The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-16

rrtnce, by the late toiies OF their fleets, the
draining of their rcfources, and the new cmhsr.
rhiments created by the coalition; when
we take into view the various rumours whic
have reached us, many Of them favourable 70
peace, and among the ref. the Natement faid to
be given by the brig Neptune, from Lfbon,
charged with dispatches for the United States ;
1t - difficult TO reit the belief, that there is at
leat fome foundation for the report, however
faithefs it may be in its details. It is difficult
not to give way to fomc of thofe delightful e.
motions, which iuch an event is calculated to
excite, when the evils it viii remove and the
advantages it will produce. prefent themfeves
nefore Us IN all the "msgnitudc of their de-
tail"
We have avoided war, and fl,alI we fay
with Spain alone? Is there any man, &, iyno-
rant OF the relations of that power on the con-
t'nent, as not to believe that the p,efcns ally
of Spain would he her active Allocate during
the war In all her transactions with the Eu-
roPean States, Bnnaparte is in fa6t the Punch of
the Puppet ihow can we then believe, that he
has interfered LET'S in her difoutes with the u
States! Have we that high opinion of the
lplrlt OF Spain as to pay her the compliment of
believing, that ihe would enter into combat
With the United States alone and uasfIifted by
fo:ne more formidable power. Let experience
antwer every argument, that may he pre,,ica-
ted upon the: pacific and unafIuming temper
OF Bonaparte. The hitory of Holland, Bel.
gum, and Italy, will oorred the dclufion
Nor bet us pl1ce any confidence in the pre-
elections of his early youth for the caufc of IL
berty, on his refpea for our republican inftitu-
tons. The few laft years Of his life will re-
tute that argument. There never exifted per-
haps man in the whole world, who could
have done more for the caufe of freedom and
humanity and perhaps there does not exit at
~ q mn l,p. r
he has declared 1--WE have the information from
'ndiiputabe authority tina, "t is impoffible for
arepuhlican government to EXIT" What nigh
ty forbearance then could xve expect from
tuch man rs this 4 man, who perhaps
hates us hecaufe the happ;nefs of our repub-
lie is the ftveref fatirc (Which he can fee6 up.
on his own political apoitacy?
With this man then for our foe, what DIFF
hculties might we not have had to encounter !;
if the prefent coalition in Europe had paied
over without weakeningsi5 refources? The
war IA truth would have increafed, rather than
removed the impediments to an accommoda-
ton. He has been victorious in Auftria. In
all probability he has been matter of Vienna,
and may have commanded his own terms Of
peace. Let us fill further fuppofc, that the
negotiation has embraced G. Britain herfelf,
x that peace has once more rcviiitcd the warning
nations OF Europe. What then won d have been
our iituation? Bonaparte fraught with new
refources, and Hufhed with new fpirits would
have been ready to fupport his ally, or ap-
Proach to any extrenities. To him it would
be matter of very little concern how many
folders the war would require or how much
blood it would flcrifice He has thoufands OF
troops at his command whole iervccs are
no longer wanting in France, and whof. pay
mutt he drawn out of an exhauited treafiIry.
eco, my Children" he might FAY to them
"you have reaped uufading lXurels upon the
banks OF the Danube; go, and afoniih the
Miih1ippi by exploits worthy of your fame.
The fertile country of Louiiiana is ready to re-
ceive you. We ak you rot to conquer laad,
cu3ted like St. Domingo, with pefiferous eli
mate, but foil where health and plenty
are ready to blefs you. Go and recover a CO.
lony for your country, which nothing but the
folly and the weakrefs of the Bourbons could
ever have abandoaed. Louifi4na will open to
y'u recompsnie, worthy of your itrvices /;
worthy ofthc gratitude of the nas;on.'
But in fuch acontett, the natives of Europe
would not have been the only warriors The
Indian tribes of Florida and the Indian tribes of
Loniiiana, whom we have rs yet had no means
of conciating or whom we N,ould have been
unable to controul; would have lifted the to-
.sahawk aga;ne us; and difplaycd all the hor-
rors of an Indian campaign.-But it is ufelefs to
"Vt'P'y Vi WHICH nlutt NrIkc
every reader.
1t an accommodation has really taken place
with Spain, it will not only fave us from the CD
ldnities of war, but from the disadvantages
| incident to fate of fufpence. The merchant
will receive new confidence and engage in new
corumercial fpcculations. The fwarms of pri.
vateers, which interrupt his veflcls, will at
Leaf be bound up by more effectuaI police.
Our government itfef will undcrftand the
ground on which it ftands, and no longer be
| inbjeeted 10 the expence Of military preparati.
| ons. We hope to hear no longer of the build
| ing of 71's. BY documentof tie Secretary OF
the navy, dated December 2lft. it appears that
IA gun chip will cot s2s,sss dolls. 50 cts.
Its annual expence in
| time of fervce Is2,5oo
That the average colt of
building gun-boatis 1926
Its annual expence in
| 1erVice IS 1000
That is: the FUN necefIary to build one =
guu flip would build not lefs than II gun
boats; and the fun neceffary to keep it in fer
vice would maintain 27gun-bsa.s. 1t isHotthere
fore one of the leaf advantages arifing from
an accommodation Of our differences, that W,
may turn our reiources from the equipment O
one Jingle II to the equipment of 70 many gun
boats, 70 neSefary to the defence Of our ports