The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-23
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
Senate Of EIyXinia.

No event has lately 20 much excited my al
touihment as the reioluiion of the II fcnators
of Virginia, on the affairs of The Federal Co
vernment. 1t was difficult to believe, that an
eiieetual expedient TO put ftup to Britiih en-
croachment, or to procure peaceful and no.
nourable accommodation with Spain could
have met with any oppoftion in Virginia but
experience has verified the poilibility of the
fact. And on what grounds do thefe republi-
can diilentients (the federalifts who voted with
them are out of the queltion) on what principles
do they declare an explicit declaration of their
fentiments?
What documents were neceiidry to prove,
that Great Britain was only to he brought to
her fenfes, by touching her interefts? The prin-
cip'e was written in the very fources of her
wealth dam them up by restrictions upon her
commerce, and youawe her at once into an ac-
acknowledgements or juitice. 1t needs no official
documents to prove this fmpIe petition, it
needs no Munroe to elucidate its trutt. But if
is the plain dictate of common fcnfe, & the mott
untutored merchant in Richmond will feel,
though he may not confefs, its Importance
And what has been the reji.lt? Thefe gentle
men init too on this criterion. Why That
the Britilh Cabinet is brought to frnfe of its
duties: her commiiiioners have exprelTed the
frongett anxiety to negotiate our differences :
they only aA;the fufpenGoh of the non-importati,
on act as proof of an equally concatory diff
petition on our part.
And what mighty documents did thew no
qure on our Spaniih Relations? Have thew
waited for MIR. Munroe's letter? That letter did
not contain Jingle new .faa. 1t DEVELOPED
opinions OILY; they were furely the opinions of
moft enlightened man but they were addreC.
led by Mr. Monroe from London, and not from
Paris or Madrid and they defcryed no biohsr
reiPett than the opinions of any other eoualIv
enlightened man. But perhaps thefe cautions
poii,Icians required the INFECTION of the correc
pondence OF our CommifiioDers with the Court
OF Madrid. What then Though this corref
Popdence has not yet been fubmitted to the nub-
lie eye, the public are not altogether ignorant
of its contents. They pretty we'll know that
Spain rcfiied TO exchange territory to the wen
ofthe Colorado, for that to the caft of the M;0;c
brpi: But they do not know that fine refufed 70
sen the Fiorldds On the contrary they do very
well know that this propofition had never been
made to Madrid Before the LAT GG;on rs
Consrefs (; and that it was on this very no,,,
that the unfounicd charge was urged againa
the frehdent, OF having prop oicd an approDrI-
alton OF 100000 dolls. for the purchafe of the
tioridas 1hete are facts. is there then anv
thing here 10 prevent new propof,ion of n,,
ebljs being made ? Was not that the 1 S.r..
policy which was mott congenial to orr or,r.i
Interef, that of preferviug peace, until orr
country or our honour were invaded Ia nos,
document Recefiry to prove theft po6tiors3
but lay theic republican diGentients, our ~
hey towards Spain cannot vet be ted cd L,,f -,
reiult What of that ? If the pronoG,;,,,'
now fails (and it is at prefcnt the moA nrobat,l.
iuPpoiition) it will not prove, that that nrono-
ltion was an improper one. The police n,;yb,
have been very excellent, lan winter hat e.,
proper now becaufe recent events in Fn,on.
may have completely defeated il. Go IN ~
republican minority thernfeives for an ;lInGr,.
tion. They have told us that fine refoI,,sio,,
OF the teieet committee on SpaniCb aff,;rs 80,
Poing an augmentation of military force. was
proper at the time but that the ba,tle ne ,r'r,,
falgar interviewed and fuperceded lie neceG;,,,
Inc republican minority NAV now rensat ~
reckoning. What the battle of Trafaiysr Coo
IAN winter, the battle of Jena is at This nSbre,t
liza military force was rendered ~
'ne oefeat OF the Spaniards, the peaceabIe Dur
chais OF the flondas may he no iefs defeated
by the overthrow Of the Prnniaus.--Tbc f,l9 is
that the true criterion Of any policy is ,ts tl1'
dfney as to its Dae, it is i n the hands Of pro
violence alone. ~
Ibey declare that they No no, perceive what
-" good is " to be produced BY the ado,,jnn
OF me retoIution now propelled by the HonGr
of Delegates" But this was NOT The o,. 81
oelore them This queftion might fairly have
oec" iugeeued' befoee the refolaion was bc,,',
heiofe fbe0i, and itill more hAngly before #
was Introduced into the Houflof Delcgsfrs.
But when the refolutiou had once s,Jgrc,i
'nat formal hlape, the real queeig vas not what