The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-08-04

The following article is copied from the Ma
tional Intelligencer.-We cannot doubt the
iourcc from which it emanates. 1t brcathes
the fPirit of our government, and points out
with aPrecihon unequalled, the confequent re-
iuts to this country, in the event Of a war
with Great Britain:
" The criis in our affairs has been met with
proper temper and an honorable deciiion.
lhere Is no American who has not felt the in
dignity oitered,to his country, and who has not
boldly avowed his preference of war to abjeef
iubmfiion.-Such are the feelings we had rea-
Ion TO expect from the hearts of freemen and
Americans. Their love of peace may have
been miftaken abroad, and have been afcribed
to pullllanImous fears Of danger but at home
there rs no man, who does not know that it has
ariien from ipirlt of benevolence and difpaf-
honate conviction of the bef intereft. of the
nation. 1t remains, perhaps, for us to demon
itrate this fatt to an unbelievng world.
That the fpirit of Americans is invincibIe,
II diiputed, will be proved. The dangers it
has encountered and repelIed-which are the
noblett monuments of our glory-are pledges
that we VIII maintain our liberties with as much
Vaor as was eXerted in their acquifition. In
our revolutionary conteft our prefent Happiness
and national elevation was little more than the
dream of phlofophy.
" If then whole people fubmitted to the
hardthps and fufterings of feven years. war to
attain an uncertain good, what limit lhaIl we
oPpofe TO that forttude or active courage which
HAIL be called forth to maintain not only great
and certain good, but the greateit blefiings ever
enjoyed by human beings? We may boldly af.
hrm that there is no facrifce of perfonal cafe
and emo!ument, and no exertion within the
phyilcal power OF the nation, that will moi be
made with aIacrity. This undauuted fpirit is
the baiIs on which the meafures taken on our
part will RET. But while it is our only pofitiye
iecurity againf that injuftice and defpotfm that
know no other mea!ure for right than force,
and while it is cheriaied as the facred fhield
of our rights, there arc other considerations of
high interef, deferving Of our attention, and
equally deierving the attention of our enemiea
" Should Britain refuie to redrefs our wrongs,
Vt Will become a wife government and an intel
lgent people, TO hublud with all the economy
in theirpower, the national refources, by ADOPT.
ing thoie mealures which lhall in the highef de-
gree combine our own fecurity with the injury
done to our enemy. Let us frke at thofe points
IN which The is mott vulnerable, and guard
thoie from her alldult ia which we are mott ex
pofed.
The war waged between the u. States and
Great Britain will be of peculiar kind. After
very ihort period, there YsiIl ceafe to be anv
comfortable conflict of arms except on the o.
ceaa. The Brtifh ponchions in the continent
will foon fall, and the Wet Indies be CONNER
caily loh to Britain. They NUT be either our
friends or eur enemies-If the former, their in
tercourfe with Britain will be at an end if the
latter, we ilIall itarve them, If not fight them
IT, 30 fubmiiiion. On the ocean the Britifl navy
viii be balanced by the fwarms of cruizers fit
ted { vt from our ports. Every merchant vef-
fel viii be converted into a letter of mardue
and repl'ifal. We Ihdl confequentiy have no
trade on ne ocean to reward the cupiditv of
our enemy while her vdlt and ramiied com
merce will be the victim of our prvateers.
The fynem of conveys will afford her but fee
BILE, and totally inadequate protection.
"Hoailities once commenced between the
two nations, great change will be foon eft eted
in the belligerent powers. Kulia, and all tbofe
powers who ordinarily embark in her conteits,
will difcern their true policy, too difinetly not
10 purfue it. France will fee the policy of of.
feriug them terms which they will in ali proba-
bility eagerly accept, the more Especially from
the cciLsiion Of Britilh tribute, the foufces of
which will be dried up by war with US. The
ardent and attendant ambition of RufIil to rife
to 4 maritime importance will be uDfoded. She
will become the open ally, or fecret friend of
America, not more intereited than berfelf in
curling the naval fuperiority OF Britain, and
! in eRabhfiiug neutral rights on broad and
iuft footing.