The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-02-28

) mare, that many of our complaints againft the
1 Britiih government were OF long continuance
! that they had been the fubjeet of pointed and
! repeated rernonitrances, aud in a particular
) manner the impeachment of our feamen: that
on former occafion they had committed van
! ipoliations on our commerce, not under the
ianetIon OF the laws Of nations, as their fnbfe.
qnent tranfaetions with our government have
acknowledged; but under the authority of the
particular orders of their government, thereby
| iunJectng the property of our merchants upon
me nigh feas, not only to the restrictions and
iorfeItures incurred by the law of nations, but
aiio exPohng 1t to all the vexations and forfeit
lures growing out of the caprice of Brit!h or
ders OF capture. The late eacroachments on
our rights rs neutral nation, and which are
now the fuhjeet of confederation, are of a nature
iimilar to thofe we have before experienced, &
proceed from the asne Understandable caule !;
ana further, are continued in full force aud O.
peratton at the very moment our government
rs prei1ing upon their confederation, the njuf.
tlce of their proceedings, by argument, too
trong and convincing to admit of doubt. And
how are they anfwered? BY, procraffination,
ana hlnts, that the ncceflity Of the cafe is fuf-
hcienf Jnttihc alton. The Executive, indignant
at this evaon, and defpairing of redrcfs by any
iurther appeal to their juftiee and magnanmity,
mas turned to the national legi(lsture, and inr
formed them that, what remained to he done on
this intereiting tubieet mutt ref ON the wifdom
ana hrmnets OF Congrefs. We have already
unaaInoully retolved, that the conduct of the
britiih government is an unprovoked aggref-
hon on our neutral rights" What, then, he
aiked, would be the meaf,lres looked for from
TINS body, as proper to repel this outrage |!
Loud any one expef that the frft thing fug-
geted to their mind would be, that the Execu-
i've mould again Immediately renew the nego-
Hos ha -
ds'palrs OF obtaining redrefs by limpe appeal
to their juitice and magnanimty Or is this
re'oution to be underftood as fpeaking to the
Executive language like this ?--You have not
ao'y' Zealouily and per:eyeringly, exercifed the
powers veitcd IN you by the contribution, TO
or'ng about an adjuitment of the difficulties s.
MISUNDERSTANDING fulfilling between the two
governments; or you are not Efficiently inn
Preifed with the Importance of ffipula,ing an
decentralization for the lofies our merchants
have already fnfained. Or, that there is fome
avenues to fenfe of juitiee in this nation,
which you have not fufficieEtly attempted.
Surely language like This is difrefpectfuI. We
ought not to adopt a refoIution on fubecf, as
important as the preicnt, without being able to
ahgn iubttantial reaton. Are we fearful that
the Exec utlve, after we have afforded the Decef.
larry legislative impulfe to this negotiation, will
be Hack or unfkilful in the application of it :.
or do we, by thefe oficious infructions, with
10 derogate from his merit, by arrogating to
ourieives that applaufe to which, upon fuc-
ceisfui and satisfactory negotiation, he will be
]uHiy entitled? Mr. Smith hoped that no con-
haeration or this Tort would influence the Sc
nate. He believed there was difpoiition in
the Executive, when furniihed with the necer
iiary aid, to purfue negotiation 70 long as the
'eaH gleam OF hope of flcCefs remained. Be-
yond that, no one could ak him to perfevere.
nc orIeVed that each member of the Senate
entertained the fame opinion. Where, then.
ne aiked, rs the ufe of this requifition to the
Executive! Is it to be underfood, as has been
partially limited by one honorable men,ber,
tnat there is no legislative aids which the Eye
cu'iVe or TINS nation can wifeIy refort to on this
o1cdhon! Are we TO be told that Conerefs
nave 20 power to lay duties on exports, or in
mort that our powers are inefficient or that
we are too weak, or too dependent as n,,;nr
to contend for our rights We therefore re-,
commend it to the Executive CATER having Ge-
cured our merchants from patt depredatjons) to
enter INTO iuch arrangements and POPULATIONS
upon poiDts III controversy, by mutual facri6
ces; iuch AS hall be likely to meet add pro-
mote the views of both parties, and thus re-
commend Jutice to be Eacriiced to peace
for' he afked, what encroachmer,t upon the
r'shts or mat nation, or depredations upon the
p'"Ps't5 Va Hs iuojcets have we To give no, for
tue pulchefe of this our indubitabIe RIGHT 40 ,
neutral nation, which they have 70 flaerantlv g.
frequently violated. He hoped there was no
diipolition in the Senate to commute anv of
our rights as a nation, by facri6ces TO anv off
the coniIderations before mentioned, and in a
particular manner, by any Abandonment of
principles And yet it appeared to him, if
there IS any .pertinency in the refolution this
nun he the Interpretation. He obferved il was
extremely nnwiie to fpeak this language, both
as VI related to our own government, and that
WIN which we have to contend. The LITTER
VIII edhly read in this refolution, the courfe
which the Senate win, to purfue and efforts
VIII be made accordingly. Should it not be in
union with the views of the Executive of our
own government, it will weaken infead of
strengthening his exertions for the public good.
we have already experienced the evils rcfuttine
rom too great an anxiety to enter into COM
mereial regulations with that nation. A form
err treaty fipnated an Indemnify to our mer.
chants for iimlar depredaiions that indemni-
" mas ultimately devolved on our own govern.
ment. We purChafed the miferable cotprnerc;-
al privileges OF that treaty (if contained anvil
AZ the expence of our neutrality; and by doing
violence to the obligations impofed upon us by
that neutrality, drew down upon onrfelyes the
recruitment of powerful nation, which inVoly