The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-06

mNchiet! who is there that can lay, 10 far the
horror of fuch an event fhall extend and no far
ther? Invidious d'ltinetions between different
parts of the fate are highly improper, and are
calculated to ALLEVIATE each portion from the o.
Their, and to excite fpirit of difcord amoogf
men, who fhould be brothers. IF any part of
the ftate is threatened by inva6on or infurrc9i-
on, It is the duty of every good citizen to Fly
to the ftandard of his country; to repel fuch
invafion. to fupprefs fuch infurreeion.
1t has been contcnded, that the public guard
is not efficient for purpofes of defence. II was
certainly deemed 70 when it was eftabliIbed
and experience has not contradicfed the opinion
then entertained. One company of men COM
ple.ely armed, equipped and difciplinrd, will
in cafe OF attack, form an important rallyiug
point, and will enable more numerous forces to
be collected, before any mitchell car be perpe-
trated. The perions, againf whom this guard
is intended as protection, have conlidered it
as an object of terror; and its abolition will but
too certainly revive fpirit which, though fmo.
thered, has not been extinguihed.
1t has been urged that the danger to which
the property of the Rate is expofed, is exsgge-
rated; and to remove the objeetionfounded on
what would be the expoied fate of the public
arms, It is propofed either to dspofit them at
the armoury or diftribu:e them amongit the mi
htia. The armoury is not calculated as place
OF late depoiit. II is by no means as capable Of
being defended as the capitol, and as the fami-
hes OF the worktnen reiide there it is much
more expofcd to fire either by accident or de-
tgn.-To the plan for diRribution of the
arms, itrong ohio 6tions will prefent themfclves.
| II has heretofore been copfidered extremely i'm.
portant to keep certain proportion of the
arms IN an arienal or magazine, that they may
be retcrted to in cafe of emergency. This is
certainly an obvious and wife policy. The
guns already attributed are fca.tered over the
fate aud in cafe of inva6on or inrurrection it
would DE difficult if not impofTibIc to collect
them 10 given point. 1t is alto faid TO be
fact, that of the guns already in the hands oftbe
militia, coniiderablep roportion are loft or I'M
lit for feryice. Such would be the fate of the
relidue, and in fhort time thefe arms, many
OF which are OF hyperion quality, would be ru-
ined 1T ought TO be recolletfed that this is
the only depot of arms in Virginia, and fhould
the!e be ddperfed over the fate, it would be
taking out of the hands of the government,
what would in any fudden emergency be efIen-
tial for purpofes of defence. To cbyiste the
argument drawn from the expofed fate of the
public treafure, it is commended, that we have
only nominal treafury the public money
/ is placed in the bank. Does this make
any difference? IF the bank Ihouid be deftroy
ed by hottie attack or EVENLY FIRE, would not
thT public money be loft ? The ftockholders
under the act OF incorporation are only bound
| to pay up the amount of their fubfcriptions,
and would probably deny their liability to be
bound further. Could the Fate compel the
stockholders in their individual characters to
reitore money loft by the drftneiion of the
bank /! II is believed not. But whatever NAV
be the true contribution on this fnai.tf the Efste
lie an immenfc ftockholder in the bank, and any
c'rcumltance by which its funds final! be def
troyeti, or the inititntion injured, will material
w effect the commonwealth. Every arpu
| ment then 70 the that there il Iefs danger in
contequence of the public money being D! .ced
IN the bank, is failacious.
Suppoie, however, the money and the arms
iaie nave not the fate in this city buildings of
| great value Are not all the records here de-
poEted? Many of thofe records are highly im-
poriant to the public, and on others depend the
titles OF The people Oft this Rate to their property.
But there viii be no otjeSt in deftroyinc tbefc
records and they will not be molrfed, WHEN
an ignorant and inturatcd multitude pofTcfs the
| force, who can tell by what motives they will
be impeled, or what will Be iacrcd from their
ravages or their dcftTuttion The ufuaI cha
raeter OF tnch events is the indiicriminate def.
truttion of whatever contributes to domeltic
comfort or public convenience.
1t may be aledged that the cxpcnce of keep
ing up this public guard is too great, and that
economy directs its dritruetiop. IF the protec-
ton OF the property and the lives of the
people is the quetion, it is denied that
the exPencc ought to nave weight with
government, which exits only to promote
the genera! tecurity and infure the general hap
pineis. Would il be proper to eppofe to thefe
irreiiitable motives cold calculating policy ;
government which will not p<oted its citi-
zens from danger lofes its bcft attribute. But
If this queftion is to be tried, not by the great
principles which fhould regulate wife govern
| ment, but as 4 problem to- be folved only by
arithmetic the refult will be found equally IA
vorabe to the fide advocate. The annual ex-
pence ofthe public guard is $4,000 dollars.
The plan which is propofsd 10 be fubfttuted
will cot probably feveraI thoufand dollars, 70
that the difference between the fun now ex-
pended, and that which wil hereafter be ex
pended is the fun which it is contemplated to
lave. Let 1t be Gated there may be fayed be-
tween 12 and $4,000 dollars. In cafe of alarm
after the guard is abolithed, the executive will
be Obliged to embody the militia, and by re-
terence to the accounts of expenditure during
the aft niurrettioH, it will be found that CAL
ling out FINAL proportion of the militia will
be attended with heavy cxpence. Add to
this the dcitruetion that the public may fuitain
IN the various Objects of public property, which
will be expoied, and then this queHion will a.
Iiie whether 1t will be better to expend an an
nual fun OF twelve or even fifteen thoufand dol
lars or be expofed to frequent calls of the mill
tia which will probably colt great deal more
money and ajiO encounter dehructon of pub