Non-Intercourse with Great Britain.
The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, on the motion of the 7th instant, to prohibit all commercial intercourse between the citizens of the United States and the subjects of the King of Great Britain, so far as the same respects articles of the growth or manufacture of Great Britain or Ireland.
Mr. Sedgwick said he was sorry to rise, unprepared as he was, as he had yesterday occupied as great a portion of the time of the committee as perhaps he was entitled to. He had hoped some other gentleman would have risen, who, having better arranged his ideas than himself, had a preferable claim to the attention of the committee. Unprepared as he was, he could not permit a question so important as that under consideration to pass, without entering against it his solemn protest: a question involving the dearest interests of our country, and threatening to exchange the unexampled prosperity it had for some years enjoyed, for all the horrors of war. He said he the more regretted the part he was obliged to take on this occasion, because he feared he should, in his vote, divide from many gentlemen whom he much respected; but as his opinion had been formed on mature deliberation, neither his honor, his conscience, nor the duty he owed to his country, would permit him to be silent. If the evils he foresaw should result from the measure under consideration, he wished it might be known that no part of them could with justice be imputed to him as their author. If, therefore, he should be so unfortunate as to stand single and alone, he would not fail to oppose, as far as he could, the measure before the committee.
That injuries unprovoked and inexcusable had been inflicted by Great Britain on this country, was acknowledged by all. No man felt stronger indignation than himself at the insults which had been offered to our country, and the wrongs which had been done to our citizens; no man was less disposed tamely to bear the haughty and unprovoked aggressions of any foreign nation; no man would go further to procure redress for our wounded honor, and indemnification for our injured citizens. If, after seeking reparation in the way dictated by prudence and humanity, happily prescribed by the modern usages of civilized nations and commanded by the principle of religion; if fair negotiation should be tried, and justice not obtained, he would then seek redress by the means which God and nature had given us. He remembered well the miseries and vices of war, a war in which he had taken a part. It was a war of honor and interest: he well remembered its circumstances and effects. He had lived to see the wastes of that war repaired; to see a state of order and security; to see his country progressing in all the means of happiness. No man who loved his country, and rejoiced in its prosperity, would consent, but from inevitable necessity, to see it again plunged in the horrors of war.
Although all combined in opinion that our injuries were great, that they must be redressed, yet no one had suggested that war should precede negotiation. Respecting this, there was happily but one opinion. On every side of the House, it was acknowledged a duty indispensable in our present situation, to state our complaints of injuries to the authors of them, and to demand redress. We were only divided as to the manner of our application, and the circumstances under which our demand should be made. He had already, on another occasion, taken the liberty to declare his opinion of the line of conduct which was dictated by our present situation; that we should manifest that we are averse to war; but, should it become inevitable, we should encounter it with that undaunted spirit which became freemen, insulted in their honor and injured in their rights. He had the most perfect confidence in the bravery of our citizens. At the same time that he knew they would never surrender their rights, he was sensible that they would avoid, if possible, an unnecessary and wanton effusion of blood.
Gentlemen had disclaimed any intention to adopt any measures tending to war; they had said this measure had no tendency to such an event. This assertion he could not believe, because this measure contained a threat of inconvenience; and every threat of inconvenience was a cause of irritation, and every irritation between nations who had already differences to decide, undoubtedly tended to widen the breach, and of course to produce war. If gentlemen were sincere in their declarations, that all differences between America and Great Britain should be terminated by peaceable negotiation, (and he would not call their sincerity in question;) if Great Britain was proud, haughty, and insolent, as she had been repeatedly denominated, was it probable, he asked, that she would be more inclined to do us justice, by enlisting her pride and insolence against us?
Mr. S. said, that the late violences by which the property of our citizens had been plundered, were the immediate and avowed cause of the present measure; that as yet no representation of these injuries—no demand for compensation had been made; that such representation and demand should precede hostility was conceded by all. It only then remained to be considered, in what terms and manner such claim should be exhibited. In terms, he said, doubtless firm and decided; but if it was intended to produce the desired effect of peace, and to prevent hostility, the language should be decent and conciliatory. He called on gentlemen to show an instance, in modern times, where a nation complaining of injuries, but desirous of peace, had accompanied their demands of justice with threats of inconvenience? The opposite practice was universally established, and on the known principles of human nature. He appealed to the feelings of every honorable man in the committee, whether demands for justice and reparation for injuries were enforced by threats? whether repugnance to a compliance with such demands was not created by such means? If every man felt the operation of this principle, how much more powerful would it be on the minds of the governors of a nation styled proud and insolent? He said he would charge no man with an intention to involve this country in all the horrors and desolating scenes of war. He could not, however, help declaring, that war or amicable negotiation evidently must decide the controversies between America and Great Britain, and that were his mind determined on the former, he should recommend those measures which gentlemen had brought forward to the consideration of the House, as the most operative means of rendering the event certain, and of banishing every prospect of accommodation. To seize on British property, to confiscate or sequester British debts, to annihilate as far as in our power her commerce, to starve her manufacturers, and to humble her pride; these were infallible means of defeating negotiation, and of uniting, as one man, that nation against us, in all the views of her administration.
It had been said, that a principal benefit to be expected from the institution of Republican Government was, that cool and temperate reflection would direct the conduct of nations. How far our conduct on this occasion had verified such an expectation, he wished gentlemen to reflect. He had himself fondly hoped, in the Government of this country, to have seen these principles exemplified, and all intemperance of expression, and all the heat of passion, banished. It had been said, that a statesman should be all intellect: never, surely, was a time or a country, which more required than the present time, and by this country, the exercise of cool temper, to the exclusion of passion, to conduct with safety the political machine through surrounding dangers. He well remembered a former non-importation agreement; he remembered, too, its effects: they were such as might have been expected; they were such as to convince every cool and considerate man, that the measure itself was impolitic and unwise. It immediately raised the price of all articles of importation to an exorbitant and extravagant height. Hence it was immediately beneficial to importers and shopkeepers, and hence it may be easy to understand why this measure was said to be so popular in Philadelphia and other great towns. But as the Representatives of the whole people of America, the Legislature ought to reflect, that in proportion as this measure would operate beneficially to the dealers in imported commodities, it would become burdensome and oppressive to those who are best entitled to our regard—the substantial yeomanry of the country—on whom we must principally depend for support, in the arduous conflict which we had too much reason to apprehend. If we must eventually support our claims by arms, the more property we could import before the commencement of war, the more beneficial would it be. In that case, the most wise and prudent policy would be, that which would give the greatest extent to our credit; and, on the contrary, the most unwise and wretched, that which would tend to deprive our people of the ordinary means of supplies.
If this system should prevail, were we to receive British productions through other countries? This would be injuring ourselves, without affecting Great Britain. Was there any other country which could give us the same supplies we wanted? There certainly was none. Were we to depend on ourselves alone, the inconvenience would be great, if not intolerable. What, he further asked, would become of our produce, in the event contemplated? Without entering into a minute detail, he said, he would venture to pronounce that a great part of it would perish on our hands.
It was, he said, doubtful, how far at any time the proposed system might go to distress Great Britain; but, at this time, it would afford facility to her in recruiting her fleets and armies. Were manufacturers and laborers thrown out of employment, and thereby deprived of bread, they would be alike stimulated by want and despair to fight the battles of their country against those who had reduced them to necessity. In short, he saw nothing which should stimulate the Legislature to adopt this measure, but passion without, and resentment within, these walls. He saw nothing in the system itself, as it respected Great Britain, but vain and ineffectual irritation; nothing in relation to our own country, but defeat, wretchedness, and want.