The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-18

" important .f19."
Cd. 1t is true, that, in their correfpondence
with the Spanih miniftry, our minillers ftated,
" that, IN conienting tn eaabliii the Colorado
as the Weftern boundary of Louiiiana, they
had exceeded their ihGruetions." IF fuch were
not the fact, is it probable that thofe minilters
would have 70 ftated it TO the government
from whom they received thofe inRruetions ;
or that thofe diipatchcs would have been laid
by that government before Congrefs, without
rectifying the error?
If the complete abortion of the negotiation
at Madrid, did not Gas the author of" imbor-
fant fats" would ieem to contend) preclude
the propriety of recurring to frefh negociati
ons; if that failure of pacific meafurcs created
no neceility for referring TO others of a differ
ent complexion towards Spain, will he, or will
any other man, afiert the expediency of uiing
coercive meafures towards Great Britain, with
whom we had negotiation at that time pend
ing? Surely if the fate of affairs with Great
Britain called for frong meafures on orr part.
our iituation with Spain demanded till from
ger. And if our relations with Spain did not
warrant any tuch mealures, much lefs could
they be fulfilled by the exiting circumstances
between us and Great Britain. If we went
far enough with Spain, we went too far with
Great Britain; If we did not go too far with
Great Britain, we did not so far enough with
Spain.
.Decius has no where poltvely afrtrted, that
the Louiiana treaty was antedated. The in
formation which he had upon that fubiec, in
duced him 70 believe that fuch was the fact
That belief is not at all impaired by the Offer
vations in the Enquirer. The only evidence of
the exitence of the g contra9" is the .fgnature
OF the parties to it. IF the treaty was " Ggne4'
iubfequently TO the date eXprsntd on the face
OF il, it was Z" a9fedateT''
The quefton of " breach of neutrality" was
fated merely alphabetically. II cannot be af
iected by the connivance of the Bitifh miniftrr,
at traniaction which he might deem benencial
to his country. Nothing is more common than
iuch conct ilions from the government OF a ira
ulne people, to The commercial iuterefts of its
tutjet;s. Mr.. Pitt might not only wifi, to en-
rich the banking houfes Of London, but gladly
lend has aid to any meafure that would take
Loulllana oat of the hands OF France and vet
ms acquieicence remain unknown at the time
OF tiening the treaty. The - b;incibk" is at
eait dliputable. SupPote The u s.. at war with
Great Britain; and France, in confederation Of
ceion OF Labrador were TO fupDy her with
troops, or even money? Might il not be- deem
ed departure from her neutrality? But to
nave Hated the argument fairly, the fact ought
70 have been taken in connection with our par-
hive conduct under Spaniai aggrefTi0n on the
=
Britain, on the other. From this combination
of circumstances, might fhe not infer di(Do-
htion ON our tide TO depart from our neutrali-
tY! But was not one chief ohieCton to the
procedure, that iuch tameurf, on our part
would inipre Great Britain with contempt for
any reiiitance which we might make To her Dre.
teniions When it nlali be efa6lighsd, that
aggreiiion upon orr r'ar;,iue rights is gro1rr
violation ofthe national honor. than The actual
invahon of our territory, then, and rot til then,
may the remarks quoted in the Enouirer he
deemed applicable to this fubie6t. The traders
IN our TEA ports may Ultimate the capture OF
their veatls as of mere coafequeuce, than the
lHv"hon, or compact, of one of the welern
rates hut they will e. rcely purfuade the IA
non to be of their opinion.
81, and 4th. The third and fourth of the
" important fats" might be paG over in ii.
iencc. The msnages fpeak for thenr- VS..
| / MT the pualic m fage hrea;hed an indignant
and hottie language againlt foreign rgcrefi ans
Is to he found IN the fprited reiolutions offe-
vSrai large and respectable ffates, conf-cue1t
| upon VI ; in the general understanding OF the
members Of both houteS Of Cargrefs and that
tuch was the lenfe Of the nation, at ldrge, ay
readily be ieen by a rec urre nee 10 the new fpa-
pe's OF the day OF both parties, and among
tacrn tit is prefuned) the Enquirer itf.lf. AS
TO the private melidge, am afraid, that thoie
VINO cannpt comprehend its crif; from the con.
text VIII he little aided III their apprehension by
the comments in the Euouire~.
8. When NJ. Monroc's difcafCh-s of the 9 I,
and 25ih of OHober were laid before the houie
ot representatives, feverai of the belt inform d
members (who had voted with the maio-ify)
decisied, that they feTvcd to convince them m I
:he couric purified towards Spain was wrong :;
whiiit Others affirmed thar the efca on then
minds was exactly the reverfe confirming
them in the propriety of the me7fures which
mad been adopted. How they ihould procure
theie important fleets, and at the fame time
nave little bearing on Spaniih reafions, is left
to tie author of " Important Fn65'' to explain.
Would the opinion, or information of D ,6tor
Franklin on the iunied of our concerns with
Great Britain, be lefs entitled 10 weight hecAnfs
he was miuliier at the court of Verfal'es more
Especially if he had hnt lately left the court Of
st. James's, in that capacity? Would fuch AZ
opinion, or iuch Information be iefs official nr
leis doeumen!cd" than if it came from mi
inter Il; Loniuu?
6. Does the author of " important Ea8s" Ger
t''niy Know that MIR. X. did nat amicdb,y ,op-
int the PRECEDENT Oh the truth ofthe. vague in
limitations oS MS eartont friend, >" as this writer
pitaled 10 term the fe refary f the ,reaf,iry !?
a w words viii put this jel ia IT, ororer
hgbt. . Mr. Randolph Gated TO the houie that
ne bad been informed" (hy two OF Their mem.
hcrs) that certain proportions had been
made, 10 the tre7iury, 10 found the diipoifioD
OF the iecrctary of thai department on tie fib-
lcct of advancing the money, voted for EXTRA,