The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-08

sou then faito Zee that fhis is anieletaioneering
fe heme enanating from executive influence,
calculated to difcredit thofe who dared to OPP
pole (what we are told were) the wifl,es of the
administration, and deiigned, If poflibIe, to re-
move alloppofitions? IRE yon ready 10 dilprace
tseSenafe and join in ibis elel7ioaee,iag cabaI ?
or do you fuppofe that this refoluti0n ifadopt-
ed will have no effect upon the elections Sure
ly' hr, ifyour re/okue is of 70 great authority as
to decide between the administration or maio-
nty and minority in Congrefs, it ought to be
iuppofed worthy of refpeet among the citizens
OF your own fate. Yes, fir, adopt this refo-
luton, and next fpring you will find it in the
hands ct all the new candidates-they will con-
meet the authority of your name with the
weight OF executive influence, they will tell the
people thatthofe minority men and their friends
are fuiPected by their country, that they are
oPPoied to the administration, and enemies of
the Preiident; his name will be profitnted to
the WORT of purpofes and reafon itfelf will
be awed into iilence from the refpeA which it
bears to the name of Jeffcrfon.
ION why this fubjec is 70 pertinacioufly pref.
fed upon us /: fuppofe gentlemen here fhould
have friend connected with the prefent adj
mInittration, and profting by its popularity,
ihoud have a dehgn for him on the next pre-
ideHcy Il was ea6ly -feen that the fubjeet
now before us was calculated to produce di-
verify of opinion, which will necefIarily min
gle tfelf into the fucceeding elections of men,
'bers to the General AfIembIy, the popularity
OF your prefcnt Pre6dents name which will be
uied,. will probably give an ascendanoy to the
favourers in toto of the administration, maio-
rty OF members under this fort of executive in
tuence will conftitpte the General Anembly-
electors of Pfefident aht; Vice PreGdent are
choten by general ticket this general ticket
is uiually made out by a majority of the MEM
bcrs of the General Ancmbly; but this maio-
rlty by iuch means as we are now afked to en-
courage will mott probably be conftituted of
the friends of ibis man already in the adminif-
tration Do you not fee this deep-laid plot,
this grand eleetioneering fcheme, by means
whereof, either directly or indirectly, executive
influence will dictate to you fucceiIor to the
proficiency, to the excluhon of any other who
might be the choice o. the people. If gentle
men call fer my teftimony---I repeat my call
for t5sir ea'idenee by which they prove the
truth fthe refolution. Here am referred tic
the Prefldent's Meflages to the Ialt, and The
preient Congrefs. When thefe documents are
examined, they frengthen my doubts whether
the meaiures adopted by the lait Consrcis de-
ierve the epithets of '' FIRM, juft and libeyal'
which yol are 70 aehrous to betow upon
them. t
ice -hotninS, and tEsrs Is rafting in either
Meiiage that recommends the meafure adopted
either towards England or Spain. With Eng
land he recommends fill further attempts of
peaceatle adjuftment and the mesfure a.
dopted had tendency to wal. Towards Spain
ne adviiss the exhibition CT warli!,e attitude and
force; ard the meafnre adopted was q tender
Of n'one2 and ,'e2ociationt What was our fitu-
alton in relation to England She had mott
wantoniy outraged all our rights at fea. Yet
we were told that negotiation then pending
left hopes that our differences with her might
be amicably adjufted. In this 6tuation ihould
we provoke war, or cultivate the little remain
ing profped of peace? Or "proudly provoke
war, & humbly fue for peace" at the fame time /?
1t war was right,it appears to me that your par
tel non-intercomye niea/ire, was but teebie eff
fort. But gentlemen fay this was not war
meaiure. What then was it? Was it intend
ed as permanent regulation of encouragement
to our own manufactures? This is incompa-
ttele with the Recommendation row r,ad- &c
congrefs to fnipend its operation: thereby
clearly indicating that 70 foen as our differences
are fettled, the meafure will be totally abofh-
ed. Wasn't calculated to aid negotiation !?
Certainly not-that negotiation has not as yet
progreffed to final reftilt-but if this meafure
was at hrft calculated give aid to the progrefs
OF negotiation, would it not continue to be ufe-
fui until it came to a termination Gentlemen
fay that the fair profpc0s of amcabIe adult
ment now prefented to Us, are due to this mea-
fure. This petition is difproved by the docu-
cunlent before us, (the laft nieiage) which ftates
that fufpenGon of it will be calculated to
produce favonrabis dipoftions toqU0rIs rs. IF
the meafure had produced good, the mnilters,
the administration, and the friends of this mea-
iure, knowing it not to be, entirely approved,
would have taken care officially to attach to it
all its ersdif. Befides, if thl8 meafure is the
ca'ye Of the prefeut aufpicioHs profpeGts, fuf-
pend its operation, remove the canfs, and the
e7ea will SO with it,. The truth is, il cannot
be regarded in any other pciut of view than as
a rneafure, which though it be not direS caufe
OF war, yet is calculated to widen any nifunder-
itanding which might exit, and thereby have
an i1dired tendency 10 war--and IS fuch oar-
not lay 1t commands my aupp!aufe.
Regarding it therefore as a meafure leading
to war, Gfit.had met with finliIar difpo6tions
on the part of the Britiih government) it ap-
pears to me 20 have been weak and inefficient.
not calculated 10 do US any coed, but capable
OF being turned to the advantage Of the enemy
q meaiure to commence its operation at diff
tant and fixed day Was it certain that it
would induce Great. Britain to-relax in her po-
Icy towards us and do juftice Suppof. fne
had been refolved to adhere to her iniquitous
courle +! Tier 11nf, GnS ought to taIlosV. She
fees your day for operations fixed. While fhe
iecretly prepares TO ftrilse, he diverts your at
tfufion from irr r,s,,,i;n, bio,.,