The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-25

republicans; and the eRabhment perhaps Of ftand
ing army. Thele things would nsceIary be ACCOM-
panied By fenfble change for the worle in the adj
mnitration, Whole parsonage and power would un-
avVdaby be enormouly increafed, by all ho{e chan
ges, Observation-Disclosures to wm . And for
what ihpsld we hazard fuch alerifee For the pro.
teeion Of that commerce. which, foon ss it
tended beyond Applying us with fueh articles of To-
reign manufacture as neceiiities and com.
forts require, in exchange for our urplus produce
mutt inevitably becoYe dei,erions and denrusive
to the manners, the morals, and the government of
the nation. But the commerce eaentid to the bea
inereh and PROPERTY of country was not in rea-
hty that for which this protection was defred. Il
was the carrying and the covering trade alone which
had been. anailsd by Great Britain: trade, benef-
eal chiefly to few individuals, many Of whom were
foreigners, Rationed amonga only for hort tin,e
or at any rate to minority only Of that elas of cti-
zens called merchants: trade too, which would in
great n'ealure'eeate with the war between France
and England, If it Aould be confident with
found policy to attempt afordng this branch of our
commerce any protection beyond that which il re-
eelves at this time it 1.-THE prelen, tua.ion of
our country phylieal impofibiHty To engage in a
ny CONTEXT to which the refources of country were
10 ineompesent, would be an evidence rather of mad
neis than courage IL was no dilgraceto our coun.
try to be at this time incapable of wagng CONNER
eai war with Great Britain, was there fl,adow
either OF uitce reaion in charging u.s. for Altering
this apacSy, with any partially for England unles
the opinion which we had been hardy enough to pro,
nounee, that fix American friga,es were not match
for eight hundred Britiih fips of war could be CON
Arued as proof of fueh Partially. That love Of
eosntry, which prompts the glorious facrce both of
LIE and fortune, would prove curfe inltead of a
bleibng, unles accompanied by the judgement at all
times to perceive true interets and to Ultimate
properly our capacity TO aert and maintain them.
| Another objection to the propelled meafure was,
4 al ~ mill lAt..r r.
idered, as fome called it, taking ftrong ground
iueh as would tend to eoerce Great Britain, and as
others faid, taking fuoh pacific fep as could give
her no offence" 1t mun be either the one or the o.
Their II the firft its runous tendency, we thought,
had been fuihciently demonarated. If the laR its
nelcacy to cure the evils complained of, NUT be ma
nfet. 1t was afferted that Great Britain could be
coerced only by ltrong mearares +; and all we aissd
was that thoie who propofed them, would prove to
usthe policy and the power of uing item at this time,
and the capacity Of the country perevere in them
We conceived it Efficient anfwer to all the argu-
ments, uied on thefe points, TO remind gentlemen
OF the difference between fix frigates, or twenty if
they pleaded, and eight hundred N,ps of war and
! OF the magnitude of the facriGce, which we were
called upon 70 hazard, compared with the obie for
whIch 1t was 10 be made. To the arguments, urged
IN favor OF doing fomethpg at this time we anlwer-
ed that our ninfer London, was at this very TING
engaged IN dicuing differences with that court,
1'i t"' ie h~o given us reaien TO hope he fhoud a.
mieahly adult Them that if any reliance could be
placed nthis aifurapce it would be premature to do
! any thing ,whhlf this negotiation was pending. If
England was difpofed TO 20 to war thi. meafure be-
toreit could be brought to operate upon her, might
enable her TO do us ncalcuabe mitchell by the cap
'ure OF our veels, and perhaps the plumber of fome
OF eur ieaport towns. On the contrary, if ihe was
| ncined to peace, any evidence of hotlity on our
part, might retard, but could pofiby accelerate
ne Unleis indeed we could preIume that fhe feared
us, which, after our conduct towards Spain, il, was
utterly imPotlibe that ihe could do. Whatever
lrpreiiion we might have made upon her at the irt
otthe FELTON,, by the propoed mealure lhe could not
now be made to se!ieve that would perlevere in
THIS, or any other meaiure adopted olenfby TO &C..
cree her. after knowing that power which had in
ured and iniulted us full much in proportion to
her ability to do It, Great Britain had done had
been treated IN the manner in which had treated
SPAIN Alter acting, apparently leai 70 pufilla-
ninouhy towards that nation, nothing efs than ac-
usi declaration of war, could make Great Britain be-
ieve us IN earneh, In any attempt force her into
compliance with our wiifes. We had deprived cur
ieives OF credibity this point and we nun take
/ the consequences. If we had acaed confHently-if
the outrages of Spain had been met with the fame p,
nit OF u indignation thofe of Britain there might,
perhaps, have been fome probability of acceerating
the attainment of our objs with this la power by
the propoed meaiure admitting that this wa,
the fole motive of its adoption. But when Great
| Britain knew Gas Che certainly would do from her
min'er here, who had our fecret almolt as foon az
we had il ourielves) that we had ated te all appear
ances at Leaf, daftardly part towards SPAIN or ra-
Their France, The would not, ie could not believe us
| capable of any other conduct towards her.
The veil, which has heretofore concealed this part
OF our proceedings from the public eye is at length
removed, and haten to exhibit concife faten,ent
OF that tranfaeton, before that tribunal whole RICH,
finally TO decide all queffons of national import,
hope will never be infringed. At the commencement
of the prefent FELTON,, the Prefdent fcnt us two mef
FACES, the one public, the other confidential the rh
breathing fprit OF juit indignation at our wrongs
and determination to purdue all proper means TO re-
dres them; the other certainly not contradictory TO
the firn the public meffage recommending Deceive
mea'ures, particularly towards Spain, with whom
our negotiation had failed and who had injured us
as much to the extent of her power as Great Britain
the private meage, upon which the majority of the
| tioue has determined, much to my regret to con-.
tinue the injunction of fecrecy containing no fenti
ments in oppofition to the public one committee,
| appointed on this mefage, brought in report ex.
preive OF ienrmens conlehtsneous to thofe in the
hrit, and consequently hottie to thofe in the laa
h,eh4ge. This report reconmen led il to Congrefs 30
authorize the Prefdent raife certain troops the
number OF which was intended to be four thourand
m oG