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

Z 5naments was alfo acceeded to, though certain
& u M. Cevallos contends, aud not without great
Teafon, that the ornaments fhould refer to tuch
~ were meant TO fuccour France, or TO act hof-
{ Sicily againtt this country. Here the honorable
= member argued on the fate Of the enemy pre-
3 parations, which never could have excited fe-
fious approximations. The ornaments at Fer
rol were quite uncomfortable. They never ex-
\ ceeded three fail of the line, only half manned.
They were efficiently fitted to convoy troops
of Bifcay, vet however abfurd it might be re-
!1Prrfented, even Mr.. Frere hmfelf, who was
|fnot the mott difpofed to put favorable con-
1trutfion on the views of the Court of Spain, al
s}lowed that this was their defination. The or
dtfs for falling from the outer TO the inner har-
:. bour, were given the 7th of September and
Son the 18th they were again ordered to be laid
up in ordinary. Here then only nine days e.
lapfed before every fonrce of apprehension from
{ thefe preparations was removed. No man
could feriouny believe that Spain had hottie in
& tentions. IF any thing had heen wanting to
! tonvince us of her pacific intentions, her con-
s du6 on this location ought to have removed all
& aground offufpiciop. He condemned miniiters
mof warmly for ifIihup thofe orders which had
< prodrced fuch unpleafant and unfortunate con-
k1equences, which had plunged in war two
.Scountries having no caufe of nobility to each o.
S-ther, without inquiry into the information
$ which Admiral Cochrane had traufmi.ted from
ferrol He meant no reflection on the charatt-
Ter of that gallant officer, but he had tranfmit-
& ted erroneous information both rs to Catha-
Ssena and oadiz. in none of which ports were
pacific vi Sse 'ss" Of D,Rtcms ofpreparation The
slIEurope, and il was fhFE, indeed man.se't to
TO talk of her ornaments TIA sa or ao ,d
the learned gentleman (the mater of ~. ~a,,
that the armament at Ferrol wns at Lea ~
yous, and remained 20. On the cos a,, w
confidered that armament no violation ofthe ex-
+ iftine arreement-and indeed, it's being 70 ipce-
Oily counteruanded, mott clearly evinced that
1T could never have been undertaken on anv
fytem of hoftilitv to this country. With ref.
pet to that armament, however, Lord Har-
rowby, in his Cd letter, admits that it might
be capable of satisfactory explanation, but might
even be fuch as this country would approve its
continuance. Much had been Caid about the
refufal to communicate the treaty of fubfidy,
but in fact from what appeared in the papers,
20 formal official demand Of its com'nunicat.
or had been made till October, juf before Mr.
Frere's departure from Madrid.-Nor was this,
in all probability, an accidental omif1ion for
the circuuyftance had frequently been the filh-
jet of conversation, particularly on an location
with the Prince of Peace, when the latter refer
Dsrd MIR. Frere to the Secretary of State for TO-
reign affairs, M. CeyalIos; andthough Mr. Frere
der to fate the queftion to the Secretary, it
feemed that no fneh conference ever took place.
Nor was it perhaps matter of blame that the
official demand IF this communication was de-
fcrred, becanfe Miniiters might have, feen that
there was no immediate location for it.
They certainly had it in contemplation, con
the recall of MIR. Frere, to fend perfop- every
kvay qualified for the ftation, Mr.. Wellei!ey, to
vnegociate on the whole rate of our relations
1 g. @I,. f,y-a Sc
J prejudices that might have been hurtfIl to the
lfnccefs Of any negotiation in the hands of MIR.
Frere, after the difference with the Prince of
Peace, 1t fprely would have been proper alto TO
have recalled his brother, whole connection was
calculated 70 keep alive thofe very. prejudices
which the recall of the former was intended to
prevent. The demand OF the treaty however,
was at lsit made officially iuf before Mr.. sFrere
left Madrid, and at time when it ,nult have
been Danifet that war was refo!ved on /; a.
lAthough indeed there was nothing in Lord IIs-
rowbv's inAructions that authorized Mr.. ITere
to leave Madrid, If in the hrf inRagce the
claims he Mad been directed to Unfit on, were
not granted in al their extent. BeGdes, though
not formally communicated, it was pretty evil
sienl that Mnilers we've acgnaintcd with the
I terms Of the treaty, and perhaps too from con-
sdential corr lnunicatie9g BY the Spanifh go
7et even the refufal of the comnnu-
k-aficn Of the treaty could nor DC conHdereo
Ratification ofths war, 70 far asthe capture
&rthe frisates vas concerned, hrcauie that ref,s
tSSal was fubequen, TO the order which PRODUCED
Fthc capl,lre. 1t was faId, however, that THE
pcrioi when that order was given, we would
..:.aye been isaifed IN going to war. aud of
E.ourfe were iuitifisd IN every meaiure that was
y!kl,ort of war. In what light then wssthe cap
|anre of the iligates to be viewed--was it OF war
|}a,r precau;ion3 IF il was a precautiop, It was
a a o be remembered that there was mott i'm
portaut difiu6lion between detentiono tproper-
Nv in our hands and an attack on theroyal flag
of another nation. In the one cafe, property
might be reGored, but in the other an apology,
perhaps of a humilisting kind, might be necei-
farv to give fatisfaetio1, not TO mention the Ia
mentaIpic and unnecenary facrifce of human
lives. The meaiure, however, teemed 20 have
Rbcen conlidersd rather as an a6t of war than pre-
Dcaution. What dreadful consequences then
lmuft follow, if on the alledged yiolationQfa con-
hrnetive agreement, loofely worded, actual war
were TO be commenced? Ifit was amea!ure
# war, to what purpofe nftruet Mr.. Frere to
egociate on the footing Of tranquility itill ex-
|tinp (. To what purpofe labour to prolong
beace when war was actually begun! 1T was
Ike faving, when man had already been bang