时间:2022-06-10 12:43:35
Abouttoaddthesolemnityofanoathtotheobligationsimposedbyasecondcalltothestationinwhichmycountryheretoforeplacedme,Ifindinthepresenceofthisrespectableassemblyanopportunityofpubliclyrepeatingmyprofoundsenseofsodistinguishedaconfidenceandoftheresponsibilityunitedwithit.Theimpressionsonmearestrengthenedbysuchanevidencethatmyfaithfulendeavorstodischargemyarduousdutieshavebeenfavorablyestimated,andbyaconsiderationofthemomentousperiodatwhichthetrusthasbeenrenewed.FromtheweightandmagnitudenowbelongingtoitIshouldbecompelledtoshrinkifIhadlessrelianceonthesupportofanenlightenedandgenerouspeople,andfeltlessdeeplyaconvictionthatthewarwithapowerfulnation,whichformssoprominentafeatureinoursituation,isstampedwiththatjusticewhichinvitesthesmilesofHeavenonthemeansofconductingittoasuccessfultermination.
Maywenotcherishthissentimentwithoutpresumptionwhenwereflectonthecharactersbywhichthiswarisdistinguished?
ItwasnotdeclaredonthepartoftheUnitedStatesuntilithadbeenlongmadeonthem,inrealitythoughnotinname;untilargumentsandpostulationshadbeenexhausted;untilapositivedeclarationhadbeenreceivedthatthewrongsprovokingitwouldnotbediscontinued;noruntilthislastappealcouldnolongerbedelayedwithoutbreakingdownthespiritofthenation,destroyingallconfidenceinitselfandinitspoliticalinstitutions,andeitherperpetuatingastateofdisgracefulsufferingorregainingbymorecostlysacrificesandmoreseverestrugglesourlostrankandrespectamongindependentpowers.
Ontheissueofthewararestakedournationalsovereigntyonthehighseasandthesecurityofanimportantclassofcitizenswhoseoccupationsgivethepropervaluetothoseofeveryotherclass.Nottocontendforsuchastakeistosurrenderourequalitywithotherpowersontheelementcommontoallandtoviolatethesacredtitlewhicheverymemberofthesocietyhastoitsprotection.Ineednotcallintoviewtheunlawfulnessofthepracticebywhichourmarinersareforcedatthewillofeverycruisingofficerfromtheirownvesselsintoforeignones,norpainttheoutragesinseparablefromit.TheproofsareintherecordsofeachsuccessiveAdministrationofourGovernment,andthecruelsufferingsofthatportionoftheAmericanpeoplehavefoundtheirwaytoeverybosomnotdeadtothesympathiesofhumannature.
Asthewarwasjustinitsoriginandnecessaryandnobleinitsobjects,wecanreflectwithaproudsatisfactionthatincarryingitonnoprincipleofjusticeorhonor,nousageofcivilizednations,nopreceptofcourtesyorhumanity,havebeeninfringed.Thewarhasbeenwagedonourpartwithscrupulousregardtoalltheseobligations,andinaspiritofliberalitywhichwasneversurpassed.
Howlittlehasbeentheeffectofthisexampleontheconductoftheenemy!
TheyhaveretainedasprisonersofwarcitizensoftheUnitedStatesnotliabletobesoconsideredundertheusagesofwar.
Theyhaverefusedtoconsiderasprisonersofwar,andthreatenedtopunishastraitorsanddeserters,personsemigratingwithoutrestrainttotheUnitedStates,incorporatedbynaturalizationintoourpoliticalfamily,andfightingundertheauthorityoftheiradoptedcountryinopenandhonorablewarforthemaintenanceofitsrightsandsafety.SuchistheavowedpurposeofaGovernmentwhichisinthepracticeofnaturalizingbythousandscitizensofothercountries,andnotonlyofpermittingbutcompellingthemtofightitsbattlesagainsttheirnativecountry.
Theyhavenot,itistrue,takenintotheirownhandsthehatchetandtheknife,devotedtoindiscriminatemassacre,buttheyhaveletloosethesavagesarmedwiththesecruelinstruments;havealluredthemintotheirservice,andcarriedthemtobattlebytheirsides,eagertogluttheirsavagethirstwiththebloodofthevanquishedandtofinishtheworkoftortureanddeathonmaimedanddefenselesscaptives.And,whatwasneverbeforeseen,Britishcommandershaveextortedvictoryovertheunconquerablevalorofourtroopsbypresentingtothesympathyoftheirchiefcaptivesawaitingmassacrefromtheirsavageassociates.Andnowwefindthem,infurthercontemptofthemodesofhonorablewarfare,supplyingtheplaceofaconqueringforcebyattemptstodisorganizeourpoliticalsociety,todismemberourconfederatedRepublic.Happily,likeothers,thesewillrecoilontheauthors;buttheymarkthedegeneratecounselsfromwhichtheyemanate,andiftheydidnotbelongtoasenseofunexampledinconsistenciesmightexcitethegreaterwonderasproceedingfromaGovernmentwhichfoundedtheverywarinwhichithasbeensolongengagedonachargeagainstthedisorganizingandinsurrectionalpolicyofitsadversary.
Torenderthejusticeofthewaronourpartthemoreconspicuous,thereluctancetocommenceitwasfollowedbytheearliestandstrongestmanifestationsofadispositiontoarrestitsprogress.Theswordwasscarcelyoutofthescabbardbeforetheenemywasapprisedofthereasonabletermsonwhichitwouldberesheathed.Stillmorepreciseadvanceswererepeated,andhavebeenreceivedinaspiritforbiddingeveryreliancenotplacedonthemilitaryresourcesofthenation.
Theseresourcesareamplysufficienttobringthewartoanhonorableissue.OurnationisinnumbermorethanhalfthatoftheBritishIsles.Itiscomposedofabrave,afree,avirtuous,andanintelligentpeople.Ourcountryaboundsinthenecessaries,thearts,andthecomfortsoflife.Ageneralprosperityisvisibleinthepubliccountenance.ThemeansemployedbytheBritishcabinettoundermineithaverecoiledonthemselves;havegiventoournationalfacultiesamorerapiddevelopment,and,drainingordivertingthepreciousmetalsfromBritishcirculationandBritishvaults,havepouredthemintothoseoftheUnitedStates.Itisapropitiousconsiderationthatanunavoidablewarshouldhavefoundthisseasonablefacilityforthecontributionsrequiredtosupportit.Whenthepublicvoicecalledforwar,allknew,andstillknow,thatwithoutthemitcouldnotbecarriedonthroughtheperiodwhichitmightlast,andthepatriotism,thegoodsense,andthemanlyspiritofourfellow-citizensarepledgesforthecheerfulnesswithwhichtheywillbeareachhisshareofthecommonburden.
Torenderthewarshortanditssuccesssure,animatedandsystematicexertionsalonearenecessary,andthesuccessofourarmsnowmaylongpreserveourcountryfromthenecessityofanotherresorttothem.Alreadyhavethegallantexploitsofournavalheroesprovedtotheworldourinherentcapacitytomaintainourrightsononeelement.Ifthereputationofourarmshasbeenthrownundercloudsontheother,presagingflashesofheroicenterpriseassureusthatnothingiswantingtocorrespondenttriumphstherealsobutthedisciplineandhabitswhichareindailyprogress.
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