ne of your days, and
the choicest of future blessings. For our country's sake; for the sake
of republican liberty, it is our earnest wish that your example may be
the guide of your successors; and thus, after being the ornament and
safeguard of the present age, become the patrimony of our
descendants."

In support of this motion, after urging the indelicacy of exulting
over the misfortunes of others by contrasting our happiness with their
misery, Mr. Giles said, that with respect to the wisdom[48] and
firmness of the President, he differed in opinion from the answer; and
though he might be singular, yet it being his opinion, he should not
be afraid to avow it. He had not that grateful conviction there
mentioned, and if he were to come there and express it, he should
prove an inconsistent character. He should not go into a lengthy
discussion on this point, but if they turned their eyes to our foreign
relations, there would be found no reason to exult in the wisdom and
firmness of the administration. He believed, on the contrary, that it
was from a want of wisdom and firmness that we were brought into our
present critical situation. If gentlemen had been satisfied with
expressing their esteem of the patriotism and virtue of the President,
they might have got a unanimous vote; but they could not suppose that
gentlemen would so far forget self-respect as to join in the proposed
adulation.

[Footnote 48: Some objection has been made to the accuracy
of this speech, as reported in the Daily Advertiser. The
author has therefore deemed it proper to make some extracts
from the Aurora, the leading paper of that party, of which
Mr. Giles was a conspicuous member.

Mr. Giles, after stating that "the want of wisdom and
firmness" in the administration, "had conducted the affairs
of the nation to a crisis which threatens greater calamities
than any that has before occurred,"--remarks as
follows:--"Another sentiment in the report he could not
agree to. He did not regret the President's retiring from
office. He hoped he would retire, and enjoy the happiness
that awaited him in retirement. He believed it would more
conduce to that happiness that he should retire than if he
should remain in office. He believed the government of the
United States, founded on the broad basis of the people,
that they were competent to their own government, and the