The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-02-20

trine they will conceive themfelves iuf.
tilted in FIXING every neutral veiIel that is 6omd
to Britifli port
II the French Emyeror did de6gn to en-
brace fuch a wide latitude of reitrietion up
on neutral trade, it is certainly the mof IA
grant violation of neutral principles which the
world have ever witneiisi. Ifhe did not intend
1t, his decree exhibits the mott curious ambi-
guilty of terms which was ever employed in
diplomatic paper. The French crufers may
perhaps take it in the fepfe in which their Em-
peror dehgned it but it is certain that an En-
glilh privateer would not give it contradiction
10 favourable to neusraIs.-Scarte a veiiel
would etcape their rapaci:y, which was bound
to French port, or laden with French mer-
chandizc. Scarce one but would be
dragged before their court of admiralty
for enquiry and perhaps for condemnation.
Under one point of view, therefore, we cam
| not contemplate this decree without ferrous APP
preheniions. The French minifter of marine
may allure General Armftrong, that it is not
| intended to alter our exiting relations with his
country but it will be time enough TO difmifs
our doubts when we ohferve'its manner of exc
cutlon by their cruiZers and courts. For
whence that arrange term of blockade, which
1t employs? Whence that valf mine of princi-
Piles which the preface embraces; mine
which covers much more ground than the pro-
vifions of the decree itfelf; and which may
hereafter be employed to furuiih fuffcient pre-.
| texts tor fubiequent and immenfe cncroach-
| ments upon neutral commerce ? When theie
encroachments are attempted, it will he time
enough to prctef aganit the BATS on which
they are erected. 1t will be time enough to
protect aganlt that mferable mode of extenuat-
ing the uturpations CT France, which Tome
perfons in this country are 70 fond of a.
doping (; that bccauie England violates
all 1eac NJ s,,nt e.,
ment," France has right to the fame impunty;
and becaufe ihe has been unjuftly attacked, flie
may unjufiy attack others. There is about
the fame morality i'm this kind of conduct, as
there would be in my boldly robbing man on
the highway, who has attempted to heal my
purfe. have right and France enjoys the
fame. If Ispprehend an attack from robber,
have right to make myfelf efficiently ftrong
even at the afiailant's exPence, to paralyle his
blow. But is Bonaparte contented with this
Precife modicum of acquiftion No
Denmark and Sweden muR confpire in the
fame iyaem for defroying the Englifh trade
Or ele the 6rf will lofe Altoona and Ho!-
fein the lsft will lofe Swedinl Pomerania
The confequence is, that the Sound will be
olofed.
The fpirit of revolution once more moves
over the face of Poland That gallant nation
which 70 long preferved the femblance of mo-
dified freedom by preterving the forms of an
e!e!ive monarchy; which was afterwards over
run and overwhelmed by the combined armies
OF Pfuf1ia, Ruf1ia, and Auftria which faw
the lluitrous Kofciuko, dragged into priron.
and her bet blood itreaming from the fword of
the inhuman Suwarof which beheld not merely
her independence inundated but her very foil
torn into pieces, and partitioned among three
foreign ufurpers has wrongs enough to a.
venge, and indictments efficiently ftrong TO
" breathe a foul under the very ribs of death"
This infulted nation will not now Geep.
What ! though Bonaparte does not advance
nndsr the Character of a faviaur; what
though no remaining love of liberty, and not
the Aighteit hope of recovering her ancient in
dependence fhould ftimulate her efforts re-
venge will fill furni!h nerve ftrong enough
for Poland. The ruins of the iuburbs of
Prague, the ghoits of thofe who were murder
ed at Warfaw, will call to arms aud fill Bona
parties egions with new recruits.
1t has been afierted, that Poland would never
have fallen in l794,a had Kofciuflso touched
upon the true fpring of Polifh valour. Had he
fummoned national convention and eftablifl,-
ed new contribution Upon the broadeR BATS
of Gemoeraey-had he breathed the fame fpirit
of republican enthuhafm into the Poles, as the
contemporary revolution of France had pro-
duced, it his been conceived, that Poland would
have been converted into one great camp, and
the nation would have rifen en- mali; prepared
to die, or TO defend their contribution and their
country. This fyftem was not purified. They
announced that as " the POlilh infurreetion took
place upon principles ef1eDtialy different from
thoie prevailing in France, it fhouId be differ
emily conducted :" they announced their re-
folution to treat the weak and fubtle Stanillaus
" with the Difference and regard due to his
rank"
But whatever would have been the COME
quences of this daring fyftem, whether or not
it would have fecured the independence of Po-
land "a motive of nearly equal potency is a.
bout to operate upon them a motive which
is nOgV tufficient to aroufe the nation en- ma6c
The Poles, however, muR call all tbeir Ozvn
energies into action, if they alpre to the reco-
very of their independence. Such is the lam
guage which the French emperor employs to a.
inmate their exertions and to reinforce his own
trOOps.N
One fundamental principle here irrelitbly
feizes upon the imagination.-Ifn nations aGpre
to an uninterrupted PROPERTY, let them re.
goully adhere to general principles of morai
ty. Once let them be fwerved by any incite-
ments of immediate intereh, aud they know
not how foon their eccentricity may involve
them in their ruin.
L1diUidnab cannot be permanently Eappy
without virtue: The fame law extends to ma.
tons.
Montefquieu has ridiculouny laid down az a
tiffjncfinn amoDu he f,runo ,f