The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-04
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 4, 1908
no. PHOCION:.......No. III.

You say you have attempted to shsw to
the satisfaction of every unfrejudiced mind,
that the manner in which Mr r. has spok-
en- OF the comparative resources of the u.
States, and Of q. Britain was calculated TO
disnirit the energy of your country and to
encrease the demands Of our enemy. Equal
" unfortunate (you declare Mr.. r. } ''in the
principles which he has supported during
this interesting controversy"
In the present state of parties it is not for
me to say, whether you will ever be tried
by such tribunal as that to which YOU tell
us, you designed to appeal; but if you should
be, certainly shall not envy you the SEN
tence which they will pass, either on yomr
manner or your firincihieS. When those
speeches Of Mr.. X. which have given rise to
So much calnntny and Misrepresentation
shall be read by any unprecedented person, he
will perceive nothing i'll them but the efforts
of patriot (too ardent perhaps for those
who think. mans manner every thing, and
his object nothing to preserve his country in
that state OF peace and security which SEEM
ed to him 70 be endangered by the course
recommended by his opponents. Whether
could have made, the public must decide, but
the object of them l think tits impossible Ell
Their to mistake or condemn.
That we had cause to expect a contin-
nance OF peace, we had the authority both of
our Executive, and the Minister to whom we
had entrusted the negotiation, for believing.
In this state OF things, shall submit it to
the impartial to decide, whether it was the
duty OF our representatives to stimulate the
nation to war, by exaggerated pictures of
her capacity to carry it on, or by far state
ments both of our own and of our enemies
resources, to demonstrate the incompetency
OF our means to inJure her at that time, to
the extent to which she could iniure u.s.
The contest between nations of &" TRYING.
which can do each other the most HARM is
at least "an improbable one" as even you,
sir, presume will not be prepared to deny
and why man who thinks at any time that
such contest may honorably be avoided &
consequently tries to prevent it, should be
charged for so doing, with hostility to his
country, i must leave it to You, who know
your own motives best to explain. Lest YOU
should accuse me in the usual exercise of
your caRdour with wishing to insinuate. that
Mr.. RS opponents in the debate, on the non
importation act of famous memory, DESIGNED
to involve their country in war, I disavow
any such intention. But it was certainly suf
hcient to justify Mr.. RS opposition, If the
course which they pursued appeared to him
to lead to it. Let us now endea,our to see
"''' ~ ciPIOo Nai' ~ supported on t1at DC
caslon, which have so provoked your terrific
denunciations. You say "the aggressions of
G. Britain naturally divided themselves in
to two classes, impressment of our seamen,
and depredations upon our colonial com
merce. On neither Of these questions have.
you (Mr. R) maintained that dignifed and
patriotic ground on which the interest of
your country ought to repose." Any one but
Yourself, sir, would think, that it would be
full time enough to say uhat ground Mr. r..
had maintained on those questions, when he
had discussed them. Yet strange as it may
seem after what you have told US, under
take TO assert that the imprcssment of our
seamen and depredations upon our colonial
commerce--class and divide them as you
please, have never yet been before Congress
as the particular subjects of discussion
lis certainly true, that in the debate on the
non-imPortation act, they were occasionally