1810.] 
made thirty thousand miles of canal; 
about the same length of way asall the 
preset. post-roads in the United States 
and their territories ; or a line that would 
reach once and a quarter round the globe 
of this earth, on the circle of the equator. 
Or if the same sum could be distributed 
in a series of progressive improvements, 
a part in canals, anda part in’ roads, 
bridges, and scliool-establishments, be- 
ginning with two millions a-year, accord- 
ing to the proposition of the'secretary of’ 
the treasury, and increasing, as the surplus 
revenue would increase, to ten or fifteen 
millions a-year, it would make a garden 
of the United States, and people it with 
a race of men worthy to enjoy it; a gare 
den extending over a Continent:—giving 
a glorious example to mankind of the 
operation of the true principles of so- 
ciety, the principles: recognized in your 
government.. Many persons now in be- 
ing, might live to see this change effect- 
ed; and most of us might live to enjoy it 
in-anticipation, by seeing it begun. 
The greatest real embarrassment we 
labor under at present, arises from our 
commercial relations; the only point of 
contact between us, and the unjust go- 
vernments of Europe. By their various 
and violent aggressions, they are con- 
stantly disturbing our repose, and causing 
us considerable expenses.’ In this case 
what is to be done? We cannot by 
compact, expect to obtain justice, nor 
the litverty of the seas from those govern 
ments; itis not in the nature of their or- 
ganisation. Shall we think of overpow- 
ering them in their own way, by a navy 
stronger than'theirs; brutal force against 
brutal force, like the ponderous powers 
of Europe among themselves? This at 
present is impossible’; and if it were pos- 
sible, or whenever it should be possible, 
it would be extremely impolitic; 1t would 
be dangerous, if not totally destructive, 
to all our plans of improvement, and even 
to the government itself. 
‘Has then a beneficent Providence, the 
God of order and justice, pointed out 
another mode of detence, by which the 
resources of this nation may be reserved 
for -works of peace, and the advancement 
of human bappiness? Has the genius of 
science and of art, raised up.a new Ar- 
chiniedes to guide the fire of heaven 
against the fleets that may annoy us? 
i cannot but hope it has; not by the 
by Joel Barlow, 
33 
accommodating their mode of attack and 
defence to all the variety of positions 
and movements common to ships of 
war, : 
I know not how far I may differ in 
opinion from those among you who may 
have turned their attention to the subject 
to which I now allude; or whether any 
person present has really investigated it. 
But [ should not feel easy to lose the 
present occasion (the only one that my 
retired life renders it probable I shall 
ever have of addressing you) to express 
my private opinion that the means of 
submarine attack, invented and proposed 
by one of our citizens, carries in itself the 
eventual destruction of naval tyranny. 
I should hope and believe, if it were - 
taken up and adopted by our govern- 
ment, subjected to a rigid and regular 
course of experiments, open and public, 
so that its powers might be ascertained 
and its merits known to the world, it 
would ‘save this nation from future 
foreign wars, and deliver it from all 
apprehension of having its°commercial 
pursuits and its peaceful improvements 
ever after interrupted. It might rid the 
seas of all the buccaneers, both great and 
small, that now infest them; it might free 
mankind from the scourge of naval 
wars, one of the greatest calamities they 
now sufler, and to which [ can see no 
other end. te 
These opinions may be thought hazard- 
ous. But I beg my fellow citizens to 
believe that I have examined the subject, 
or I should not hazard them. Several 
of the great arts that are now grown 
familiar im common life were once 
thought visionary. This fact should 
render us cautious of making up ovr 
Judgment against an object like this, in 
the higher order of mechanical combina 
tions, before we have well considered it, 
With this observation I drop the subject ; 
or rather I resign it into abler hands; 
the hands of those who have the power, 
as well as inclination, to pursue the best 
good of our beloved country. 
I should not have introduced it in this 
place were it not for its immediate con-— 
nexion with the means of commencing 
and prosecuting those vast interior ime. 
provements which the state of our nation 
so imperiously demands, which the he- 
roes of our revolution, the sages of our 
early councils, the genius of civilization, 
ardent mirror; but by means altogether’ the cause of suffering humanity, have 
_more certain, less dependent on external 
circumstances, capable of varying and 
Montrnry Mac. No. 19% 
placed within our power, and confidéd to 
our charge. - et 
ker 
