PAPERS OF Mra.IBEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 195 free government, and a hand that shall second all that the heart may fet>l whenever this or my native State, judging herself agrieved, shall demand its aid. We are invited by the Chief l\Iagistrate of our country to make war upon our ancient ally. Shall we, in obedience to his wishes, buckle on our armor an.d march to the battlefield Y Or shall we treat the um- mons as the mad-cap policy of one who e instinctive ferocity exceeds his wi dom prudence and gratitude? We are told that France is indebted to our Country for spoliations to the amount of five millions of dollar . Grant·it. But shall we for the recovery of this paltry consideration un heathe our sword again t a magnanimous nation that once bared its breast a a shield between us and our oppres ors f The voice of humanity and gratitude forbids it. I would remind the friends of this measure that we too have been a debtor to that intriped & chivalrous people, not only for the blood hed in our defence, but for treasures liberally expended in the cause of American Independence & Liberty. Years roll on before our Govt. refunded the borrowed sum . Yet did France threaten to punish our want of punctuality by the word Y Did she speak of war upon our commerce Y Did he meditate a collection of her just demands by seizures of individual property upon the high sea ? To. Such a system of piracy never -sullied her negociations with u . Yet we are called upon by the Presi- dent of the United States to adopt this policy toward her - we are called upon to extort from her that which he owes us, by the san- guinary process of War. I there any one in the ound of my voice prepared to a'dopt the measure? is there any one here who would not rather surrender four-fold the amt. that war with a nation to which we are bound in friendship by benefits conferred and as ociated by many a plea ing recollection Y If there be such ,an one, let him no longer worship at the shrine of virtue -let him go & offer his idoletry at the altor of :Mammon. He who can put gold in competition with the blood shed in our revolution deserves not the name of a freeman -But yesterday in the Capital of our govemmt all national legislation was suspended to do homage to the memory of him, who fought shoulder to houlder with u in our sanuuinai·y conflict for liberty - I mean the virtuous Lafayette, the General of two nations and the hero of three Revolutions; but scarcely ha the voice of eulogy ceased to vibrate upon the ear, before the delighted auditory - the assembled councils of the nation - are invoked to make war upon the brethren of the very hero who e virtues they had just as embled to commemorate; and to make war for what V- for "filthy lucre," for the recovery of a few millions of franc , which if gained, we gai11 no glory; if lost we lo<•se no liberty. But let us proceed t'o other considerations. I hold that we should make war upon no nation, until all the peaceful mean.s have been exhausted for the adju tment of of [sic] difficulties. Will any one pretend to say that uch is the case in our negociations with Frm•ce on the question of indemnity1 Will any one say that there is no re- maining hope of a peaceful settlemt of our claims? Will any one say that every means have been· exhausted excep violence & blood hed? · Surely not.. It is lrnown that France recognize our demands - She has never denied its justice or refused its payment; he only delays its
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