The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-03-31
Do!nc9t!c.
FROM THE NATIONAL ,xrntlIoxncrx <.
THE CONSPIRACY.
(Coninuc1. J

( Con!IharG.|
Let US then fuppoie cafe, which indeed
federalitts have not many years finc- fou,,,.d
IN our ears not merely as poi!ible. but AS ,,ro-
babie-the cafe of fuddeu and ALARMING IN
valion by foreign enemy. Among the wif.
lntruments of defence deviled nv rrp,bIrs,
policy is an Overlooking 'treafury. with 6vc
millions at the difpofal OF the government. with
out any particular Objects calling for its dit.
hurtement, IT has been juity believed that W.
wou,a oe enabled On any emergency to preicnr
bold front to the enemy. Let IT, however
| be recollee,ed that this fum remains entirely rn
appropriated to any particular ohieGt. San
pole, then, the invading aim to be on our
!hores, ard the lOudett cal! conference.-the mad.
upon the federal government, to pro:eft .bs
country from deiolation. The confs;,rtio,
makes it the duty of the prcident TO defend
the country, AND vets him with full authority
! in the very cafe referred to. This, however
| could not be done to any effect, without rnonev,
and in fuch cafe, as this without 4 very I,ree
ium OF money. On this point the confitstion
hoids different Language. 1t expressly prohi-
o'ts the expenditure OF Jingle dollar unlsf,
previouily appropriated by law. Supp.t.
Congreis not to be in FELTON,. The inyad;uy
enemy furely could not be expected to wait un.
I'll they ihouid be regularly convened, to cal
out the national itrength. What would tn.
Prehdent do IN the mean time /. Would h..
permit the enemy 20 advance, without an efrtrt
TO check them Would he bid the good peo
pie of the U. S. TO fall back at their approach
when he had the means within his reach to ar
reit if not defroy them? Would lie wait N,
the tardy forms of Icei1s.ion mould have lecaIiC
ed to his uie the millions in the excheouera
N"-in'tead of this, if he did his duty, he
would take them withou. fcrnple, and ex.
pend them in embodying and furnil,ire com.
Petent force to defend the country. Not doine
tins, however Unconstitutional aod illegal, he
would not do his duty. He would omit doiny
that FOR which he ought tn be, and would he
'mpeached, and elected from Office, amidh
the frowns and indignation of an incenfed ma
tion. Here thea is clear, decilive, iniifputa-
bie initance in which the force of neceiIity re-
)Ts's AL rehra'nt, andin which the fli.us popuE
P Tf're,na lex, the contribution aud laws TO the
contrary notwithstanding
Gales fomewhat analogous, or evea of greater
itrength, may be imagined. The executive
'nagitrate, tor initance, if there were not I'M
appropriated millions enough in the treafury.
would not heiitate on his own Responsibility to
borrow them or if that could not h.. done to
divert from the purpofes to which they were
applied by law fufficient fi,ma to meet the emer.
gency and in cafe all thefc refources failed to
it'ze by violence the property of individuals
FOR which he could not fail to receive the thanks
of his country.
There can be no doubt then, that cafcs
may occur in which violations of the conGi,uti
on and laws will not only be venal but in
which 1t Will be the duty OF the executive to
commit them. Arduous as the performance
OF iuch duties may be, it is the duty of an ey-
ecutive duly ienible of the high functions at
tached to his aation, fearefsy TO difcharce
them. Wei! aware that contributions and laws,
however deliberately framed, can never be f,
perfect as to provide for all poiiih!e emergen-
cies, he VIII not hettate, If the good of his
country is his fupreme motive, to difcharge
inch duties, however periouS it may be 10 him.
he patriot, who in ordinary and tranqIil
times, would not, for any confederation under
neaven' iteP beyond the orbit of power aligned
him, will be the foremoH and tie mot refo-
lutte totake upon himfeIf every Responsibility
that in periods x danger his Ration requires
ne VIII not for moment believe in the pofi-
bic iIJutice OF bis country; but even if he
ihould doubt on this fcote, he will obey the
dictates of his confidence at any rifquc.
How far do thcie principles apply to the re-
cent tranIac,ions at OTleanS! This enquiry ia
reierved for our next paper
To determine whether the neafures purified
at New Orleans are iuRifable, it is neceGary
to conlidcr how far gen. WiIkinfon had reafon
TO believe tia! fuch nee efiity exifcd, as re-
CURED an invation of the civil authority.
lhe NOT obvious confederation that pref.nts
hfeIf on this fubjrtt is the /ene Of 4ffion, which
d'fered from the other parts of the u. S. in two
material refpetfs from its heng the theatre of
nenaced hoftillties on the part of Spain, and
from the circumstances that naturally flowed
from its recent acquif:iOn.
The whole tenor Of general Wilkinfon's df,
patches and m:afures N,cw tia, he confdcred
The frontier expofed to the grcateft danger and
that he doubted the competency of his forces
to defend 1t againf the hyperion forces that
Spain either lad, or contemplated to put IN
motion againt him. He knew that if be !Ioud
be defeated, Nev-Oreans muf fall. While
under thefe approximations, the emi5sries nv
Burr appear in the midi OF bis army, and at
tempt to corrupt him. Had be not fuicieot
reaion to be alarmed at The audaciiy aad proni.
gacy Of Guch an attempt? Had he not reafoa
TO apprehend that the fame motives hat led to
this attempt would extend itfrfto efforts to G..
duce his officers and men he could fully aa-
Preciate the effeG on gallant or mercepafy
minds Of the propoh,ion Of prcica, which
held out the pronile Of reward, in the mines
OF MEXICO, and daindion, IN the fourdaion
OF new empire, Had the leaf encourage
nent, negative or pnliiive, been givrn to fuch
views, he might have judy lrembled for the
fidelity Of his army. Had they proved faitl,isis
To their country, the SpaBiArds might have
Truck blow, that would have deprived the
us. for time, Of New Orleans and which
would inevitably have procuced bloody var
between the TWO nations.
Take IN connection with this view of :hc IS.