Battle Cry of the War Hawks (1811)
Felix Grundy
What, Mr. Speaker, are we now called on to decide? It is, whether we will resist by force the attempt, made by [the British] Government, to subject our maritime rights to the arbitrary and capricious rule of her will; for my part I am not prepared to say that this country shall submit to have her commerce interdicted or regulated, by any foreign nation. Sir, I prefer war to submission.
Over and above these unjust pretensions of the British Government, for many years past they have been in the practice of impressing our seamen, from merchant vessels; this unjust and lawless invasion of personal liberty, calls loudly for the interposition of this Government. . . .
This war, if carried on successfully, will have its advantages. We shall drive the British from our Continent-they will no longer have an opportunity of intriguing with our Indian neighbors, and setting on the ruthless savage to tomahawk our women and children. . . . I am willing to receive the Canadians as adopted brethren; it will have beneficial political effects; it will preserve the equilibrium of the Government. When Louisiana shall be fully peopled, the Northern States will lose their power; they will be at the discretion of others; they can be depressed at pleasure, and then this Union might be endangered-I therefore feel anxious not only to add the Floridas to the South, but the Canadas to the North of this empire. . . .
-A successful outcome from the decision made by this Congress was the

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Felix Grundy's speech emphasizes resisting British control over American maritime rights and addresses the issue of British impressment of American seamen, indicating that a successful outcome of the war would include eliminating these practices.