The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-19
ate Gnou.rer.
RICHM " D, 1879 MIR.

ne Coutie OF the war IN Europe is Hill wrapt
in obfcurty. The Rutiian and tie French ac-
counts arc 10 perfectly contradictory, that il
is impcfiibc from them to extract the truth.
But nothing has oco nrred to change the OPT
MON, which we lately exprefied. 1t Till ap-
pears extremely probable, that the RuHisns
have made much greater reGftaoce, than their
enemies had expected that Bonapsrte, though
victorious, has not obtained that oyerwic,n-
ing fuccefs which has generally accompanied
his arms & that it is this kind of companion,
which has produced 70 much of the trium ph,
affected b. the Rn!iians.
The ACTIVITY which they have evinced is little
calculated to flake thefe conclufons. Thefe
are not the exertions Of a victorious euemy,
pnGiing on in the career OF conqueG, but the
reiuit OF regular lgjfrm, dictated By parti-
cu!ar circumstances. 1t was to have been ex-
peetcd, that the Ruiians, better Injured to the
Climate, better acquainted with the country,
and perhaps better fuppiied with provifone,
would pront By the tererities OF the winter !;
that they would preic upon Bonapartc's can
comments; and attempt to throw their army
between him and the Baltic, for the two-fold
purpo(c Of covering Dantzic ard I>onius fberp {;
and cutting him off from his frpp'ies by the
way CT Elbing and other Baltic po.ts. the
operations OF the Rufiian: lcern completely to
coincide with theic articpat!ons.
BcnaParte'e plans were completely oppoeitc.
Every circuE'farcc iecmed 10 recommend IN
interrli.fion of his cxcrtIon,. lis folders
wanted reaofe, after the abours of a campaign,
which though not long, had been excel1ively
fatiguiHg and fvere. The country through
which he would have pa;ied * aimoft in, p,ifa-
bic, in the depths Of winter. Proviscns were
mort; aud that part of the country NUT have
been almoa exhaaited by the march of the Ruff
iians. 1t was necehary to wait for the Con-
fcrip;ion OF 1907, as he had an enemy to en-
counter, whole principal vigour would lay l..
its Numbers.
Thsfe ideas completely concur with the Par
lad down IN Paris print o.. March the 18th, of
Bonapsrte's campaign. This plan atferts; that
when Bonaparie arrived on the banks of the
ViRu!a, I" the inclensGcy of the f.zfon, the DIFF.
ficu!ty of the marches, the fca.cisy Of fubGa-
ance. and the advantage CT the petitions, pre-
fcribed iufpenGon CT his operations ;" and
,hat ;hc French army "isemcG 10 have no more
20 do, than to coniumr1atc the con1ueft of
Siieta and Prnfiian Poland, to clear the left
bank OF the VifaIa and eP ibili fortified pots
upon the right, 10 be abie 10 anime .be efenE4e
a5 {son as Convenient : that it was well defend
ed frontier, W hichiPrufiia had uniformly wiG,ed
To eltabIifh between herief and Ruliia, l!nce the
diimemberment OF Poland that ihe had it in
expecsti TO efahl, this frontier by drawing
detenfve line from Warfsw 20 Konnine fberg
which plan, it was ..ngu,ar TO reject, had
been partly REALIZED by the operations of the
Grand-Army {: that Bonaparte however, upon
arriving on the Yfula, had fought for nothing
but TO e(tabIiIh himfrf there that the Ruhian
General feeling the Importance of the posi;;-
od, had attempted to diNodg,e him; but the BAT.
ties of fultufS, ard G. oyInin hal, defeated their
intentions and that their cucccniye attacks
had in fact compelled the Emperor to beat
the enemy and 20 carry his couquefts so leagues
farther than his majsny had thought of advauc-
ing before The fprng."
Should the French army be even then re-
treating,-of which there ia certainly no rstis-
factory proof--it would fimply GemonRrate,
;hat Donaparte juft returning to the point
Ctbe, banks of the Vifula) which be fra in
tended to fortify.
If there be any man, whole bofom burns not
with Indignation on the psruislof captain Loves
infdItiDg letter,-that man does not poaefs the
true American ipirit. He is unworthy of the
same of an American freeman. Let no fuch
man be trulted For let the times of public
danger approah; let foreign invader land
upon our fEores, or domeitc ufurper appear
to blight our liberties, that man will be found
under TIE banners Of our enemy.
1t is almoft ridiculous to reafon upon fuch
fuhjeet as this is.-1ct let us for one moment
reprefs our indignation, to examine this abfurd
production.
This chivalrous Captain, has even Gooped to
direct fafehood. According to his own ac-
count, Britilh fubied knows too well how to
refpeet the laws of his own country, "to offer,
Intentionally, an outrage on thoie of
others, when once they are knozUn TO be 70. 4"
The ininuation here intended to be convey.
ed undoubtedly is, that he kas7y nothing of the
PrehdenPs proclamation, which interdi(ted the
Driver from coming into our ports. But is
there q man who will believe him Is it Gre
dible that there is any officer on board the Dri
yer, who has not actually feen it! Even he
himlelf Confefes that he was acquainted with
capt. Wh'tby's cafe and with this very pro-
How then can he intimate an igno-
rance OF our laws; or of the PreGdent's pro-
cIama,ion? And how then could he be igno-
rant, that this proclamation, nterdieted not on.
" the Camhrisu, but the Driver; and not only
her captain at that time, but the Driver herr
feIf, at any time. by whomfoeysr commanded
According TO his oqVH representation, there
fore, this " dutiful and loyal fubjee" has not
only Intentionally Affected an execute, which he
knew to be falie but has " Intentionally Of.
iefed An outrage on the laws" Of our country.
There feems to I've one exception indeed to
this gentleman's do6iiine Of obedience. lie will