the legislature had no regard, who were abandoned to the caprice of
other nations, were plundered abroad, and neglected at home; the
merchants, after having at length by their importunities engaged the
state in a war, of which they have themselves certainly not the least
pretensions to question either the justice or necessity, now, when by
the natural consequences of a naval armament, sailors become less
numerous, and ships more difficult to be equipped, contract in private
with such sailors as they are inclined to employ, and conceal them in
garrets, hired for that purpose, till the freight is ready, or the
danger of an impress is past, and thus secure their own private affairs
at the hazard of the publick, and hinder the operations of a war, which
they, and they only, solicited.

The danger of having other enemies than the Spaniards, enemies, sir,
more active, more powerful, and more ambitious, has already been
mentioned; a danger so near, and so formidable, that he will not be
thought very solicitous for his country, whom the bare mention of it
does not alarm. This danger we are, therefore, to obviate by vigorous
preparations, and unanimous resolutions; nor do I doubt but both our
enemies, if they find us united, will repent of attacking us.

Sir, the most efficacious method of manning our fleets, which law or
custom has yet put into our hands, is that of suspending our commerce by
an embargo; and yet the whole nation knows how much, and by what means,
it has been eluded: no sooner was it known that an embargo was laid,
than the sailors flew away into the country, or hid themselves in
corners of this great city, as from the most formidable danger; and no
sooner did the embargo cease, than the banks of the river were again
crowded with sailors, and all the trading vessels were immediately
supplied.

As I cannot doubt, sir, that every gentleman is equally zealous for the
success of the war, and the prosperity of his country; and as the
insufficiency of the present methods of providing for them is apparent,
I hope, that either the regulations proposed by this bill, to which I
see no important objections, or some other of equal use, will be
established by a general concurrence.

Lord BALTIMORE spoke next:--Though no gentleman in this assembly, sir,
can more ardently wish the success of the British arms, or shall more
willingly concur in any measure that may promote it, yet I cannot agree
to the clause now under our c