The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-11-29
at, Gnquirer.
RICHMOND, estb NOVE NBRR.

many or TIE Members of Congrefs have al
ready paf1rd through this city on their wav to
Warrington, and they will mof probably form
quorum on Monday next, the firft day oftheir
meeting. A Speaker is to be appointed at the
opening of the houGe. and the friends of the diff
ferent candidates will no doubt ufe every exer-
tton to be prefer, at the election. The former
Speaker Mr.. Macon, MIR. DAYTON from
this tate, and Gen. Varpun OF MafTachuletts,
are mentioned among us as the candidates for
the chair; the former will mott probably be
Imported BY the moi impartial aud decided re-
Dublicans the latter, and particularly General
Varnum, bv that mixed MATS of politicians,
who are either GnrereIy friendly to a Yszoo
Compromiie or profeGedly iealaua of the fouth-
ern Influence. Mr.. Macon his the warreft
| wiihes of the republicans of Virginia in his ia
vour.
The approaching fonion OF CongrefS will pro-
habiy I've among the mott important which has
heen held under the preftnt contribution
1hofe who caft their eyes back upon the events
OF the Few laf months, will recoea many an
intrrffng fcene upon which he may win
the light of executive information to be poured,
! and nnHmerable mesf:nes that demand the
| deepef inveniga.ion of Congrcfs and involve
| the tleareft interens of fnturity. Oar commerce
IN every fes, our agricultural purfnits, our mot
important foreign relations with the mott re-
fpe6fable powers of Emropc, are now hanging
upon their deciiion; and who can pretend 70
| determine whether even the queftion of peace
or war may not relt upon the iiiue?
! The documents to be laid before Congrefs,
will at once uvril tn. whole myteres of the
| fripolitan negotiation. From the dispatches
of our officers, the queAions will he explicitly
fettled, how far Gen. Eaton was likely to have
tnccecded in his adventurous enterprise, with
out additional reinforcements, and how great
1 ,uaa h., of o,,;n Al
danger which hung over our captive country
men.
The ditpatches which have been received
from oar mnifters a. Madrid aud Paris, will
unfold in all their details the prefeut fate of
our relations, with Spain and her ally the
probabilities of war, or the continuation of
peace. We tball lee how far the emperor of
France has proved herfelf mediator or an e.
nemy: how far the demands of Spain are like
ly to receive our acquiilcence, or how far they
are likely TO yield under the prefent threaten
ing profpe6 of an European war. Should
Spain have refufvd our equitable claims iioud
ihe have manifeited fpirit which threatens
in fpite of the preient fate of Europe, te pre-
fevere in her rsfufals it will then be the boun-
den duty Of Congrefs to deliberate upon the
means ofredrefs. The alternative that at once
RITES before them is under every point of view.
productive oil consequences that every repub-
lican mutt regret. If in fpite of her refufaI to
do us juftice, we continue in repofe we may
rommit our national honour to the, contume-
lious fufpicions of fufpicous Europe; we IA
crifice the equitable claims Of our merchants
to the amount Of feversl hundred thoufand
dollars we provoke the difcontent of the in
hahitants of the Miflifiippi territory and Ten
netiee, who are now turning their eyes upon
the navigation of the Mobile, who are f,id TO
have lately afcertaned by furvey that there is
only portage OF - miles between the head
waters of the Tenne0ee and Mobile rivers, and
who will not patiently brook to have their
boats and their produce placed under the ex-
actions of Spanilh commiiIary. IF we plunge
into war with Spain, we conjure up fcenc
/ fcarcely efs gloomy in its perfpeelive. We
lei1cn our imports, while we increaf. our ex-
penditures we drain our treafury of its re-
fources, while weput check upon the fupply {:
we procratinate the redemption of the public
debt and throw it's burdens upon poaerity {;
we embody armies and build fleets; we revive
thoie hateful times when the federal ddminifrati-
on alarmed the country by the array of military
meafurcs we trample down the bIelfed fruits of
a republican administration, and we even endan-
ger the very exiftence of ouruniOn and ourrepub-
lie the only fourceS Of coafolation and hope to
| the defponding phiIanthropifs the world. It
] may undo all the good which Mr.. Jefftrfon has
done and the remaining fervices of his adj
miniitration, if the ceiIation of the war leaves
him any time to acf, will be Inefficient TO re-
tore us to our prelent ftuation. No doub,
congreis will attend to- thefe considerations, and
i TO the confederation too, that if we poItDone
the declaration of a war, we flall incre afc in
ltrcngth upon our fouthern frontier. when we
. may not only prefcribc the eaftern bonn