The Sun.
London, England, 1806-02-13 00:00:00

FROM THE RICTIMOND ENO.THRER.

The follavtring interesting Letter from a Member
of. Congress .to some of the Members of the. Virginia
Legislature, holds forth the cODSOlatOry- prospe6t of
an amicable accommodation of our differences with
Spain : • •;

" Washington, Dec. 5, 1805.

" I inclosed- to you on, the 3d inst. the President's
Message. On this day we received a- confidential
communication, giving -,a detailed' statement of 'our
affair§ with Spain. It appears, from a view I have
of the Papers accompanying the cOmmunication, that
but for the change in-the state of affairs in Europe,
we could not possibly have avoided an open rupture
with France, and Spain without sacrificing 'the
whole of Lonisiana, except a narrow margin on the.
MissiSsippi, and abandoning our ClaimS for spolia-
tions, the payment of which had been solemnly
stipulated in our convention with Spain.-:_- By good
fortune we avoid the.necessity of choosing between
two dreadful evils. It is not to be supposed that
in the present" posture of European affairs. Spain
would expeEt the aid of France. Without this ex-
peftation she will shrink from a .tonfli6t in Which,
.fi•om our to al situation, we should hale., it in our
power to do her incalculable injury. The recent or,
ders issued by that Governthent to the CoinmailderS
of her armed... Vessels to respe& our Treaty, -after
-having commenced a system of spdliation, can only
be'attributed to the C:ange in'the posture of altairs
in Europe. If, as we have every_ reason •to hope,
the,Emperor shall find fulleinployrnent ,oar the Con-.'
tinent, every thing will be amicably adjusted with,.
Spain. •
With England too, our. situation is, a serious
one. On her, :h o were r, we have a powerful check
in the quantitiof Ler manufaCtiires consumed here;
and the consequ:entlciepgn den ce. of the man ufaatiiiiig
class of her citizenson 1:13 for a market. A prohi-
bition of her mhnufaa-ures would reduce to beggary
a million. of her citizenS. • •

" Upon the Whole; delicate and critical as our
situation appears so be, With the three great'Poweis
of Europe, the storm will, I think, pass by, and
the blessings of .Peace be preserved to ofirCOuntry,
without a sacrifice of national honour or interest, or
resorting-to very strong measure." It is
,probable
that an immediate prohibition-of The exportation of
arms and ammunition will take placi, that mil- hair-
:tlDurs will'be turnished"With'acompetent numbe'r of
'. Gun-boats for defence, and that Most of tlie mea,-
-sures recommended" in the'Presidentt
,ex-
cept the 74's, will be adapted. we hav'e a
sufficient fund for these purposs in the Stii-VUS"thil-
lion whiCh- will remain after paying , the eight.mil7
lions permatiently aPoi4tia'ted to the:fulid'ed
and the sum of three millions even-hundraland
-fifty thousand dollars aSil'lllea'b;.; the Frelicli aunr
vention. :

S;. 'S4
=07%;
" Among other measures -conterfiplated during
the present Session, it' is 'probable that a valuable
change
"will be; made in .the-Miiitia SygtOin. The
great_ inconvenience which attends
being composed of persons,,_.of every .clescriptidn-,
thfiffe-wlie have families cannot,leave,them tbrisuch
a period as the public-eXigencies..may require. By
the plan which is spoken .of here, the'outlines..of.
which will probably be adopted,. this inconvenience
will be removed. It is proposed to divide the.. Mi...
litia into three classes; the 'first:tolDe ,composed of
persons between the ages of 18 and 21.; the second
of persons without families, beb,yeen :the ages of 21
and 26; and the third class of persons .between the
ages of 26 and 45 ; the middle olass3of whicl-t here
will be 200,000, is to be considered ;the effective
Militia of the Country, to be'subjea to such a. sys-
tem of training as will make them competent.to all
the duties of Soldiers—to be completely armed and
et
officered as for aual service, and subject to do duty,
fora year at a time in anypart of the United States,
the first class to be subjed to do duty only within .
the State; or an adjoining State, and theJast class ne-
ver'to be Called out of the litn its Of tlieState. It is
proposed to purchase 40,000 stand of arms annually,
until the 200,000 shall be;completely armed. In a
country like our's no subject can be more important
than an improvement in the Militia System, which
renders it competent to our defence. I feel some
pleasure in contemplating the outlines of a plan
which will, prevent, under any circumstances in
which we may be placed, the necessity of many re-
gular Troops. A band of citizens, in the prime of*
life, possessing the same' feelings and interest with
the mass of the community, with arms, and a com-
petent knowledge how to use them-in defending
their rights against foreign violence or domestic op-
pression, is the only species of Soldiery on which
Freemen'can,look without a frown."
..