The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-07

i
larity to our countenances, which neither the
trophies of guilty cpnqnerors, nor the magnifi.
cence of mighty monarchs, can ever betow
Much would II joy me, upon occafion OF this
holy feitival, To approach my fellow-citiZcns
with the uiual congratulations, and greet then,
with the accuRoued faluta,ions, upon the &C.
compliment of another year, of peace, liner
ty, and haPpinefs. But our ancient foe with
whom we wreitled IN our youth will no lon
ger permit us to enjoy the befIings of peace.
No declaration of war has been proclaimed,
hut the act of war has been committed, by the
| foul, coward-like, cold-blooded murder, of
our unprepared, aud defencelefs fellow-ctizens.
will not fay that our countrymen have been
kiiled-becauict that exprefIion may imply death
| by accident, or in fome manner that may be
ljutfed or executed but l ufe the word muir
der, in its feloneous and in its bafeit fenfr for
there has not been the faintet glimmering of
provocation on our part, nor the fmallef exer-
ton OF manly valour on theirs, TO illurnine the
| dark airocity which enf!.rouds this gloomy
( event. No, there is not, my fellow cfizens,
one fo!itary circumitance, in all this ,tragical
trantacton, to do away the guilt, or extenuate
inthe flgh,et degree, the enormity OF this me-
ditsted murder.
The free and high minded citizens of this
great and elevated weferR commonwealth,
have been treated like the flaves of defpotifrn
They have been forced into an involuntary fer
vitude, on board thofe prifous, called Britiih
men of war: They have been compelled, un-
der the lah, to tiR their lives, in defence of a
cauie, not merely indifferent, and foreign to
| theirs and their country's intereft, but often
hottie to both AS An aggravafion, (if any ag.
gravation can be added TO the lof5 of liberty, }
they have fpoited with their lives, and in fever
| al infances, particularly the dsteRabie occur
renee, which it is one Object of this meeting to
deplore and execrate, they have actually MUIR
dered them !: Yes J.! the {" fcnfble warm mott
on" of our brave and generous tars, is con-
yerted INTO a "kneaded clod ~ and the re.
morteleis grave has received their lifelefs trunks,
or their iwoln CORES are buried deep in the ca
verns ofrhe ocean, or they have become food
f Sharks and Dolphins. Mourn, mourn, my
ccuntr!mcn, for your honor is infnlted, your
| independence rs mockery, and your liberty it
feif is but the titterng jrR of tyrant's llve.
But let our mourning he faort let indignation
fucceed it; let the lightning of liberty from
the welt, blaf, diihpate, and fcatter into thin
air." the heavy cloud of guilt and oppreifion
that lowers in the eaft.
Nothing can exhibittc us in ftroneer point of
view, the national infut we have received, than
the melancholy contraft betweenthe appearance
which the Chefapeakc may be fuppo(ed to have
worn, at her departure from Norfolk, and her
return to that place. The frigate was bull, at
| thatport, and from this circumltance alone may
| be prefumed to have been favorite there. Re-
| hold then the citizens aifemble to witne(s her
| departure, and follow her with orifons for A
| prosperous voyage the CHEEKY faiiors to the
! found of a muGc Of their own, raife the cum
brous anchor flouts anfvver fhouts from the
beach TO the friga'e now the fragrant gales of
our groves bofom her white canvais now the
broad flag, emblem of our independence, gem
ned and emboiIed with the initiative Ears of
heaven, waves in the tanning breeze the b; gh
long ftreamer, curls to the chartered liber
tine" the wind the proud veGel divides the
toaming pillows, and the fai!or bids adi.~ TO
| the happy fhores which icem to recede from
him: Thus botae in majefy along, f,iled a
representative of the American honor, freighted
with the dignity of the repubIic--unlucky car
go, lip-wrecked in fight of land freight, car
go, all, but the dihonored and violated vefel,
r.Hed by the ruffian hands of Briti[h pirates
Lo fee her return! flow, fad, and wearifome
The comes /; the ocean, mirror, reflects her
dlihonoured hulk, back upon her perforated
Tides (; fhattered, difnated, ihorn Of Ter nation
Al emhlems and honors, ihe Gnks isnominioully
upon the mud Of unwi,olrfome wharyes her
deck fill reeking with the blood, and deformed
with the manglcd carcafes of our ll.ughtered
countrymen Americans that blood calls for
vengeance upon It's authors, and thofe authors
are the wicked and Infamous men who now
rule Britain.
During the administration of that great po-
litical Iumioary, Mr.. Fox, there was an ap-
Proach towards amty, and even cordially, be-
tween the government of the u. S. and that of
G. 3. But the fpirit OF Fox has fed, and with
1t has departed, perhaps forever. the good ge-
MUS of the Englifh nation. The admini(trati-
on which has fuccceded Fox, is the mott COR
rupt and treacherous upon earth and howe
yer, as peaceful and humane nation, we may
regret the evils which our neafnres may inllil =,
on the innocent people of Britain, yet in prac-
tice we cannot feparate the government from
the people, nor coRine the dreadful retaliation
which we mediate, and ought to beaow, TO
thofe only, who have been guilty of the ag-
greliion6 on us. With one hand and with one
heart then, let us unite 10 take an exemplary
vengeance on that government, and that peo-
! pie, which, for 70 many years, have annoyed
and infulted Us.
| This day ihould revive in us the feelings of
| '7G, and animate us to rally around the ftaHd-
ard of that independence which was then de
c'ared. The great tate paper which records
that event, has been continued and laRing
glory TO Americ ans--let ~ not lofe the high be.
NETS, which the wifdom and vslor -four fatht rs
achevcd--lct not the pure fentrhents contained
III that immortal inarnment, be ever iued BY
our diiclittion froni It's principles-Iet not that
which is now our pride, be turned TO our
| frame it remains for us 10 fhew that we are
! the legitimate offspring of thofe fires whole