The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-16

! what we may confidently acQrire cafes involv-
ing the deitrue.on OF the cor Intuition itteif;
but this is not fuch one. 1t may be lkened
J to the cafe of an individual, who would be
fcouted as 4 diihonourab'e man, if when he re-
ceived information in confidence, he afterwards,
without permifiion from his informant, dvug-
ed it. This Houie, repeat, did not vote for
the appropriation unde. the idea that it WAS in
| tended to make ufe of France to coerce Spain
into any meaiure. On the contrary initruGtions
have been fent to our mnter reiident at the
court of France, who is appointed envoy ex-
traordinary to negotiate with the court of Spain
for the purohafe Of this country the idea of
coercion through the fundamentally of France
was repealed ny the gentleman himftlf; he de-
clared that Bonaparte, with revenue of 100
millions, beGdes what he could fqueeze from his
dear allies, would ditdain to be hribed by a fam
only equal to two weeks expenditures. There
can be nothing, therefore, objectionable in the
meaiurc, and if the aliertion made were correct,
and our candid opinion was, that the money
thus appropriated would ultimately go into the
| Golfers OF France (; there would be nothing ian
proper in 1t as far as we are concerned. France
and Spain are connected together by atreaty of
| alliance ofenfve and defenGve. The one can
not go to war without involving the other.
France would be compelled 70 take part with
SPAN unlefs The violated her faith to her; and
believe Bonaparte has never been charged with
want of faith 10 his allies; and this well ac-
counts for the anfwerto our miniter, that they
were bound to take part with Spain. Sir, this
is national honour according TO Britilh doc
trlnes, and the gentleman will admit them.
The miniftry frequently boats in Parliament,
that their continental allies will not forfake
them, and that no feaparate treaty will be made
no fettlement OF differences nor arrangement of
territorial limits will be entered into without
their appreciation. There can, therefore, he
nothing improper in Spain's confulting France
IN this buiinefs which relates to the transfer of
domain as large as Spain itelf; and if fhe pleaf-
es, giving France the price of the purchaie.
The proportion was for the purchafe OF A coun-
try all important to u.s. So important as to
have received the tanGtion of this Houfe in 1909,
under declaration that we NUT have it bv con-
queit, or purchafe at fair price. 1t was de-
termned to puriue pacific courfe then---the
character of the nation required it, not only at
home but abroad. For if we had determined
to make intereft the rule of national right, and
reforted to force, becaufe our intereit dictated
1t, the powers of Europe iuftly alarmed by A
fpirit of ambition and ACKNOWLEDGMENT which
threatened themielves and their dependencies
with deitruction, would have made A common
caute to cruih us. The fame courfe has been
refolved on now, for the fame wife reafons for
1T was acknowledged by the gentleman, (Mr.
R.) that we have not fort eat OF the Iberyille
and the lakes Maurepas and Ponchartrain. But
admitting this point to be Objectionable, there was
no improperly in purchaGng the territory ac-
knowledged to belong TO Spain, and fettling the
boundaries and extent of doubtful right in the
bargain. For my part have no doubt that the
meaiure IN every point of view i'm which il can
be placed was recommended by the foundef
policy and the beft intereft of the nation. But
we were told amongft other aranpe attentions.
that oy this vote OF money we have violated our
neutrality, that neutral nation can do nothing
beneficial TO beligerent, and as money is the
lnews OF war, we cannot on any account fup-
ply it. Whether this is not advancing Britih
pretenfions under Britih influence, it is for the
fober fenfe ofthe community to determine.
coniider the report of the fe.ect committee
as the BET iuitiic alton of the oppoGtion made
| TO the meaiure 1T recommends, and the feyerelt
commentary upon the concIufions which are
profei1ed to be drawn from it. Ii fpeaks of the
"pratica depredations upon our commerce
of obftructing the navigation of the Mobile"
and IN the daring 1,iolation of our undifputed
limits, &c. as affording Z" ample caufe for for
NAL declaration of war" Sir, the exaetions of
duty on the Mobile, will undoubtedly be con-
tiDued 70 long as Spain holds the country: the
right is not fettled by the laws or ufages of ma
tons and thus indeed the exported products
of the lineft region of the u. S. may be fubieet
ed to duties, as well as thofe imported into il.
'H - e'"'N''Nio iS'uiih'S oI lUc UlSn rOluS
from New Orleans will, by engaging in broils
with the Spanifh fuhie6ts, eternally endaneer
the peace and tranquility of the u. States-fo
that intead of war, found policy clearly dictat-
ed purchafe--and what is the dapiup z,iolafiou
fpoken of? A mole hill converted into noun !
tain--gigantic names given to pigmy events. 1t
smoothing more or lefs than the arreft of the KEN
pers. L that "ambieeaxe 0fzUar 2'' A few peo.
pie headed by theie men RATED the ftandard of
rebellion in the territory of Spain, from whence
they fed within our limits, and were feized by
our citizens, carried within the Spanifh lines
and there delivered to Spanifh party. And
thisis what is declared in the report to be an
ample e0gle IF 7Var. After urging that we are
Z" too far removed from the powerful nations of
the earth for our fafety to be endangered by
their hoftility," that " peace NUT always be
deirabe 10 long as it is compatible with the
honor and the interet of the community
that " we heavily burthened with debt"-
and the beft intereft of the nation cry aloud for
peace-that zVbenfbs debt is diJcbarqed, and
not hWt then, may qUe bid defiance fothe world"--
that the preient moment is peculiarly aufpi-
cious for this great and defirabIe work"-that
now if ever the national debt is to be paid by
reaping the rich harvef ofneutrality,' the re-
port concludes with recommending war mea-
furc-the raif ing number of troops TO L" eba,-
tie SPanW nroad and ia/th." / fhould have
been convinced had / voted for fich a propoG-
ton, and for fuch reafons, that the people as