The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-01
FkomAs RiTcHin, Secretary.
TO TIE PrsGdenf Of the United STATES.


WE. the Citizens of Richmond, Mane6eRer,
and their vieinisirs, and many Other pvrfons
from diitant places, who have attended to take
under confederation the late hottie attack upon
the Frigate. Cheiape,ke, by a Britifh Ship of
war, and the murder of 4 number of American
Seamen IN time OF peace. are iTnpelled bv the
itroneet motives, to exprefs thofe lentiments
OF md enation which tho occafion NUT natur,i-
~ inipire: When we reflect upon the uniform
courfe OF pacific conduct which has been oh
ierved by the government of the United States.
towards all foreign nations when we recol,cA,
ON the other hand, the inuumerable iDfuits and
agere'nons which Great Britain bas isf 1.e on
our juit and lawful commerce: we can onlv
diEcOver in this recent act of violence, the con-
iummation Of lyftem which has for it's obiete
the p'oftration of neutral rights, at the {, ct OF
naughty and ambitious power. The door of
negotiation is finally clofrd the fra blow cf
war has been aruck; and the people of Amer,
Ca are called upon TO dc eide. whether they viii
rally aroundthe ffapdard Of the conditu,ion. az.
reign at once that glorious indenendepre which
waspurchafrd by the valor of their fathers, arr
cemented with their blood. Alta period Of
'uch magnitude as the prefent, it is peculiarly
neceiiary that the People Of -4,neriea flould
ouPlay to the world the devotion " ich fhsy
feel to the free, mild and benfcent government
under which they live, ard their invincihIe de-
termination to re6h to the utmnl extremity.
every outrage on their rights from whatever
quarter it Tay proceed. The perfons who
now addrefs you. fpeak not only for themieivee.
but tor their country; they feel that they deli
yer the fcntiments of the nation; and thew are
confident that they will find carrrfpontinv
emotion in the bofom of the Chief Magifrats
of the Union.
When an aet of .unequivooal boniiity has
been perpetrated; when our armed vefI, Is arr
nor permitted to leave our own ports with i'm
punty; when Britiil commander gives the
ilgnal from our very harbors, for the capture OF
our Ships; It becomes queftion not of reaG,U.
ont OF feeling. Whatever may be the grounds
of the conteft in which we are engaged, we are
compelled to ciofe in that appeal to ar,re,
winch has been made by our adverfary. 1t Is
inpohhbie to Purfue temporiiing conduit,
without engraving an indeliable fain on orr
national character. The reputation of on
country is at fake; and it NUT now he decit-
ed whethrr we fhal affumc the digniied atti-
tude OF an Independent fate, or meanly crouch
under the. lafh of an infoIent foe.
No nation upon earth has 60 many cogens
TeaioFs tor maintaining friendly intercour.e
win the reft of the world, as the United States.
tsr removed from that bloody fcene of anbi-
ton, which Europe has exhibited for centuries.
sardlets of that illnfve glory which is only TO
be obtained at the expence of Happiness any.
ous only for that fold renown, which fprinos
rom an undertaking courfe of ilitice md yir-
tue; too fnple for the inGaious arts of courtIv
intrigue, and too refined for the exertion OF
awleis power; they might have fattered
themfelves with the hope, that they ilosld ef
cape the ravages of tbofe conflicts winch have
neiola'ed the old continent. America Las eve
~ thing TO hope from peace. and every hing to
ieprecate from war. But her growing COM
nerce and rliire profperity, cheri!i,ed by the
genial warmth of freedom, were obisHs too
tempting to the rapacious eve of power who
'rrogateS to herfelf the executive dominion OF
he feas. From the moment vixen our nde
psndence was eltabliihed, Great Britain regard
rd with malignant jeaouiy, the progrefs of a
nation whom The had once held in bondage.
from that mom,nt until the prefent, file has
"aged an open or concealed war againft our
ndliputable rights: It would be fuperhuoua
to dwell on the various crimes which tle has
committed againlt the law of nations; but il
may not be improper to enunerate, few more
prominent than the ref, which marks the fpt-
rt wh'ch mas pervaded her whole conduit.
She has occupied potts within our TERRITORY
which ought 10 have been fDrrendered by trea-
fy; fhe has enlarged the law of contrahand,
beyond the mott liberal contribution of the Jaw
of nations: ihe has feized our vefIela ladenwitlt
provihons; ihe has invented Il new ffaem of
blockade, which extends not merely to Jingle
ports actually Unveiled, but TO whole countries
with whom ihe might be at war; fhe has mo-
dihed, reltrained and enlarged the rights Of
neutrals, according to her interea or caprice,
while her courts of admiralty have carried
her ediets into rigid execution fhe 1;, denied
10 neutral nations the incon;thibIe rIsh; to re-
export to belliEerent power the comnlodiiit.
which they ha g, fairly purchaled FROM colony
OF the lame poTer-and flie has blockaded ot;r
ports aud impreAed feamen from our vent;s
within our lawful iurildiGtion. But, atrocious
as t'ieie acts may feem, they are lniienifcant
whes compared with the fragrant outrage late
~ committed on the Frigate Chefapeake TIE
mott humble iycophant of Great. Britain has
never yet aherted her right to fearch a ibip of
war belonging to neutral nation. a vefel of
thi' deicriptiou is az facrcd as The territory it.
ieIf--its flag is paGport throughout the world
and an lBlut offered TO it is A direct attack
upon the fovereignty Of the State 20 which il
belongs. 4 conduct like this can neither Re
defended nor palliated-and it is pecelfary to
meet the approaching confi,a with the deciGoa
becoming freemen.
While we are feplibie Of the evils which NUT
reinlt from war, we are prepared to encounter
them, IN defence If our deareG rights. We
are confident that but one fsntimcat perya1cs
the American peopie-snd that, however they
may be divided as to points Of domeilc policy,
they are actuated by one foal in repeing tie
aggreions Of 4 foreign power. II remains fer
The widom Of the coBhtuted authorities, 10