The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-03
THE PREFACE OF THE EDITORS.

THE PREFACE OF THE EDITORS.
The following piece was intended TO convey to the
late meeting Of Delegates the ientrerts Of ore Of
their body, Whole pertona attendance was prevented
by accidental lneis In il the fources of pre-
ient unhappy differences traced with fuch faithful
accuracy, and the opinions entertained by every free
American expreiied with fuch manly rrnes, that it
mutt be peaiing the preient, and may be uieul
future ages. 1t will evince the world the mocera-
tion OF our ate convention, who have only touched
with tenderness many Of the claims Unified on in th:
pamphlet, though every heart acknowledged their u
tice Without the knowledge OF the author, we have
ventured communicate his entinents to the pubic
who have certainly right know what the beft and
wiiet of their members have thought on fubeSa in
which they arc 70 deeply inteieted.
RESOLVED, that it be an inHluttion to the
Ilid deputies, when ailernbled in general con-
grrfs with tbs deputies from the other ftates of
Brit!h America, to propofe to the iaid congrefs
that an humble and dntiful ad,'rsfs be prsicitetl
to his maie!ty, begging leave to lay before him,
as chief magiGrate OF the Diitiih empire, the u
nited complaints of his naicfy's i,i5ietts in a
n,crica complaints which are excited by ma
ny understandable encreachments and uiurpati-
cns, attempted 10 be made by the legislature Of
one part OF the empire, upon thofc rights which
pendently to all. To repretent to his maiefy
that theie his itates have often individually made
humble application to his imperial throne TO
obtain, through its Intervention, fome redrefs
OF their Injured rights, to none Of which was e.
yer even an anfwer conGefcended humbly TO
hope that this their Joint addrefS, penned i'm the
language oftruth, and diveftcd of thofe exprcf-
hans of fertility which would perfuade his ma
jeftv that we are aiking favours, and not rights,
ihall obtain from his maiefy more refpeeful
acceptance. And this his majefty vii, think we
have reaton 10 cxpeet when he reflects that he is
no more than the chief officer of the people, ap-
pointed by the laws, and ciycumicrhed with
definite powers, to aiiit in working the great
machine of government, erected for their ure,
and confequently fubiec to their fuperintend-
ance. And in order that the.e our rights as
well as the invaiions of them, may De laid more
fully before his majelfy, to take view of them
from the orr and hrit fettlement of thefe coun-
tries.
To remind hin, that our anceaors, before
their ernigraticn to America, were the free ioha-
btants Of the Britihn donlinions in Europe, and
poilefcd right which nature has given to ali
men, of departing from the country in which
chance, not choice, has placed them, OF going
in quef Of new Eabtations, & Of there effabl,fh-
ing new focieties, under fuch laws and regulate
ons as to them iha feem mott likely to promote
public happinefs. That their Saxon ancrRors
he'd, under this universal law, in like manner
left their native wilds aud woods in the north of
Europe, had poRehed theu1felves of the illand
OF Britain, then LET'S charged with inhabitants
and had eitabliihed there that fyiten of laws
which has 70 long been the glory and protection
ofthat country Nor was ever any claim of
fupcricrity or dependence aiIerted over them
by that mother country from which they had
migrated aud were fuch claim made, it is be-
hcved that his tnajefty's fubicGls in Great Bri-
tain have TOO firm feeling OF the rights derived
10 them from ther aHceftofs, 10 i,nyv down fine
ioyereignty OF their fate before finch vifionarv
preteniions. And Il is thought that no circum-
iiance has occurred to difingui1l materially the
Brtilh from the Saxon emigration. An1cri,a
was conquered, and her flttiements made, and
firmly eitabhhcd, at the expence Of individuals,
aid not ofthe BritilI pubic. Their own blood
was fpilt IN acquiring lands for their frttlement
their own fortAncs expended in making that
fettle'nent etfectial; for themfelves they fought
for themiclycs they conquered, and for them
islve5 alone they have right to hold No lhil-
ling was ever iiiued from the public treaiiires of
his maeity or his anceiorS, for their aiiiflance,
till OF very late times, after the colonies had h.
coaie efabl!hed on firm and permanent foot
ing. That then, indeed, having become yaua
bic to Great Britain for her commercial purro-
rs, his parliament was plclied to lend them az
hitance aeainit an enemy, who would fain have
draws to herfef the benefits of their commerce.
to the great ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of herielf, and dan
ger Of Great Britain. Such ahRance, and in
fuch circumtaHces, they had often before given
TO other allied ftates, with whom they carry on
commercial intercourfs yet thefe Rstes ne
verfuppoftd, that by calling 10 her aid, they
thereby fubmitted themfelyes to her foyersigr,ty.
Had ilich terms been propofcd, they would have
rejected them with difJair, aud trnAed for be.
ter to the moderation OF their enemies, or TO >
vigorous eXertion OF their own force We do
not, however, mean 20 under-rate thofs aids,
which 90 us.were doubtlefs valuable, on whate
yer principles g"anted; but we would flew thu.
they cannot give title to that authority which
the BrItiih parliament wonld arrogate over us,
and that they may amply b. repaid by our CIV
ing tothe inhabitants of Great Britain fIch ex-
cluhve privileges in trade as may be advantage
Gus TO them, aud at the fame time not too ref
trttive TO oprieiyes. That frttlenienfs HAVING
been 80 AS e!etted IN the wilds of America. the
cmgrants thought proper TO adopt that fyAcn1
OF laws under which they had hitherto lived in
the mother country. and TO continue their uni
9n with l,er by fubunttiug tbc1nielyes to The
fine common iovereign, who WAS thereby
made the central lux connecting the fryeral
pats Of the empire thus newly multiplied.
Bat that not long were they permitted, how
ever far they thought themfclves removed from