The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-25
FROM CoBBErT's WEExLY RsGIsrER,
of February 8.
NEW MINISTRY.

nave always thought, that the very tirtt act
| of a new miniRry fl,ould be, to form committees
of enquiry in both houfes of parliament, or
joint committee of the two houfes, wherein to
make, and whence to promulgate, true fate
ment of the affairs of the country, foreign, CO.
ionial, and domeitic and, if this precautisn
he not taken, to me it feems but too certain,
| that the neglect will, at no very ditant dav, be-
| come fubjett of deep regret, and, perhaps,
| of the fevereft modification. Recollection of
| the paf, Especially in times of trouble, is fel-
dom of long duration !; and the duration is the
| more likely to be Mort, in proportion as the l.
IDEAS of the facts are confufed. We all now
| know, and mott deeply feel, that our country
sin the greateft danger .tat as to our relation
! with foreign powers. we are covered with DIFF
grace that our burdens and our humiiations
| are fuch AS we never before heard of but, how
long will this be remembered? BY the people in
general how long will this be remembered, un-
der neeefary increafe of burdens, and amidft
the never-ceaGng affertions of the partizans of
the Pitt fyRem, that if their leader had CONT
nued alive and in power, the burdens, the fuffer-
ings, and the humiliations, now to be appre-
hended, would not have come upon us Men
converiant in public affairs will not be deceived
by tuch ailertions; but, it will require much to
prevent this deception from prevailing amongft
the great body of the people, plyed as they will
be, with the wailings of the blood fuckers"
and, to prevent thefe waings will demand
continuance of all that MATS of corrupt means,
by which the prefent calamities have been pro-
duced, and without the extirpation of which it
would be folly bordering upon infantry to hope
tor any real and permanent good. To make,
Therefore, true and full representation, to put
tuch representation upon record, to promul-
gate it 70 that it fhould be familiar to the mi,d
OF every man in the country is, in my opinion,
absolutely necefary, not only to the reputation
otthe new minitry, but TO the fIpport of their
power. This representation illould be fair
one; it fhould tell, not only the truth, but the
whole truth. Were concerned in the making
OF 1t, would begin with the Church. and
would thow, that, from an iniudicious, not to
lay corrupt ufe of power, in the reapinp of
oenetces and dIgnities upon perfons and fami-
lies devoted to the miniftry, the efabIilhment
has been, and is daily linking in the eyes of the
people, who, deferted by their pluralifi paltors,
and left, IN but too many infances, without "a
| ny reiident pafor at all, and not without a
fair publication upon the ground of piety, ex-
changed the church for the meeting houfe,
where they find, at Ieaf, diligent earneftnefs in
the mlDlitry and hence has arifen fchifn in
Guiding million and half of the people of
England and Wales, while, as to the property
OF the church, and, of courfe, the influence of
the legitimate ariftocracy, dminution is, from
the lame caufe, daily taking place, by the means
OF the almoft forced competitions, introduced
and continued by the convenience and the ex-
ample ofthe non-reident incumbe to whom.
as their parhioners cannot fee the iuft reafon of
paying tithes, is to be afcrbed all thole erudg-
ings and heart burDiDgs, all that inward hatred
and outward difrefpect to the clergy, which
now feem to threaten the total overthrow ofthe
eitahliihment, and which, as its leaf pofiible e.
wi, cannot fail to render men more indifferent
than they otherwfe would be with regard to
! he dtste md H.. 4
try.
Ofthe fate of the May we NAV be proud -.
1t is with fnch correction of abufes as may ca
illy be accomplished, and with great extenli-
on OF the means of providing for dfabled and
worn out feamen, which extenfion would pre-
TENT very few difficulties with thefe improve
ments, the navy is exactly what we mutt with
1t tobe. But, the Ay-my! who fhall make il,
not what one could qulb, but what we cannot
exit IN fatety without! If any man can do
this, ihould expect it from the wifdom and
the zeal of MIR. Windbam.-- But, is it boAbIe /?
After all the tamperng after all the ballotine !;
all the nonienie with volunteers and parifh off
GERS; after bounties of SC guineas, man even
for fervice for limited time after all this,
is IT in the mind of man to devife fcheme by
which permanent military force can be RATED
and kept up in this country? certainly think
that 1t is pofiibe think that an army, fIch
! 40 VIC hdHu III Httu OF, can De TdIfed and MAIN
tanned but / am by no means certain, that the
meaf'lres necefiary, absolutely necefIary, there
unto, will, or can be adopted in the prefent
tate of mems minds, full as they are with no.
tions of trade & obftinate as they are ntheirpre
ference of every thing hottie to the beltowng of
privileges and immunities upon the folder. 1t
is, by all men of difcernment, clearly perceiy
ed, that within thefe few years, Europe, and
particularly France, has undergone a complete
moral revolution that the age of commerce
is gong by; that arms are now to predomi-
nate that we, too, mutt become a military
people, or become nothing as an independent
nation that our choice lies between military
nation & nation of 1aves; that this is the imple
alternative, flavery and the continued predomi-
nance OF commerce, or freedom and arms. All
this isis clearly perceived but as the drunk
ard and glutton, goes on, from dinner to
dinner, with di(eafe in his frame and death
before his eyes / 70 fear, greatly fear,
that this befotted, this pelf-oving nation will
go on in its prefent courfe ofdeRru6tion--There
does not appear to me to be energy enough
left for the exertion absolutely neceTary to re-
covery. Men talk, indeed, about " making
good army;" but, when the means are pointed
out, my fear is, that the nation will fay, I" if is
too late rather than encounter this, LET ne die