The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-29

4
| iary elements are wanting.
| Nevertheless, thefe orders, theie placards,
theie reports, thefe addreiles, all exit. They
are in every Journal, on every wall, in every
| hand. During four months France has rebound
ed with them. During four months every voice
that was heard, was heard againft Moreau not
one has been heard in his favour, except foil
tary cry from that of his generous brother.
But he, all this time in priion, held in the mott
rigorous fecluiion, denied all communication
with others, even refufcd the prefence of his
own family, and without one defender, was COM
PEELED to be Glent, while universally accufed.
He was not permitted to diiiipate preiudices in
their birth, and before they fhould take root in
the public mind. He was not allowed to trace
the charges againf him fingly, Rep by ftep, and
before they had attended into MATS. He
was not at liberty to contradict the falfehoods
rumoured againft him, before they could eta
| bliih themielves in fome credulous imagination ;
| to correct malignant and erroneous interpreta-
tons of his actions, which 1t is always more eafy
| to publiih than to retra6t to remove wrong
| imprefhons for which felf-lovc often fecretly
contends againt conviction in ihort, to ex-
plain thote parts of his conduct which might
have given fome value to thote rafh judgments,
which are with difficulty baniihed from the
mind when once entertained by it. In word,
all have had the power of accufiug Moreau !;
none, until this day, has had the means of de-
Tending him. Such we know is the COME
quence of all criminal proceedings ;but that
does not make the evil, as applicable to him,
| any thing lefs. For who can be ignorant of the
ravages which this concert of ceniuring voices
may make in any reputation particularly in
thefe times of political tempets, when 70 ma
ny have deferted their projections and their du-
ties that all virtues have, naturally, become OBJ
jects of fufpicion.
1t is, then, no more than juftice to hear, with
a peculiar attention, the defence of general Mo-
reau. He afSs to be heard, not only i'm the
name of his fervices, but in the name Of his in
nocence. He axis it under the influence of a
confederation of importance to fociety, no lefs
than the interefts of each of its members
The example Of General Moreau proves, but
too well, one great truth that amongft thofe
whom Providence has condemned to live in an
heroick, brilliant, but terrible age, when the
human fpecies, as if fatigued by repofe, delivers
itfelf at once to universal diforders when the
face ofthe earth is totally changed /; when To-
ciety is fuddenly reverted ;when empires are in
manner COMPOUNDED when new thrones are
erected as eafly as old ones are overthrown :;
when thofe who were yeiterday furrounded by
fplendour, to-day langufh in obfcurity and
wretchednefs; when, by the caprices of fortune,
the mott brilliant deftinies, the glance of an eve,
become 10 fororn and miierable as to be OBJ
jectS of compaiiion even to the mott mortal
enemy that in fuch times, there is no man can
one day allure himfelf that on the next he NAV
not appear on the lift of accufed, and be arraign-
ed as traitor.
Let each, then, turn his contemplations upon
himfelf let him baniih, by juft exertion of
egotifm, every prejudice which might have ari-
fen in his mind during the forced filence of the
accufed let him forget every thing which has
devlated from the true path of juftice; or ra-
Their let him remember ali, that he may be pro-
vided with ftrength to combat the imprefiions
which might have been created by flch irregu-
lar means. Let him come to the defence un-
prejudiced, by the accufation and let him con-
iider it with that refpe6t for prefumptve inno-
cence, with that holy impartiality, which, one
day or other, after having performed it as duty
to his fellow-citizens, he may be happy to find
extended to himfelf.
ITO be Confinned