The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-01

IT ;tand ut this bar and dare not vindicate my
character, how dare you calumniate it? Does
the fentence of death which your policy infliGtS
on my body, alto condemn my tongue to IL
lence and my reputation to reproach Your ex-
ecutioner may abridge the period of my exit
ence, but while i exit, | lhall not ceaie to vim
dicate my character and motives from your al
portions, and rs a man to whom fame is dearer
than life, VIII make the laft uf. OF that life in
doing juttlce 10 that reputation which is to live
after me, and which is the only legacy | can
leave to thoie honor aud love, and for whom
l am proud to PERTH. As men, my lord we
muf appear on the great day at one common
tribunal, and it will then remain for the fearcher
OF all hearts to ihew collective univerfc who
was engaged in the moa virtuous actions, or at
tached by the puref motives.
Here be qvas INTERRUPTED and told TO EheH to
Tire Eentenee offbe lay.
My lord, will dying man be denied the le-
gal privilege of eXculpating hmfelf, in the ewes
CT the community, of an undeierved reproach
thrown upon him during his trial, by charging
him with ambition, and attempting to cait away
for paltry confederation, the liberties of his
country Why did your lordlhip nlult ME or
rather why iniult jutice, in demanding OF me
why sentence of death fhoud not be pronoun-
ced know my lord that form preicribes that
you fhould ak the queiton, the form alfo pre-
fumes right OF anfwering This no doubt
may be diipenfed with---and 70 might the whole
ceremony of the trial, iince fentcnce was AREA
dy pronounced st the cattle before your Jury
was impannelled; your lordihips are but the
prietts of the oracle, and fubumt but nfft
on the whole of the forms.
Here tbs ron,t dsfrei him te proceed
am charged with besnga emifarv TO Francei
An emifary of France! And for what end 1t
is alledsed that Iwilhed to fell the independence
ofmy country And for what end Was this
the object of my ambition And is this the
mode by which tribunal Of iuftice reconciles
contradictions? No,I ammo emiilary-and nv
am ion was to hold place among the deli
yerers otmy country, not in power, nor in pro-
fit, but in the glory of the achievement Sell
my country's independence to France >Andfor
what Was it for change of matters? No
But for ambition o my couutry, was it per-
toaal ambition that could influence me, had il
been the foul of my actions, could not BY nv
education and fortune, by the rank and coniide-
ration OF my family haveplaced myfelf amongf
the proudeft of my opprehorS My country
was my idol to it facrifce every felffh, every
endearing tentiment and for it / now offer up
my life o God No, my Lord, acted as an
hifhman determined on delivering my country
from the yoke of foreign and unreenting ty-
ranny, and trom the more CALLING yoke of do
meitic faction which it is Joint partner and per.
petrator in the Patricide for the ignomny of ex-
fling with an exterior of fpendor and confci-
ons depravity. 1t was the with of nv heart
to extrcate my country from this doubly rivet-
ted defpotifnl.
Iwifhed to place her independence beyond
the reach OF any power on earth | wifhed to
ex9lt you to that proud ftation in the world
Connection with France was indeed intended
but only as far as mutual ntereit would fanc-
ton and require; were they TO aiIia!ne a;.v ait
thority inconGftent with the pureR indepen
dence, it would be the fgnal for their defruc-
ton we fought aidand wei fought it as we had
afiurances we ihoud obtain it-as auxiliaries in
war, and allies in peace.
Were the French to come as invaders or enc
mics, uninvited By the wifhes of the peo-
pie; / ihould oppofe them to the utnof of my
frength. Yes, my countrymen,I fhould adviie
you to meet them on the beach, with a fIvorci in
one hand and torch in the other-i would
meetthem with all the deftruGive fury of war,
and would animate my counTymen to immo-
late them in their boats, before they had conta-
minated the foil ofmy country. Ifthey fucceed-
cd in landing, and if forced TO retire before fl-
pcrior difcipline, ! would difpute every inch of
ground, burn every blade of gratis, and the laf
InErenchment of liberty fhould be my grave.
What could not do myfelf if fhouId fall,
fhoud leave as lat charge TO my countrvrnen
to accomplish, becamc ] niould feel confcious
that life, any more than DEATH is improbable,
when foreign nation holds my country in fub-
jetion.
But Ii was not as an enemy that the flccours
OF France were to land IL looked indeed for
the aiiitance of France; but wiihed to prove TO
france andto the world, that Bifhmen defervcd
to he aiiiited that they were indignant at Ia
very, and ready to aGert the independence and
liberty OF their country.
wiihed to procure for my country the qua
rantee which Wilmington procured for Ameri-
Ca To procure IN aid which by its example
would DC asimPoftant IS its valour, diiciplined,
gallant, pregnant with fcience and with expert
ence; who would perceive the good and polifh
the rough points OF our character they would
come to us as lrangers and leave us as friends,
after fharing our perils and eIevatng our deGi-
nY-thefe were my objects, not to receive new
taiS matters, but to expel old tyrants-thefe
were my views-S thele only bscame Trinhmen.
] know your mot implacable enemies are in
The hoiorn 81 ycur cG@ItTy.
nave been charged with that importance in
the Efforts to eruancipate my country, as to be
co1iidered the keyRoHe of the combination of l.
t.ihmen, or as your lordihip expreles it, " the
life and blood Of the confpiracy." You do me
honor over much you have given to the fubql-
tern all the credit of 4 hyperion there are men
engaged in this eol/biracy, who are not ONLY fi-
petior to me, bat even to your own conceptions
of yourief my lord men, before the fplendour
Of whole genius and virtues | nlou11 Lor,. with