But, on the second head, can your law be executed? Does the history of the past in our own, or any other country, warrant such an expectation? Can you watch the extended line, of forty-five degrees north, for hundreds of miles, so as to prevent a transit for commercial exchange, indispensable to the necessities of the country? No, sir, it is a vain expectation; your army of 25,000 could not prevent the intercourse: their sympathies would rather lead them to connive at what they could not fail to see. Great Britain, with a canvas that whitens every sea, her revenue boats always in motion, and tide waters at every inlet or avenue, has not been able to prevent the smuggling in of about one-half the tea consumed in that Kingdom. Such is the conviction of English writers! It may be found in the appendix to McCartney's Embassy, and in the Life of the second Pitt. Where men have expended their substance in purchasing and collecting an article for export, under the subsisting faith of your laws permitting such export, it is not mere injustice, but cruelty in the Government towards its citizens to arrest such a commerce by an ex post facto law, and consign those concerned to the prison walls, and their families to beggary. Nothing short of the most imperious necessity, the safety of the community, can justify so severe a proceeding. But, sir, with a single exception of timber, the commerce between the northern frontiers and Canada, will, for the ninety days of this embargo, be little else than the mere exchange of articles indispensably necessary to the poor frontier settlers. How are they to be supplied with the article of salt? Believe me, sir, the morality of no part of the United States, or of any nation on earth, will restrain persons under such circumstances from eluding the laws. Does any man believe that this frontier traffic is not as beneficial to us as to our enemies? Can your law fail of producing more injury and loss to the United States, than benefit? Have you not witnessed, sir, that while you was exercising paternal care in enacting an embargo by water, for the seaboard, that our merchants and navigators, roused as by a shock of thunder, escaped from your shores, with their vessels, as from a destroying angel—from pestilence and death?
Mr. Bleecker, in a speech of about twenty minutes, made an able, solemn, and impressive address to the House, urging them to ponder, and desist from the dangerous course they were pursuing, and forewarned them of the calamitous consequences that would inevitably result.
Mr. Mitchill said, in viewing political subjects and dangers, some are inclined to look through political microscopes, which diminish them; others, misled by their imaginations, look through political telescopes, and are apt to magnify and enhance them. He, for one, was for viewing our situation with his naked optics—for looking at it as it really is. He could not be considered as less alive to the interests and happiness of the inhabitants of that city, respecting whom so much sensibility has been expressed, than any other gentleman. There were his intimate friends, connections, and what little property he possessed. No one could feel more for their sufferings under commercial restrictions, or in case of an assault upon it by the enemy. And if he was to consult only his personal sensibilities, they were all in favor of the people of that country with whom we are to enter into a conflict. He has no prejudice against them. He there received his education. He has lived in North and South Britain. From actual residence, he knows them from the Grampian Hills to Dover. He knows them, however, to be a proud, overbearing nation. From former residence, and also from recent intelligence, (and that within a few days, by late arrivals,) he knows that they consider us a sort of a generation whom they have a right to despise. We are viewed in this unworthy, degraded situation, not on account of our want of resources, or population; but because they believe we cannot stand together—that we have no confidence in ourselves—that we cannot lead armies into their countries. Their object has been, since the year 1806, to divide and distract us, and to prevent our taking efficient measures. Sir, what has been the cause of our present condition? It is well known that, in 1806, he was made the organ of his constituents, as other gentlemen were for Salem and other commercial places, to present to Congress their plaints and wailings, on account of the grievances they suffered upon the subject of carrying colonial produce, and the continuity of voyage. The archives of this House will prove this. They declared they should be ruined if the British doctrine should be countenanced. The Government were goaded by these applications for relief. The Government began, and continued pacific measures, until we have got into our present situation.
Mr. Widgery spoke with much warmth in favor of the embargo and war.
Mr. Stuart said, if it was in order, he would ask the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Widgery) a few questions. He would ask that gentleman if he was, during the last embargo, a ship owner? If so, did he not go to England during the embargo? If so, how did he go?
Mr. Widgery answered that he went by water.
The Speaker observed these questions were not in order.
Mr. Stuart said if they were not in order he would sit down.
The question was now taken on indefinite postponement, and determined in the negative—yeas 42, nays 72.
On motion of Mr. Roberts, the previous question was demanded by a majority of the members present: Whereupon the question was taken, in the form prescribed by the rules and orders of the House, to wit: "Shall the main question be now put?" and passed in the affirmative—yeas 67, nays 44.