The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-03

contrary re- every idea of national honour. M
deed the peruial OF the yolumirous papers on
The table, lefr on his mind nrorg impreion
that the meafire was little better than an aN of
piracy. In this light &c felt himfelf bound to
view 1t. whether he locked to precetcnts, or
whether he reflected on the ipirit of the law of
nations. He was aware that right honorable
and learned gentleman oppoied <Sir J. NichoIl)
had attempted TO produce feverai precedeuts To
Ijuitify the mealure, but he could not allow that
they were cafes hearing on the queltions; they
were drawn exceptionally from high au.ho-
rity, hut they did not refer TO analogous events
lie did not deny that there were cafes where hof-
tilities might he commenced without poi,;vc
declaration of hoitilities. But while he admitted
this. he maintained that there were no caitswhere
hoitilitiescould Recommended withouta dcc.ara-
ton, while important difcuilions were pending
betwlxt two nations. Any doctrines of the laft
century, to contrary import, had never been
generally adopted by the beit lawyers, or at
tempted to be reduced to practice. There was,
indeed, one inltance which in many REFLECTS
bore = comfortable resemblance to the cafe in
que.tion. The resemblance was, however. a
very awkward one, and one which was not TO
be defended. The cafe was the nefarious at
tempt made on the Dutch Smyrna feet in the
century before laf. 1t was we'll known that
this was meafure advifed by that caha, none
of whole actions were transmitted TO fuccssding
times with greater Reproduction. But even here
the Dutch were not 70 much taken by fiIrprfc
as the SPapiards had been, when their frigates
were fcized. 1t was true, that there were 10
dncuiIions going forward betwixt the two coun-
tries. But the Dutch government were jealous
OF the diiPoftions of the government of this
country, and when the feet was attacked they
we're on their guard, and beat off the attacking
tquadron. The honorable member after illuf-
trating his idea on this point, fat down by de-
claring his complete acquiefcence in the adj
drefs.
Mr.. Banks declared his intention to fupport
the addrefs. He was convinced OF the good
faith and moderation which had marked the
whole of our negotiation with Spain. On our
part, was requiite vigilance, circumfpettion
and jealoufy on the part of Spain we had a
right to expect candour and openneis of COM
munication. He faw much appearance of con-
trary qualities on the part of the Spanih go
vernment, and an .unaccountable backwarlnefs
to withhold all reafonabIe explanation. At
firft Spain was pacific, and, perhaps, at the
time the rupture took place fhe acted under
controul which lhe could not re(if. At the
fame time this charge was manifcft, and there
fore he Imported the addrefs.
The learned gentleman then adyerted to the
fuppofed convention between this country and
Spain relative to the admiiion of communica-
ton on the part of Spain, of peCuniary (ubidy
for military and naval fuccours. He deniedthe
eXiltence of any fuch convention, and affirmed
that even no fuch understanding could be made
out from the papers before the Houfe. Spain
may have made ufe of words he admitted, that
might have been confirmed into !uch a meaning,
had any other documen. at all countena,ced it,
But certainly VIE were not accountable for the
words which the Spani!h government might
to M he Cf wa,
had never admitted that any iuch negotiation
for neutrality ever fubGfted. So far we,e go
vernment from having entered into any negoci-
alton on the fuhje6t of the treaty of St. Ildefon-
70, that they had even no official information
on the fabject, and though he could not fay
that they knew nothing of it, he very much
queltioned if they knew its contents. That
fuch a treaty did exia, they NUT doubt
have had fome knowledge; as iuch an aet done
at Madrid, however much care might be taken
by that government to prevent its meafures from
tranfpirng, could not remain long fecret |
But the amount of the contingents was but i'm |
perfectly known, as alto the prccife ftipula:ed |
fun in room Of thcfe oontingents. The refu- |
fal of Spain to explain herfelf fully on this ub-
ject, was a clear proof that they had ftipula- |
ted too much, and that the whole treaty was |
of fuch nature as the was certain could not |
meet with the concurrence of this country !
Such at leat was the fufpicion which the cir |
cumfances of the cafe sufficiently warranted. |
But not only had they refufed categorical ex-
PLANTATION on head OF fuch efental impor-
lance they had gone flll farther, and render
ed the fubGdy, if pofible, more hottie to this !
country, by converting this months fubhdy |
into loan tranfacted at Paris. The honorable |
gentleman then entered at fome length on the
hottie nature of the ornaments in the ports of !
Spain, the exiReDce of which, he maintained,
at the different periods referred to in the docu-
ments, notwithstanding they were denied by |
fome gentleman fitting near him.-He argued |
from the hyperion power of France, that a trea-
ty between that country and Spain mutt necef !
fairly preponderate III favor of the former, and
mutt therefore be unfavourabe in an eoval
proportion to this country for whenever two
powers, he maintained, Of unequal ft-enrth
formed an alliance, whether ofFenfive or de-
fenfive, it might eahly be guened Of what ma
t;ire were the terms. The ofenfible reafon
that had at Iait been aligned for the ornaments
IN the Spanfh ports was to enable the govern
ment to fuppreis an infurreGtion in Bifcay.-j
This certainly was very fufficient ground for
armament, but had it been the real caute. wbv
ihould Spain have been anxious to conceal il |
from this country 1t was for this reafop that
he confdered this allegation as a mere pretexr.
and was induced TO think that the armament
had very different Object. 1t was not mike
~ that it was deigned to form a part of a com
bined expedition acknowledgement. The honour.
r.