The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-14
INQUIRER.
RICHMOND I:
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER Il, 1904.

TNColDCNl NlcooAGE.
THE communication of the PRECEDENT to both
houfes OF Congreis, will always form an intereft-
ing epoch in the political annals of the year.
Whilf it developers the prefent fate ofthe natl
on i'll its mof important afpe9s, it ferves to an
nounce thofe events which may eminently tend
TO regulate it's future deainy. at other peri
dds the year, we are obliged to truft to va
rying and uncertain rumour for mott of the in-
formation, which we may poiiefs on the mott
important meafures. The fate of our fnanci-
alrefources and Of our debt, the complicated &
delicate relations that we may maintain with
foreign powers, the military & naval arrange
ments which thefe may require, are never unvei-
ed to us in any extent and with any degree OF
diainetnefs, until the official paper diiplays them
TO the eyes of the nation. The fate of our
country and many Of the rncafrcs which pro-
duced it may indeed be fhrewly fur.niftd; but
it is not until this communication is publicly
made, that the fecret mechanifm of thefe move
'r.ients is truly, dfplayed, or that thefe move
ments themieives are accurately afcertained
When the executive ipeaiis 20 congreis, tits true
that we may be inclined TO differ from him a.
bout the actual condition of our country, and
we may Object to the policy of his fy(tem which
produced 1t; but we Can icarcely venture to de-
ny that we liten at leaf to the voice of truth.
The meflage which has juft been delivered By
the preGdent TO congrefs, is well entitled to the
confederation of the mott curfory reader. It is
certainly fraught with none of the embeh-
mcnts of eloquence the fty;e of it, though ge-
nerally neat, is uniformly plain: nor is there in
it that intereGing and profound developement
of political principles by which his inaugural
fpcech was 70 fuccefsfully brought home to our
50 bufingfs and bofoms.' The prefcnt occafion
would not evidently admit OF the one, and did
not certainly demand the other but the enlight-
ened friend of his country will be pleafed to
dfcover, that there is important intelligence
enough in it to tuppy the place OF the mott be-
witching eloquence, or the mott profound phi
ofophy. In the NOT unadorned language, and
in the mott direct manner, it prefents us with
picture OF our national affairs, particularly into
reing at the prelent criis of national expectati-
on and prophetic fears.
This communication from tile preiident will
be acceptable to many readers, both from the
flcncc which 1t obterves on certain fi;bieds, aud
the information which it conveys on others. lie
has not vcutuEeci TO expatiatc any generaIfy f-
tenn Of policy, on the prcicnt fate OF the civiliz.
ed world, Oh the refuit OF the French revogti-
on, nor has he prefumed like Governor Trrn-
bull, to draw warnins from the hhory of that
nation, which he might with TO mold up TO our
own confederation, nor has he attempted TO ihow
what has 70 itranScly eicaped this governor of
Connecticut, that there is little analogy indeed
fill continue to mature our Republican intitu-
tions, although the revolution of France has now
terminated in new defpotifm. All .hefe topics
he has very properly pretermitted: And the
only remark which IS offered upon the prcfcnt
relations of the two bel!igcrent countries of Eu-
rope, is intended to ihow the influence which
they have produced upon our own intereits.
Thiscommuncationh has been truly nlodelledup.
the official ftandard laid down for him by the
contribution : He has avoided all general and ex.
traneous fubje6ts, and he has contented himfelf
with the plain but important Office of giving to
congrefs information Of the fate of the union,
I and recommending to their confederation fuch
meafnres as he (has judgcd) ncccfary and expe-
dent" He has very wiiely left to the nation,
all thoie topics which the nation may be pre-
fumed equally competent to underland without
his aiIiftance; whilf he has expatialed upon
| thofe topics which have peculiarly come within
| the fphere of his official functions.
| The prefent document is too important to be
pafied over without few obfervations. ThoIe
which offered at the prefent me, are intend
ed not 70 much to analytic the nature of its con-
tents as to fdpply fome explanations which are
| omitted, Or to fuggef fome of thofe topics,
which may be expected to receive the attention
ofthe prefeDt congrefs.
In noticing the conduct of the bclligerent ma
tons with reipe6t to ourfrlves, the PRECEDENT OBJ
ierves that "peculiar caufes" have incrcafed the
| interruption of our commerce in the American
| ieas. An aluiion is here probably intended to
be made to the preient rebellion in St. DOMINGO,
which has increafed the fufpicions, vigilance s.
| Privateers of the French and Spaniards and
to the blockade of Martnco and other French
ports in the w. Indies, which has increafed the
precautions of the Britilh fhips of war, their
| iearches and fixtures of the American veIeIs.-
| BY the interruption which our trade has expc-
rienced " in our own haroors and iurifdiaion''
an aliulion is made to the improper conduit of
the French CRITTERS of the port Of CharleRon,
and ofthe two Britiih frigatrso of II. ork.-The
| fact is alto now afcertained, that our govern
inent has made the expected representations on
this fubject and the effect of thefe relnonftran-
ces is conlidered as matter of abhract proba-
! bIlisy, rather than of abiolu:e certainty. Our
executive has not therefore received any official
intelligence OF capt. Bradley of the Cambrian,
having been fuperfeded by captain Beresford,
who IS fad TO have lately arrived in this coun-
| try for that purpofe. prote6tourfeamenfrom
| impeachment andfour harbours from blockade,
| iome eiie6tual meaiures ought certainly TO be
adopted and this will no doubt form one of
the fun Gets, which will invite the attentive in
vetigation Of congrefs.
The Prehdcnt mentions in the next place, The
commercial irregularities Of perfons in our own
country and here he no doubt makes an allu-
lion TO the contraband trade, which our mer-
chants have carried on with the rebel ports OF
! Ct Dorr,fp..O In 4 a.,