The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-15
Gbe Gnquirer.
RICHMOND, 1873 AUGUST.

The importance of the following coMMu.
NIcArioN mutt fpeak for itielf.-The editor
has neither inclination nor ability TO impart to
1t higher intereft. than what it intriniicalIv
pofTefIes. l,
To fuch of his republican friends, as may ex-
pea from him fome apology for having lent his
columns to its publication, his anfwer is fear
!efs and reaiy. lie has publiihcd this produc-
ton:
Becauie he holds it to be correa principle.
that the Prels is free for the publication of
all opinions and ftasements, relating to oub.
nc matters, which are couched in decent
andtoroearng language. Let the Editor OF
apuoiic Journal devote Himself tn whatever
tlde. Vt Iiay iuit his confidence or his interett
to mpport, he ought TO recollea that his
PAPER itfelf fhould be F" open TO all parties,
and influenced by noue,'' with regard To any
Ehay's, which are rendered to him for ,ubli-
cation.
Becauie however he may lament, in common
with his republican friends, the temporary
warmth, and the petty fchfin, of which
fuch com runcasion may be productive.
he cannot but rejoice at the difcuiiion itfeli
which it is likely TO provoke. Nozp all ur1er,
may be espe9ed to be at ain end. The iecre,
.mei'aEe of the PRECEDENT, the Whole proceed.
lnes OF congrefs during cloied doors, and !,
Is to he pretumed, the main fpirit and
force OF the arguments employed by the re-
publican minority during thefe fec ret proceed
.ngs'wiilnow be laid before the nation. Moth.
70 - .i-,,>, Tue ciid;t, III
Hi!tory complete, but the arguments oe N
retRbl;eau majority, and an entire view of the
wiihes and de6gns of the administration
All the .fafS will then be laid open TO the
people, and il win bc in their power TO form
Their own ccncluions TO cenfiIre or con.
denn according to their unbiafIed and I'M.
1uiplcious judgments. Vague furmfes will
no longer PATS for indfputable truths: nor
can half-fappreiied whfpers about confden-
tai meitages, be offered as fiIfficient grounds
tor condemning the administrations
10 tuch OF his republican Friends, who think
that the confidential mefage of the prc6dent
ought to have formed an exception to theft
pr ihcipies, he haste reply that he has pub
h.hed that neIage.
bccaufe he can no longer heitate to believe, that
TINS confidential mehage has long Gnce been
IN the hands OF the very men. from whom
alone it was important to Withhold il the mi.
nitters or foreign powers reGdent in our own
country:
Decan'e even admitting the fuppofiton that IT
is now FOR the firt time to be prefcnted to the
Cabinet OF Madrid, its publication can have
no longer any effect upon our neyociatio,
with that cabinet: As, long before the mel.
fage can arrive in Europe, the nepociation
mutt either be broken off or faccefsfulIy con-
cluded
6ecaute he is well apprifed of the fact, that
ms confidential mefase has nl~eod. hem 80
hibited to the eyes OF 5everal individuals .
and he can fee no satisfactory reafon.
why the people at large fhould not have an
equal'ytair opportunity of deciding on its
merits
Becauie he cannot entertain doubt, that if
Congress were at this moment in FELTON,, if
would it5elftake of the injunction of lecrecy
from its own members.