The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-02-17

A
innocence. An armed troop of :. tatterret
Prodigals" worfhipping and obeyins liyeriec
Pw'cbineiis, and banquettin9 in murder with
confidence calincd and iwevtened with belle
that they att according TO the fiat ola hyperion
which it would be Puniihable 10 doubt and mn
tiny to ditobey. Are we not naturally tranc
ported from the peace and fecurity Of our coun
try, into the field of favage war and " embat
tied plain where death exults and claps his "a.
ven WINGS"
In vain may we boat of the bleiIings ola fire..
government, the peaceful fecurty of our citi.
zens, if the arti6cers of death are to be quar-
tered upon US under the appellaton of guard
which Ike the fable of the Syrens allure unto
deftruttion. How much is it to be regretted
that the lat Legislature did not aboliih this u-
dIcrous parade of mockery, or if there ia ne
ceiiity for military defence, that they did not
organize fome efabliihment LET'S harmless in it,
felf and more adequate for the purpofs of de-
fence.
Is there any citizen who can fay that he has
felt more fecure in confequence OF this guard,
but on the coatrary, ought we not. Ito believe
from the pitfulnefs of their office, that they
would fooner league with iniutrettion than OPP
pole 1t. The very people againit whom this
fcheme was designed to act, laugh at the guard
AS an object of rdcu;r, 6 boiR of being able to
bribe them with the leaf confederation. Thus
inftead of fafety it is more likely to rocoil with
increafed ftrength upon its maker, inftead of IN
timidating and cha6ng the thought from
their minds, II acts more as memesfo and
Fimxfnf. For believe there is no principle
I'm metaphysics more correSt than that the hu-
man mind becomes more fretlu with anxiety,
and more aitute in ingenuity, in proportion as
1t IS reminded of the object it deiires. What
then, mutt be the feelings of thefe people as
they pats this defencelefs band of "reyoiled
taPfters and begsared idiers," i" the cankers of
a calm world and long peace" Is it not ma
turally calculated to route thoughts and fenfa-
tons, which otherwife would fleep in quiet and
forgetfuneis. 1t difplAys to the victim the in
nrument of oppreiiion, whit he laughs in bis
Nee1'e at being able to bend it to his own uie.
Such is the invincible phalanx that guards with
doubtlels fecurity, the metropolis of Virginia
the repoiitory of our fJcns our arfenal and arca
ma. This can alone be the fource from whence
this air drawn dagger" is to be apprehendrd
from unlettered men, who are trammelled i'll
ilavery, promifcuouny fcattered through the
country, aud deftitute of all efficient means OF
pcrnicious operation.
Is there any thinking mind under circuinitan-
ces like thefe, if any hottie defgn was me-
ditated, but knows that the necefary lowth
attending it would afford timely notice for de-
feat. The only ground upon which thia garri-
ION OF troops can be Imported, muA be be-
lief that they are capable of conducting their
powers with fccrecy and difpatch; if 70, why
do we merely prepare to tickle with a fta.
Their, when We might knock down with
club why do they lead us to fear danger with
out different Proviion than this handful
of blue coated buffoohs. If there ought to be
a garrlfon of troops let it be eftablilhed upon
a Respectable footing, that Respectable men
might engage, and let it be commanded by a |
native citizen, who although he may not boat
of knowledge in the " deep column and length |
ened line," yet might ponefs frmneis and pa. !
triotiim enough to protect ourfelves and oppofe |
our enemies.
limo change is to be made, let thefe men in |
the name of Heaven return to their peaceful ha
bitations and follow their ordinary purluits i
let them aliift commerce and agriculture by
directing theirhand to the plough and the oar.
This fubjeG has been more amply and i'm
preffiyely imprinted upon the public mind in |
a preceding paper, but it is one that fhould |
be rung in their ears until the crying death
of citizen is atoned and the dire diieafe re- |
moved. If we pats fuch awefu and affecting
incidents AZ thefe without murmur, we may
prepare to make our eyes familiar with car. |
mage, and to liiten, without feeling, to the fate
of our citizens torn immature from the meri- !
dian joys of life.