They still looked forward to negotiation, and were willing to provide the means for purchasing a peace.

But the former measure was necessary to give success to the latter, and the armament might be employed to advantage should negotiation fail.
The other substitute was to subsidize foreign powers.

The national dishonour of depending upon others for that protection which the United States were able to afford themselves, was strongly urged.

But there were additional objections to this project.

Either the nations in contemplation were at peace or at war with the regency of Algiers.
If the former, it was not to be expected that they would relinquish that peace for any indemnification the United States could make them.
If the latter, they had sufficient inducements to check the depredations of their enemies without subsidies.