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commerce unprotected, our revenue nothing, individuals embarrassed, grievances complained of, our rulers censured, town and county resolutions published, combinations formed, non-compliance with the laws announced, property sold for one third its value, the insolvent imprisoned, and the courts of justice stopped;" that this description applies to the present state of parts, if not the whole, of our country, we believe will not be denied. Whence comes it, that from a state of the most flourishing prosperity, a few months should have produced a change so truly astonishing? It is not in the restless and unsteady habits of a people, till lately contented and happy, that we must look for the causes of these frightful calamities; it is in the pernicious and dreadful consequences of this shallow system of embargo and non-intercourse, that we shall find the fruitful source of our country's ruin.

We do most sincerely hope that neither Virginia nor any other state may ever succeed in "dictating measures to Congress, and by a convulsed state of things force their adoption." However such an

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usurpation might, from various causes, endure for a time, the returning good sense of the people would eventually restore the equilibrium, and effectually prevent those tempestuous scenes which Your Honour has so eloquently described. "The importance and the interesting and perilous nature of the crisis,' have excited the most alarming reflections in our minds and we doubt not that every member of the legislature will devote himself to the arduous, yet necessary duty of "devising some reconciling expedient to quiet the agitated minds of our citizens," and relieve them from the weight of these unconsti tutional restrictions.

The House of Representatives derive peculiar satisfaction from contemplating the patriotism, order and discipline of our militia, and look with confidence to this establishment for a sure defence of their country and its rights. Such a bulwark will always

render "standing armies in time of peace" unnecessary for protection; and inadequate for usurpation or subjection at any time. So long as the militia system shall be deemed susceptible of improvement, so long will it be the favourite object of legislative aid, and shall meet the early and persevering attention of the House of Representatives. So far as it lies in our power we will take care that it shall be "capable of moving and being moved without mortifying delays and dangerous collisions." Nothing will more subserve this desirable end than the preservation of that discipline upon which depends the regularity and precision of all military movements. A vigilant regard also to those military judgments (upon which depend the pride and honour of a soldier) will tend greatly to inspire confidence in our officers, to procure obedience in their men, and restore to the system that harmony which constitutes its perfection.

The House of Representatives have remarked, with much anxiety, an evil of growing magnitude in the accumulation of depreciated and counterfeited bank bills; the alarming height to which this evil has arisen, loudly calls for some remedy; and although"the want of a foreign market for the produce of our farms," and the total suspension of our commerce, afford fewer opportunities for witnessing impositions, yet no doubt the number of persons who resort to dishonest practices, with our paper currency, is much increased by the peculiar situation. of the country. That ingenuity which is driven from the pursuits of honest industry and labour, frequently seeks a refug from poverty in the paths of vice.

It has always been the practice of the legislature of Massachusetts, to extend the fostering hand of encouragement to all manufactures undertaken within the commonwealth, with any prospect of success, or publick utility. The House of Representatives will be happy upon every fair occasion, to continue

this laudable custom, and will seize the earliest moment, which is free from other occupation, to deliberate upon this important subject, and to devise such plans as will best promote the object in view.

Good publick roads certainly afford very great facilities to husbandry, commerce and manufactures; and Massachusetts in this respect, is not behind any portion of the United States. It is matter of much satisfaction to the House of Representatives that these advantages have been obtained by the voluntary exertions and enterprise of our fellow citizens, without resorting to the general government for any aid from that superfluous wealth with which we are officially informed, the national treasury overflows. In a period of general prosperity, encouragement to the ornamental planting of our publick roads would certainly be entitled to some attention from the Legislature, but at this awful crisis, when our very existence as a nation is almost in question, it is respectfully submitted to Your Honour, whether the occupation of much time on this subject might not be considered by our constituents as trifling with the publick expectations.

To cherish the interests of literature, at all times, and under all circumstances, the House of Representatives will consider among the first and most pleasing of their duties. Upon this subject we shall always be ready most cheerfully to co-operate with Your Honour.

The House of Representatives accept with gratitude, and reciprocate with perfect sincerity, the wish which forms the conclusion of Your Honour's address, and prays Your Honour to be convinced that nothing, on their part, shall be wanting to bring the session to a termination consistent with the wish so devoutly expressed.

41

REPORT

OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS.

In SENATE, Thursday, Feb. 1.

THE committee to whom were referred the petitions of sundry towns in this commonwealth on the subject of the embargo, and other subjects connected therewith, have paid the earliest possible attention to the very important and interesting subjects therein mentioned, These numerous representations, made as if by one consent from different parts of the country, afford strong proof of the injustice and impolicy of the measures complained of, and exhibit a striking display of the disastrous consequences of those measures. The members of the legislature, having lately assembled from all quarters of the state, cannot require any new evidence of the grievances which are universally oppressing their fellow citizens. The committee, therefore, instead of dwelling on the picture of private distresses, or enumerating the disgusting catalogue of publick wrongs, displayed in these petitions, have proceeded to analyze the whole, to select the leading subjects of complaint, and to consider whether there be any remedy within the power of this present legislature.

The principal subjects of complaint in all these petitions may be comprised under these general heads. First, The impolitick, unnecessary and unconstitutional interdiction of commerce, by the several acts of the Congress of the United States, falsely called embargo laws.

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Secondly, The apprehension that the nation is to be speedily plunged into a war with Great Britain; and consequently entangled in a fatal alliance with France.

Thirdly, Some peculiarly oppressive and unjust provisions of the last embargo act, passed on the ninth day of January in the present year.

The first of these subjects has been repeatedly under consideration before the legislature of this state. And here the committee cannot avoid observing that the misapprehension of our true interests and feelings by some of our representatives in Congress, must have contributed very much to the continuance of these embargo acts. The government of the United States would not probably investigate very critically those rights, which appeared to be abandoned or disregarded by those who were peculiarly entrusted with their defence: and they must, from the same cause, have been led into the greatest mistakes as to the feelings and dispositions of the people. Even if the constitutionality and justice of these measures had been less questionable, it is impossible to believe that they would have been so long persevered in, if the government of the United States had been early and truly informed of their ruinous operation on the commercial states, and the universal disaffection they excited among the peo ple.

When this subject was first discussed in the legislature of this state, the opposers of the system could only reason from the general principles of our constitution, the necessities of commerce and the feelings of human nature.. They depicted in strong colours the destructive tendency and consequence of this system. They have long since seen the accomplishment of their predictions; their most gloomy presages are verified by the event; and the whole people now feel and acknowledge the force of those truths, which then employed the ablest of our statesmen to explain and demonstrate.

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