same j ir * fl
camcnt. fl
After the claimants If - ®*fl
their defence, the judge g"’’ fl
decree to live* foliovvingrtF'-- ■