adopted by Great Britain, a course
commenced and persisted in, which might lead to a loss of
national character and independence, feel no hesitation in
advising resistance by force, in which the Americans of the
present day will prove to the enemy and the world, that we
have not only inherited that liberty which our fathers gave
us, but also the will and power to maintain it. Relying on
the patriotism of the nation, and confidently trusting that
the Lord of Hosts will go with us to battle in a righteous
cause, and crown our efforts with success, your committee
recommend an immediate appeal to _arms_."

War was declared by Congress on the 17th of June, and proclaimed by the
President on the second day following.

The struggle was principally carried on upon the water, between the
armed vessels of the two nations, consequently no great armies were
called into active service upon the field. This was indeed fortunate for
America, whose military establishments at the time were very defective.
Congress called for twenty thousand men, but a very few enlisted. The
President was authorized to raise fifty thousand volunteers and to call
out one hundred thousand militia for the defence of the seacoast and
frontiers; but officers could not be found to nominally command the few
thousand that responded to the call; which state of affairs was no doubt
largely due to the opposition to the war, which existed in the New
England States.

Since the peace of 1783, a class of marine merchants at the North had
vied with each other in the African slave trade, in supplying the
Southern planters. Consequently the increase in negro population was
great; in 1800 it was 1,001,463, and in 1810, two years before war was
declared, 1,377,810, an increase of 376,347. Of the 1,377,810, there
were 1,181,362 slaves, and 186,448 free. Of course their increase was
not due solely to the importation by the slave trade, but the aggregate
increase was large, compared with the increase of the white population
for the same period.

The free negroes were mainly residents of the Northern States, where
they enjoyed a nominal freedom. They entered the service with alacrity;
excluded from the army, they enlisted in the navy, swelling the number
of those who, upon the rivers, lakes, bays and oceans, manned the guns
of the war vessels, in defense of Free Trade, Sailor's Rights and
Independence on the seas as well as