The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-14

pioyed To carry on negocianon, COncc3hg
from Spain foimportant fact as the capture of
their frigates by an aSt of open hotility. What
could have been the avail of any arrangement
concluded while tina, fact was unknown? MuR
it not have broken up what had been done {
Was it not, therefore, in tfelf nugatory, and
to the Spaniards mott infulting, to negotiate
with them. conceaing 70 important circum-
ftance? Were iimilar treatment to he experi-
enced by this country from an Ambaiiador ne
gociating in fiIch ituaton, it would be doubt
ed whether the Ambai1ador, to ufe pirate of
Mr. Frere, would efcape away with impuui.y,
from the more liberal fpirit of the mob.-Was
there any good precedent for fuch proceeding,
and ifthere were any but thoie accurted prece-
dents already alluded to, let it be pointed out !?
Ifitwas as meafnre of war then, tia; the Spa
NTH frigates were captured, it was in puriiiance
of fyfem OF policy altogether irreconclabe TO
good faith. Fit was as precaution, it was not
| a meaiurc that partook of the nature of precau-
ton, becauie meaiures of prccaution were di-
reeted only againft particular dangers, hut the
danger from the Spanifh creatures or Spanih
power, were dangers not exiting at particular
| moments merely but dangers Of that fort that
were to be removed not by precaution, but by
war.
| It appeared too as if Minifers had felt !o:ne
reinorfe for what they had done for they gave
orders not to attack merchant fhip3 carrying
treafure or flores, though if it was neceiiafy
for our felf-prefervation to prevent flores and
treafure reaching Spain in Kings fbips, it was
equally neceffarv to prevent their being convey
cd in merchants hips. What was called in
diligence therefore, was only modification, of
what was fsltto be unjuft, in order Ia mitigate
its odium. With refpett to the necefiity OF de-
clarstion OF war, though wars had been com.
menccd without declaration vet the beft au-
thorities ftated it to be mott eligible 80 declare
fwar irit and there was an infance atIthe COM
'".oo,-pent of that glorious war which began in
o L., on"s raYenment then, by apnhfe pro-
In u. ''is Gazette, ordered all bips fei-
yea and detained preT,ce. IN the declaration of
war, to be reeafed, as was Rated in nrS,c,an,.
ton, " in purfuance ofthe laws oS- nas;ons. )"
| There was only one more obfcrvation. he bad
TO make, and it was on the menace or caution
TO the oppohtion, not to damp the courage
and zeal the public, by cenfilring the con-
ouct OF government. or arranging the iuitce of
our cau'e Buff thoie on his fide OF the houfe
were not convinced (and it was not in mans
own power to be csnvinced) of the wifdom of
communications or OF thc iufice of the war.
waat we're they to do! Were they to fpeak &
vote againf theirJ opinion, to be flent or to
leave the HOME Had not his Maieity. bv
fubm,tting the papers TO their confederation,
called for theiy fair unhiafed opinion ana ruch
an opinion they were bound 70 give. The re-
putation of parliament was ofthe frh impor-
tance to thepublic interef, and that reputation
could onlv be obtained while parliament CONT
nued the faithful Council of the King and the
upright guardian ofthe State. What could tend
rpore to damp the national fpirit, and to male
them qucffion the refolves OF Parliament. than
! afnppohton that they did not fpesk Or vote
as they really thought, but were Influenced ny
/ nltrtOttr fe.-c f,f. ~; G.
ons on the public mind AS, b5yever, both
public and private life iincerN was the fburce
of confidence, and in ordepfo CONVINCE men
of ones hncerity, it war necetfary to ;be FIN
cere, he condevcdit rs fra dutyto DECLARE his
real (entimerts, nd to lay before his Mhiefy his
real opinions. Thinking the administration cu-
pable in The conduct of the negotiation, and
in the way with SPAIN. he Cav no rea'fon whv
he ih'uid not by bis ipeech and by hi$ vote ex-
PRE-, thofe fcntiments, and therefore gave his
harry afent TO the amendment.
J The Chancellor Of fbe Ese6egusr rofe TO reply
at near half after four in the morning. From
the latenefs of the hour, he faid, and from the
imp'etIion which the lpeech of his right hon.
and learned friend (the matter of the Rels) had
made upon the ho,,fe, he did not think it nccef
fairy that he fiould trouble the houfe much at
length upon the, queftion now fubmittsd to the
deciGonof the Houfe. There was one point,
howevtr, on which his cafe appeared principal
W toyreit, namely,l that our forbearance from
commencing hofilities after a jun caufe OF war
had ariien, was highly honorable to the feelings
Of his maiefty's miniltcrs, and the manly chas-
atfcr the nation and that the repeated warn
ings which we had given TO the Spaniih govern,
ment, difplayed the'fnot candid, fair and gene
rous conduit towards their people. The other
arguments which had been principally direeted
aganR the manner ihwhich the negotiation had
been conducted, ard the war commenced, he
conbated in fucceffon with the utmof perfpi-
Guilty ard ability. He concluded with declaring
that he waited with confidence the Judgment of
the houfe and of thetcountry upon the fubje6.
Mr.. Fox faid few words in explanation az to
fome parts of his fpeech, which had not been
correctly quoted.
The Chancellor Of The Excbcquer declare
that he was fully fatis6ed with the explanation,
and wifbed the argument there to ref between
them. The houf- then divided,
For the original queftion SIS
For the amendment LOG
2o7