The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-04-24

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perth rather than be conquered and fubjuga;ed.
z. c. GENET.
Here follows the Affidavit IF Nicioi,5 Sfar!s.
WHICH we ii'ail omit, as it merely relates 10
Tome local affair ct no very great Importance.
M. Genet omts fo,ne of the Rrongcft reafons
tor believing, that France has no delign of in.
yadng the u. swim E1e turn towards the
Welt, when the EAT, particularly Turkey and
Egypt, preients her with 70 many richer harveits
OF her favourite objects: Ships, Colonies, and
Commerce Pm. Genet afigns IS one of his
reaions, "the immenfe expence" of "cruihins
down" our government He neglected to
add, that France would not only have to incur
fhi. expence in fubduiug us, but in returning us
in iubjeetien. A nation like our own, that has
tafted OF the fweets of an independent govern
ment, would be continually ready to rife againit
their invaders.--Even if G. Britain bad fucceed-
ed in fubduing us, could nhe have hat;ered her
teit with having made complete conquef
Far from it: the American fpirit would never
have been perfectly fnbdued. The people
would have been eternally in fate of iniubor-
d'uation and infurredion; until G. B. would
have found it much more expenfive and rkfome
to retain us in fubjettion, than to acknowledge
our independence.
Thofc Americans who fear the power Of
France, proceed upon the mereR hypothefes.
They preiuppofe fate of things which fhall
make France ahfoute lord over Europe; when
hereRemies and rivals are 70 completed. fubdu-
ed, as that their forces hnely or collectively
could not threaten her with any ferrous danger !;
when the German confederacy ihall be eRablilh.
ed, beyond the pofiibity of being ffaken; when
Auftria and Prufiia, whole ancient jeaInufy has
vaniihed under the fenfe of common danger,
IS no longer ina htuation to combine their eff
ferts when Rufiia ihall be confined beyond
the banks of the Dwina and when the ggan-
tic navy OF England ihall have perifhed, or fall
len into the grafp of Napoleon.-But they e.
ven extend this hypothesis farther. They
pre-iuppofe that almot every obiet9 of Bona
parties ambition ia exhaufed in Europe that
this quarter no longer prefents him with the
materials OF which to build his Hips, with CO.
lonles to conquer, or new branches of com.
mercc to open for his fubjeets; that in facf,
Turkey and Egypt, the flores of the Mediter-
rancan aud the Black Seas, are placed under his
fccptre, and that he NUT turn towards the
new world Tor new objects to crafty his amb.
top.-But before thefe incidents can be accom-.
plflied, how many battles mutt be fought !:
how many political revolutions mutt be form
cd how many months and years mutt roll a.
way?
OF the pre!ent government and rulers Of
France we do not entertain, it is true, the IN of
favourable opinion. We contider the prefent
Emperor as no more than great military
chlefta,n, the great error of whofe education
coniiits in his having been bred to the camp ::
and who deems it to be his interet, to preierve
as he has acquired, his power by military force
His iword is his fcepire. The cannon is his
Ultima ratio. His fyaem is calculated to con-
veft Earope into one tanding camp and to
dilute the principles of war among every pow
err with whom his infereRs may bring him into
contact. But Whit we entert ain thefe opinions.
,,fpo "a
to his cabinet. His ambition is generally fub-
iervlent to his (i.bpejsG interefts and it is for
TINS reaion that have little caufe to fear the
aliaults OF his power. If Bonaparte's interef
lays any where, it is either on or on the other
kde of the Atlantic.
Let Us therefore but purdue calm. paci6c,
and dignihed policy towards the French CO.
vernIDcnt. Let us but fuffer ourfelves to be
guided by that fpirit of experience, reafop,
good fenfe and patriotiim, which has occaiiion-
ed the downfall of the federalifts."
In fact; with this fpirit, there is but one pof-
hbie circumtance, within the fcope of our re-
collection, which can bring us into collifon
with France. Spain is her ally and with
SPAN aoe have perhaps, ferrous caufes of diff
'uEbance. Bonaparte may, therefore, conceive
himielf bound, or he may be prompted by in.
clination, to aft Spain in any war, that fhc
may attempt to periuade him is not of her own
feekng.
When the Miranda expedition was reported
TO the court of Madrid, what was the conduct
which fhe purified? She attempted to repre-
tent it in the light of a very ferrous complaint.
She boldly niinuated, that Miranda was coun-
tenanced and aided. by our government and
HE demanded OF ;he French Cabinet, whether
he was patiently to fubmt to fuch a cIandef-
tine attack upon her colonies. And how did
the French Cabinet treat thefe complaints !?
Their reply was as pacific and diiIualive, az
the conduct of Spain was outrageous and hof
tile. " 1t is rue, faid M. Talleyrand 10 thu.
Spaniih miniiter, or in words to that effect" il
is true, that the government of the u. s. ha.
been rather tardy in proiecuting thofe of its
own citizens, who were charged with being
concerned with Miranda: But thefe profscu,
tions have been inftituted at laft and from, the
zeal, which the American government difpIays
IN bringing them to Juice, it is impoflibe to
iuppoie that VI could have been the accomp,ice
OF Mranda.--However, continued Nj. TAI.
leyrand, or in words TO the fame effect :" il i.
tar better for your court to be making prepa.
ra'ionS 10 defend its colonies agsinft the inya-
eers, than 10 be making new enemies"
!; is in this furrepttious, indirect wav, that
it is mott likely we ihal be joftled into a war
WITH Spain, 10 long as France is oppofed 20 it
Spain has not yet forgotten nor forgiven us for
depriving her of Louisans, though it was feem-
ingly with her own content. Another fourcc
ct her refentment towards rs, is the extraya-