The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-15

The Pfe6dent in his irit melfage to this Con-
yrefs officially brought the fubeet before them.
In fubfcquent melIage he informed them OF
the initruStions he had given, OF the exertions
that had been made, and. in hort, that negoci-
alton wa. exhauited. Why then fhould we re-
fufe fuch legislative aid, as in the prefent fate
of the buGuers is absolutely neceflary render
negotiation fucceisful Can we expect fuc-
ceis without fome efficient exprefiion of the ma
tiona will! Former Prefidents did not expect
\ it 70 from any nation.
Mr. r. fad the gentlemen who havesrifen in
oppoiition to the refoiution. have taken no no.
tice of the impeachment of our citizens, though
IT is by far the mott aggravated grievance. They
feem to give to G. B. preicriptive right ofttat
efential portion of our independence. Happi-
" however the exercife Of that mott tyrannical
power has been perfeveringly protected againa
by every administration hnCe that unprecedent-
ed tyranny began to be exeroifed. Indeed the
fri inftauee of acquiefcence which has been
manifefted is by the members who have fpoken
in oppofiton to this refoluion.
The gentleman from Virginia yeferday, the
fecond time he has been up on the queition, ac-
knowleeiged the omfion, but feemed to make
an Offset Of the conduct Spain in the MififIip-
ri territory Ian fummer to balance the impreii-
meut. It appears that two men fed from iuf-
tice from the fettlemens pefeifed by Spain,
and were purfued and taken in our territory,
but afterwards refcued from the officer of Spain
This might be balanced by the outrage commit
ted by the Britiih at Detroit but without
dwelling on this infut, it is fuffcient to obferve,
4 that the two men are free from bondage, and
i that there has not been time to remonfrate and
negotiate with Spain fince the outrage happen
ed, and that court Of juftice is competent to
decide on it. If Britain had impreIed but two
men, if fhe had impreiIed but two hundred,
and had difavowed the intention of doing 10 any
80 0E r pIIrh ,.f
ed and avowed perIifting in the unprecedented
outrage on the laws and ufages of nations, if thar
government had not indicated the conduct and
refufed to fign a convention on that fubieet,
(oncr agreed toy without an inadmilible cxcep-
ton, it may be prefumed the cafe would not
have been brough before the legislature
The obfervations of this gentleman, however,
70 often bring our relations with Spain into
view, without explanations, that though they
have no connection with the fubjeGt before us,
he would ihor.Iy add, that in the purchafe of
Loutiana from France, which the gentleman
from Virginia himfelf has in ftrong terms ac
knowledged was good bargain, that even the
channel of the river was worth the money, SC.
vet in the various transfers between France and
Spain, and the final transfer TO the u. S. the
boundary lines had never been fettled By a
bill reported to the latt Congrefs, it is believed
by the gentleman from Virginia himtelf, which
paifed into a law, it was made the Prefident's
duty to take poneilion of the Mobile diltrict.
He did 20, and Spain objected to the boundary,
aad the affair became fubiett of negotiation.
as well AS the unfettled weaern boundary. AS
foon as this became fubjett of negotiation the
Preident proceeded no further, bat left the nm
decided boundary in the fate il was, until the
boundary would be amcabiy fettled This, fir.
is the way underltand the cafe to fand, and
IF undertand it truly, the PRECEDENT has con-
Quoted with great corre6tnefs agreeable TO the
law of nations of the truth of this tits not me-
cenary to quote authority /; one example for IL
luftration is fufficient though the wetern
boundary between the u. S. and the Britiih ter.
rtory had been clearly defined in the definitive
treaty with Britain, yet the weftern forts with
in our acknowledged boundary were forcbIy
withheld from us by Briti!h troops; but while
the negotiation conducted by Mr.. Jaw was in
proersfs at the court of London, the PreGdent
Waihington, not only withheld the federal
troops then engaged IN war with the Indians
from advancing, but forbade gen. Irvine from
going with party of Pennsylvania militia to
layout town on the margin of Lake Erie in
Pennsylvania, where it was not known that ever
the Britifh had advanced claim fince the re-
volution or taken poiiefion; but neither had
we actually occupied it before, but It was with
in the acknowledged boundary of that fate.
Retaining pofIefion until the boundary is fet-
tied is no aggreflion on the part Spain.
Mr.. +. laid we are alarmed with dangers in
ftead of being convinced by argument. IF fhe
gentleman from Virginia is not indeed much
miftaken, we are firlt to bs ruined by war with
Britain, and afterwards overs helmed by France,
and diarefed with numerous privations. tits
true If Britain or any other nation find it to be
their interef and deign to go 10 war with us,
they will never be at lofs to afign a caufe !.
we cannot turn our feet in regulating our own
commerce but they can in a manifeitto give il
the coouring of a caufe of war. Without i'm
putting to Britain 4 lefs degree of iuftce or hon.
or, or calculating on her poieifiug higher
fenfe of national depravity than any othe. natl
on, we NUT all admit that ihe is a pretty good
Judge of her own interef and fIficiently difpofl
ed TO purfue it. Iffhat is admitted it is the mott
evident interef of Britain to ceafc from her se-
greffions, and make Reasonable reftitution in
preference to war or the privations we can make
her fuller without gnins 80 Har. AT prcfent and
for Comfortable tine paG, her commerce. has
been excludes from the greateil extent of the
mot fertile add wealthy part OF Europe, and in
thefe countries manufaGues are 70 much en-
couraged that the Britifh goods can never again
be in the fame demand in that quarter. For
A. 4 Zee