As the President declares he has
withdrawn the executive prohibition to arm, that Congress should pass a
legislative one. If that should fail in the Senate, it would heap
coals of fire on their heads. 2. As, to do nothing and to gain time is
everything with us, I propose, that they shall come to a resolution of
adjournment, 'in order to go home and consult their constituents on the
great crisis of American affairs now existing.' Besides gaining time
enough by this, to allow the descent on England to have its effect here
as well as there, it will be a means of exciting the whole body of the
people from the state of inattention in which they are; it will require
every member to call for the sense of his district by petition or
instruction; it will show the people with which side of the House their
safety as well as their rights rest, by showing them which is for
war and which for peace; and their representatives will return here
invigorated by the avowed support of the American people. I do not
know, however, whether this will be approved, as there has been little
consultation on the subject. We see a new instance of the inefficiency
of constitutional guards.
We had relied with great security on that provision, which requires two
thirds of the legislature to declare war.
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