The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-03-18
lVoLUME 9.

"d'e ai!uueo, and from the pointed
."''''er w which the Pretdsnt has recommend
80 Preparations for defence, IN idea appears "a
nave gone forth that we are to n. ;ynn,,G..,,1
engaged IN war. This opinion has received al
a''iohai currency from report made by a fs,arl
committee or the Houft, Recommending IN -,
ir'op''ation or money TO confederate a,ro.,n. 4
TOT the Pnrpo'e of erecting fortifc afions for the
oeience ofour ports and harbors, and for hui,3
| ing gun boats and irips OF the liue. Did M;
s".''neh's accord with this opinion, fhouId
certainly give this report my couutrt,,.s c.
!ar as refpetts Notifications, which from ,h.;.
mutation are thought TO be capoe,,s ~ ntiordins |
any fubitintial protection. Even as things are.
| may perhaps bc induced TO votein favor of the
! appropriation FOR gnn boats, to relieve the an
KEY OF fone of our fellow citizens, Whole A.
farms appear to be greatly excited; and hecaufc
believe, from all the information I have been
able to col!e6t from naval aud military gentle
men, gun boats will afford the mon cffee,na,
protection, in the event cf our being compelled
70 have recourfe to defenfyr rneaflres, by any
occurrences that may hereafter take place,
But here mutt he permitted tn declare that
have no approximations whatever of \ war.
ine preient titUation of the nations of Europe
furnhfes no ground FOR entertaining fnch appre-
neh'iohs. Their preient engagements filrniih
ample employment for all their reiources both
Of men and money. The important conteil
which now occupies their atteH. ion, is not likely
10 he brought to fpeeSy ierminstios. Even
IT the minor powers ihouid ithtiraw from ,ic
eon'eoeracy, there is TO profreH of iorr;
peace oe1W:Xt the TWO ,~r-:,yrrva n!.ions. Jb.x-
VIII mott probably foon return to the ftua,ion
'hey respectively occupied at the commence.
men, or the pretsnt campaign. TIE fceue OF
bontoene will probably be acted over again.
1 lie fleet ct the one nation muff be employea
W guarding IFS COATS againft an invaGon br tn.
army OF the other. In this fituatiun neither viii
DC d1poied TO aid 10 the humber of their enc.
mes. Great Britain derives forne ADVANTAGE
from that predatory war which f,e permits and
authorizes TO be carried on aeainft our com.
'nerce, and Tie alto experiences fome convent.
ence IN manning herDavy, from the facility will
winch deficiencies are fupplied by in,preifmehi
OF our ieamea from on board cur trading y,
te!s. lntcref and convenience. will i,due.
10 puriue this fyifem, 70 long as we ui(covcr
o'lPohtion to yield implicit fuhmiflion but
a national ipirit of difapprobatior and reGffa1
once Uncover itith; let us once It II her in
PROUD language of independence, that we
no longer fuhmit to this iDdgn;y aud oppn
hon' ana we will find the p,attice reiinauiihe
and our tellow-citizeps liberated from tb,, al
grading bondage IN Which they are nov, hrld
and reitored to their country and friends. a.
Is. is too well veried in the bufinefs of calculate
on, ard too well acquainted with her own in.
tereit to perievere in this lawefs fyftem at The
haz:id OF lotng cufomers, whole annual pu,.
ctaies of her manufactures and other mercbau. :
ciZe' exceeds, believe, 3o,oo0,ooo of dolas.
In fearchiug for materials to fub(tanti,,e ;hr
facts iated in the preamble to the rcfoluton. il
is only necefiarv TO refer to the hiftory OF the
conduct of the Briiifh government towards us
tnr very ihort period. By turning few pages
or that mitory we vii! find, that large nun.
Ter of oar fellow citizens have been forcibls
taken from their homes FOR lis 1,ipis fearna,'s
home) have been put on board BritiIh fnips Of
war, and compelled to fight her battles aeann
power, betwi%t whom and their own govern.
ment there exits no difference The general
notorety of this truth prccusles the neceiiity Of
reference to any particular document to prove
the correctness of the ftatement. Was Gucb
reference neceifary, might point TO a report
from the department of fate made at the Ian
FELTON, of Congrefs. In that report we Hnd, that
AT that time fifteen hundred and thirty eight
perfons claiming 10 lie American citizens. had
been able to extend their application for relief
10 tneif own government and though Great
Britain claimed fome of thefe as her fubietfs, p.
greeaby to her doctrine of nan esbot,iafioa. the
great mails was acknowledged to be Americans.
lor whole detention TO other cauie could be sr.
lgned, but becaufe ihe food in need OF their
ierVIce. And is II not a fair prefiimptiCn that
thus number was bot fmal proportion of tho(e
VINO were actually imprei1ed ?-.Changed from
mp " mp, anu the VeiielS IN which they are
frequently changing their ftation, guarded with
the mott 'fcrupulous attention, ii is almoR i'm.
po'hhie TOR them - find any opportunity of ap-
plying to their own government, or aoy of i.s
officers for relief
This open, this fragrant VIOLATION Of our rjs,,s
as men, and as citizens of an independent matt
on certainly demands the Interpolation 0f sor.
eminent. To what caufe are We to aicribe tas
neglect with which thcfe unfortunate men have
i'een treated A few years ago when fome Of
oar people had the misfortune to be made pric-
onefs by tile Algerines, and at later period
wren Tome others fell into the bands of the 1ri-
polI!ans, the feelings of the government and of
me whole country were alive All voices INIT
eed IN requiring the energy Of the government to
be exerted, and its purfe TO be opened, 70 that
no means TO obtain the liberty of the cap,ives
might be len nntried. Soc cefs has crowned thste
endeavors and thofe who were unfortunately
Ilaves' are now enjoying their freedom. In
what reipect would ak, does he ftuaton Of
thoie who have been imprefTed from ON board
their own vehe's, and who are forcii,Iy det,io-.
cd on board Britifh fhips of war, diTt from that
OF the Algerine and Tripolitan p,ifnners. So
fsr az refpees the government, the Infringe