The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-17
CITE GaQulrer.
RICHMOND, l7t6 yANGAK1-.
No. l.
TO tie Editor oftbe Enqnirer,

SiR,
The Leri(la'ure of Virginia being about 70
clo!e its FELTON,, the proper time has we'd 10
comment, on iu,h Of ~ con,ilits. as invites The
particular attention Of the public. The fub.
ie6ts of nate policy, which have been aeita;etl
in il, ale numerous aud important but the
opinions, and Continents on Latiopal fuhie6 $.
exPretIed by that body defervrdiy command
our nloA [erious contemplation.
IN no other Gate in the union, has the lcsif.
lltuTe dfp.aysd in It's debates, M evidence oi
the eXieence of any germ, of the party which
has been emphaticaly called the republican
fcbiEU. But fear that tine hin orv of this friIi
on has but too clearly evinccd. that in Virginia
the views aud meafures OF that purity ftili have
their advocates. IN the early part of the felton,
refoutions introduced into the hosfc ct
delegates, drew forth the ftrensth OF the exit
ing parties. The latent energies of the minori.
ny, were obvious in q, bate. The difcul1ions in
both houtes were intereflnE, but in the houfe
of delegates no direct attempt was made TO de.
tend The meafures which had been advocated
in Corgrcfs by the minority. Il is fnppofed
tt.at diplay of difpohtion to DO e., in the
i2eeches on the Grt refoutioE (Which from a
ipirit OF Cancellation, waich attuated the fsIec
committee, to whom was referred Doctor
Blake's rcfolution, was exprellive only of an AZ.
probation of the PreGdeni) produced the fe-
rcond, which imported an appreciation of the
'meafures purified towards foreign nations
The friends to the administration deemed il a
, duty, after doubts were exprellcd. no longer to
Icayc il in the power OF its enemies, to infer a
change of opinion in the people of Virginia,
when it was well known, that flch change had
mot taken place.
The fecond rrfo!ution was purpofrIy calcu-
lated, by aiiimllating lis terms and language to
that of the ltit irliion, to afcertain the fact,
w et her he bro, oh e 81, r
Culture, 70 LATELY enanatirg from tie peobie''
brought with them fentmrnys, different from
thole which eXiited anlecedcnt to the rcpu BIZ
can fihifm.
The immediate voice Of the people founded
in their ears, and they oheyed it.
This reiolution was carried to the Senate,
where it met with an able fupport from the
fpeaker Of that houle, and feveral other repub.
Ican members. II was oppofed with great a.
biliiy by Mr.. Daniel, who not only commended
agaipf the expediency Of the reCoIntion, hut
defended the meafmes of the minority in Con-
ereis. His fpeech which WAS publinied in the
Enquirer of the 18th i'm. demands the attention
of the people of Virginia, ana perhaps of a.
merica. II has been 70 far left TO operate the
cfteet, it is 10 eminentIy calculated TO make on
the public mind. The author Of the.e remarks
will principally conhne his obfsrva,iors to prn.
cipleS and opi.rions detailed in the fpeech of
this honorable member of the frnate, and he
exprefics the undiiguied feelings of his heart
when he regrets that all abler pen has not been
employed in this neceiIary talk. He il i'm
prefIed with an opinion, however. that he
fpeaks although in honely terms the fen,inents
of Virginia. and therefore, does not apologize
for uGng the lgDature he has fcleGied.
The right and duty Of the late goSernments
TO exprefs their opinions on fubje6ls of national
concern, is derived from the conftiluent powcr
of the Rates in the organic ition Of the federal
government and from ihe continued depend
encc it has on the Rates, for the renovation of
its vital principle. Such an exprefon of OPT
MON becomes proper, when it refpc6s fuhietls
,ot general and great importance. II becomes
particularly duty, when the meafures purfl-
I'd by the general government, are deemed dan.
gerous to the welfare of the commu ity; or
when that government, in purfuit of n courfe,
which commands the appreciation Of the couu-
try, is allaled from within with msnfreproach
and iuhj 6tet from abroad to- unptOvOked at
itacte. The refolutions ofthe Virginia aTemby
made fut c, ilively in The year 1903, 80 & 500,
were of the fin Of thofr def iiptious. T'hofc
of1so5 and The protest f I'll On, are of the other.
or hIs latter defcrip,iou too are the refolu-
lions and addrefes of ltveral other fiAtes, in
the late and preicnt f'fiirns of their Legll-
tnres. which haye in the Gfrongeft terms, ex-
plttCu UtH CoUiNSOCt ILL., ana 0cteTmnattOn
toiupport the meafures Of the prefent adminif-
traiou. In Virginia only, has a contrary DIFF
petition been dilcoycred, and Imported by a
minority whof, opinions are now to be cxamin-
cd:
The circumstances with rcfpett to foreign re-
1ations under which the Legislature Of Vir-
gina Vt the Ian year adopted a refolution, in
apytJbstiou of The conduct Of the general 90
vern0ent, were iruilar TO thofc which are now
ptsfcnfrd. With England and with Spain ne
goipiion has been pTotraeted The mon
earnet endcayours for peaceable adiuGment
have been nfsi The events are aiil uncer-
tain particularly as 10 Spain, and if laa year the
voice of Virginia, was neoelfary TO proclaim
to foreign nations, the union Of lentimeut which
pervades this country, and our high confidence
~, and DETERMINATION to fupport the meafures
Of tie Administration OF The u. St-tes, that ne.
cegiiy has not ceaied to exit : Has any one
deGied that thoie were the Objects of the re.
ioIu'ious ut The Lft year adopted by the Anem-
Oily Of Vhg;nia.' Or can it lie denied, that