VI

ADVEKTISEMENT.

time, that it is impossible he could have bestowed much attention,except on those connected with the more important subjects of discus-sion. Many were left to be drawn out by the reporters; and his pe-culiar position, in regard to the two great contending parties of thecountry, was any thing but favorable to fulness and fidelity. Not afew (and among them some on questions of much interest) were neverreported at all, or otherwise so mangled and garbled,—to serve a tem-porary purpose,—as to render them unworthy of this collection. A suffi-cient number, however, it is hoped, has been preserved from the ravagesof time, and the still more ruthless spirit of party, to insure, as a tributeto his virtues, the love of the Patriot, the admiration of the Statesman,and the gratitude of the Historian and the Philosojfiier.

As many of the questions discussed during the war of 1812 , bothof a foreign and domestic character, have probably, to some extent,faded from the public memory, the Editor has prepared a brief intro-ductory note to the Speeches delivered in the House of Representa-tives , which he hopes will be acceptable to the general reader. Itwas deemed unnecessary to adopt the same course in regard toSpeeches of a more recent date.

April 8, 1853.