Alexandria Daily Advertiser

Few northern men, whether feds or democs, have any objection to a navy. At the south, the only objection is the expense. Would the expense of equipping a fleet amount to more than seventeen millions of dollars, which the want of a fleet has already cost the country? Such a navy as we could easily build and maintain would have made us masters of Louisiana in case of a war with Spain, without tribute money to France—and without a navy as respectable as the maritime rank of the United States among nations absolutely requires at this eventful crisis, when states without force are without rights, without such a navy, we say, there is not the least reason in the world to fancy we shall keep Louisiana a month longer than Bonaparte is hindered by Great Britain from repossessing himself of it—and even while he is so hindered, we shall probably pay in additional tribute, millions enough to build & equip a fleet that would blockade Cadiz, Ferrol and Carthagena, and wave its flag in triumph in the bay of Mexico.

It might take eight or ten years to accomplish this indispensably necessary work, but the United States have money, ships, seamen and courage enough to be the second maritime power in the world and to maintain that rank—and by asserting that rank, we should take it, many years before all the ships were built.

Suppose that peace should come in a year. It is said we have one hundred thousand seamen. Bonaparte will then want ships, colonies and commerce, as he says himself. Great Britain will rigidly enforce her navigation laws. Between these rivals our commerce will droop; our seamen must quit a country that has no employment, and seek it in foreign countries. Why then delay the building of a navy? Because our public men will not look beyond the time they were chosen to serve, nor above the popularity that obtained their elections.