The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-07-11

Va tue HediureS OF government, but that motive
which viii ever be infeparabe from the breait OF
Enghihmen, that ola determined refolution to
reht the menaces of foreign enemy. Their
zeal has been dnplayed iii the maintenance ofall
that was dear to them, in the defence of their
country againft the threats OF invaion and in the
| fupport of its glory, and may in truth be term
ed Zealfhewni in ielf-defence. II is not a proof
| that they either coniider the war as originally
neceEary, or that they approve of the fpilit and
temper OF thofe negotiations by which it was
brought on. |, in common with every one oil
my fellow fubjects, partake of the zeal which l
have defcrbed, and know that that fpecies of
zeal is not angular to myfef. However unwifa-
ly, howeverunnecellariy wye plungeinto the war,
that war was immediately followed by the threat
or lnvahon, and the country was brought into
the mott Imminent danger, according to the be-
lief or all ranks of people, by the formidable pre-
Parations or the enemy. In that cafe is it pofi-
bic for any man to interpret the zealwhch BURT
forth into any other motive than that of felf-
defence The country at large food forward
TO protect themfelves and families againn the
danger, whatever might be the caufe fromwhich
1t iprung. ltthS fort of zealis to be argued up-
ON as proof of the popularity of the war, or if
elniiters are allowed to conlider it as proofof
the appreciation of their meafures, then we NAV
fairly lay that 1T is only necefiary for govern
nent to plunge the nation into the greatett potfi
bic danger, in orderto obtain the unverfa fup-
port OF the people. The character of the people
OF England lsperfeGtly underitood they will al
ways be found ready in the moment of danger,
ana the greater and more deplorable the fate of
calamity in which the kingdom NAV be inyolv-
ed, the greater and more jealous will be their
exertions for its deliverance. 1t is impofible.
therefore, that Minilters can fatter themfelyes
with the idea that the manly and virtuous hat1d
which the people have made in a cafe of If. or
death, was in any ihape connected with tb,
cauies of the war, the negotiations with which
1t was accompanied, or the time at which twas
brought on. In truth, no fymptom of approba
ton has been fsiewn in any part of the country.
! nor was 1t even received in Parliament with any
oecided mark or applaute for though in the
flrit adoreis MinlterS did obtain the fanStion Of
the Roufe, yet it was in verygeneral terms. and
thefe, IN fubiequent debate, were qualified bv
many comfortable perions, with objections to
the conduct OF the negotiations, 70 as TO flew
/ that IL was the general opinion that the war
/ might have been avoided, and therefore con-
teho, that from the commencement of the war.
TO the prefent moment, whatever difplay of fol-
TIT, exertion and zeal has been made by the
country, has nothing to do with the caufe ofthe
E':, AID mitch icfa with the conduct of EInif
| tiers. Indeed it might be ihewn that the exer
uonS that have been made BY the people aroG.
out otthe inaction and incapacity of Minifters
themieiyes. The want of any ftrong well con-
certeq plan on the part of Minitters forced the
ipeoPie- at large to come forward and defend
tnemieives, and l am fure fpeak the language
OF many gentlemen who hear me- when / fav
that this was the prevalent feeling in the coun
Try. !hoie who know my character, will not
I think ltnecefiary for NE to aiiert that am as
jealous as any man in defence of the country
from all foreign attack, and as ready, in the mo-
ment OF danger, to forget the caufe that
led to it,, but | NUT deprecate all mifcon
itructlon OF my conduct in foacting. Though
am ready to make any facrihce for the indeben
dehce OF the Empire, mutt not therefore be
coniidered as an abettor of the ralhneis, ambiti-
on, or dIhngcnuous councils that led us into the
dangers. Perhaps, Sir, there may be perfons
VINO think that the danger ofinvaiion was NOT 70
imminent as the cry would have made us believe
and certainly the appreciation OF an immediate
attack was notuniverfaly felt. This, however,
| does not change, in any refpcSt, the nature Of
the eXertion which was made by the conn
| try. 1t was not the panic of invaGon that
ieiZed the people-not the dread of being over
! run by the enemy, for in the mott ALARMING mo-
lnent, they had juit confidence in tbemE.lVes-
but an universal feeling that it was viii. and
prudent to be prepared and a pretty general
CONVICTION, that, Ill the incapacity of ninifters,
Ihey mutt look tor themielveS. But indepeT-
uN my Va All iSdl ground Tor alarm, 1t was i'm
poi:ibe for the country to fee the parade that
was made by miniiters, and the noife that was
excited of fome dreadful gigantic mitchell with
which we were threatened, without being in
lone tort terrified into belief of the reality. 1
certainly would have fulfilled any gentleman,
| like Sir Ch1ftopher Hatton, to have addrefed
the miniiterin the very words that he uies:
IL, ny noble .jc;.e..al, ,v5yen 5ei9id
sc Ton feHtsd plains in martial Gmmetrg
A,Yar'd--
"Icannot (ur:mjt--ForgiUe, nv 6,iend,
"tf'tbe conieau,e'5 raB-IcanHof tut
" Sw-mye-7beRafe/6medaager atprebsadsP '
have no objection to this language, and 7
fubicribe TO all the reports which have been
made on the threats of invafion, but with two
proyifions: /. That we fhal be prepared TO
meet it, if real and 9. that fIch language fball
not be uied to excite needless terror. If there
are ferrous approximations that the enemy has
meditated the plan of invafon, and made or is
making formidable preparations for that pur-
pofe, and that he has weighed in his mind all
the probabilities Of fuch an enterprife, it be-
comes indiipenfble for this country to devife
the means of effe6tual defence. We mutt NOT
content ourfelves with temporary ftrataeens.
nor repoie III any temporary defence. we mun
not reckon on his coming in the year 9, or 4, OF
I T., bCcaUfe ifhP h1c rne,Iif,4sI C,k..-'.