The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-10-24

encounterlnR oppoiition from thofc to whom
ne mutt ultimately look for fupport.
FEDERAL LOGIC.
Although we have rarely condefcended TO
mix in the battles of our Editorial brethren, We,
there is cafe 70 tronely in point, 70 complete
ly illuftrative of the GO arts of able Editors -
that we cannot pafs by it without a flight ami
madverfon. We aliude to the fri4mss.
which the Federal Editors nave paf1cd upon the
eiiay OF Alcibiades. Men who are unaccuaint-
ed with the Protean arts which thefc gentlemen
aiiune, would be atoniihed at the number
efs INTERPRETATIONS, to which that little pro.
duction has given birth.
II is 4 tribute, we owe to candor, TO remark,
that tzpo of thefe Editors have oppoied the pro-
jet of an alliance with G. B.
Some of thefe EageJ of the prefs, have afcrib
ed this production 10 Mr.. John Randolph.
Others have with equal difcernment, dire7y
aicrihed it to the editor of this paper
And others have with mott reprehenGbe
loofeneis ofPhraieology (fuch as " the Richmond
Enquirer recommends induced fimilar GtI5i-
cisn.
The Ncw-York Evening Pot has even been
hardy enough to 6elieve, that it is "fuggeftion
thrown out by great berJonage, in conformity
with his hJuai cunning, for the purpofe of feeling
the pnlie OF the people,"
But their low-witted boicy does not end even
here. Their next object, was TO give an ex
traordinary weight to this communication, by
digEitying the /ource through which it came.
Hence they have elevated the Enquirer 10
ipecies of confequence, to which it never dared
TO afpIre. They have crowned it with laurels,
to iacriice the party which fupport it.
The New England Palladium calls it the
Aurora of Virginia.
The Bottom Centinei denominates it tire lead
ing JS6erJanian paper ofYigimia, and the
organ OF the ancient dominion.
The New-York Evening Poit, compliments
1t with being Mr.. Jeferfon's f7qourite pa
per; paper iet up and fupported, I'M
der the immediate patronage OF Mr.. Jefltr-
fon.'
The Hudfon Balance is equally compliment
tary and equally falfe.
Almof every federal print, which has repub-
lihed tie Prodnttion, land what paper
has not matched at the rniirrai,le flretac-r,, y
has HbeAe3 the Enquirer by its eulogiumJ
An ideot may fee through this contempt
ole policy. They with to reprsrent the En-
quirer as the organ of the old dominion, as the
organ of Mr.. ]. as the organ of the republi-
can party, becaufe they with to attach an u
fua Importance to the project of Acibiades
They with to reprefent the formation of an
.sllissso qOi.A Q. 3. tfc proportion of the
republican party. &c 1t was hardly 10 have
been expected Gays the candid Editor of the
New York Herald) that this very barty fnou,d
originate /ueb propoftion." And his candid
brotherhood have joined in full chorus.
Arguments, as eXtravagant as thefe, are
fcarcely entitled to the dignity of reply.
they refemble the wretched fyftem of Indian
geography, which makes the 4vbole earth TO
ftand upon the back of Tortoife Their
mIicrable fabricators are like Voltaire's candid
| traveller, who reprefented eVery man in GER
tam village with long nofr, bccaufe the frf
man he happened TO meet was thus mif,hapen.
But this tubieet is aimof too ferrous for iro-
ny. Attempts, fuch as we have here expofed.
are calculated to excite fome other Enti,nent,
than riGieule. By what right do thefe men thus
dare to abufe the fscred privileges of the prefs
BY what right do they thus prefume to impoCe
| upon the difcernmeut of their readers, IF in
cafe 70 trifing this is, they prove themfeIyes
70 completely divefted of all honorable can
donr, with what face can they expect more
credit to their af1erions, when they hereafter
/ approach more momentous concerns , II
wou'! have been wife IN them TO have prohted
! by the fa6l~ of the fbepherds.bcy, rather than
| by their own dear bought experience.
! We mutt repeat again. that Federal argu-
| ments like thete are unworthy of reply. If
Federal Editors have no better than theGe to of
fer, they had better mufle their preIes. We
NSiN''ND 'O'NNNi' lOi lIIG ldLlSIdCtlOn OF
! thefe candid authors:
That this paper was not " ft up" nor is it
" iuoPorted" by MIR. Jcftrfon, or any of his
minifters
That MIR. ]. Randolph is not the author Of
Alcibades
That the Editor of this paper is MT:
That he is throughout oppofsd to the pro-
iects which it recommends that he has ez,er
teen and is no7O an enemy to any fort of a-
ance with the corrupt government of G.. Bri-
/ tain that the objects now proDofet bv that
alliance, are fome Of chem impoGible, and fome
improper, to be accomplished that it is his o.
pInion we have land enough, (the Floridas ex-
cepted) whatever may be faid of the Indefinite
applicability of the Federative principle and
that 1t IS but curious way Of avoiding the
power of Bonaparte, by provoking him into a
war.
And that though the author Of Alcibiades, !, =
republican, yet that there are not believed TO be
ten republicans in Virginia who would advo-
| cate theie doctrines.