These resources are amply sufficient to bring the war to an honorable issue. Our nation is, in number, more than half that of the British isles. It is composed of a brave, a free, a virtuous, and an intelligent people. Our country abounds in the necessaries, the arts, and the comforts of life. A general prosperity is visible in the public countenance. The means employed by the British Cabinet to undermine it, have recoiled on themselves; have given to our national faculties a more rapid development; and draining or diverting the precious metals from British circulation and British vaults, have poured them into those of the United States. It is a propitious consideration, that an unavoidable war should have found this seasonable facility for the contributions required to support it. When the public voice called for war, all knew and still know, that without them it could not be carried on through the period which it might last; and the patriotism, the good sense, and the manly spirit of our fellow-citizens, are pledges for the cheerfulness with which they will bear each his share of the common burden. To render the war short, and its success sure, animated, and systematic exertions alone are necessary; and the success of our arms now may long preserve our country from the necessity of another resort to them. Already have the gallant exploits of our naval heroes proved to the world our inherent capacity to maintain our rights on one element. If the reputation of our arms has been thrown under clouds on the other, presaging flashes of heroic enterprise assure us that nothing is wanting to correspondent triumphs there also, but the discipline and habits which are in daily progress.
[TWELFTH CONGRESS.—SECOND SESSION.]
PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES
IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, November 2, 1812.
This being the day appointed by law for the meeting of Congress, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, and took their seats, to wit:
From New Hampshire—Samuel Dinsmoor, Obed Hall, and John A. Harper.
From Massachusetts—Abijah Bigelow, Elijah Brigham, Richard Cutts, Wm. Ely, Isaiah L. Green, Ebenezer Seaver, William M. Richardson, Charles Turner, jr., Laban Wheaton, Leonard White, Wm. Widgery.
From Rhode Island—Richard Jackson, jr.
From Connecticut—Epaphroditus Champion, John Davenport, jr., Lyman Law, and Jonathan O. Mosely.