The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-23

trial, by Court Martial and there can
be no doubt, that If they had continued in
office, every difficulty with the United States
would have been happily adjusted. The late
Ministers were, besides, scarcely free to
pursue their own liberal views OF policy ::
the false system, which had prevailed so
1Gng, having raised a storm OF opposition to
every attempt to render or system with re-
gard TO America conforniabe to the chang
ing state and condition OF the world, AS to
the law OF Nations OH the subject of search
,ng the ships of friendly powers upon the
high seas, not for contraband merchandise,
or the property of enemies, but for the per-
sons OF dcsertcrS or of outiaweu subjects, /
can find nothing precise, except as far as
the submission Of weaker powers from time
10 time mey be taken TO constitute public!aw
in favor OF Great Britain. The search of a
sbip, bearing national flag. is quite out of
the, question nobody contends for it, his Ma
jessy's Ministers have properly disavowe6
it, and that disavowal leaves America no
rational cause of war with Great Britain I;
but the I'll blood created BY this unaathoris-
ed outrage, las made the search even of
merchant ships, SO long submitted to, a sub
jcct of bitterness and complaint, which, tho.
the nations might notwithstanding continue
at peace, must perpetually tend to disturb
that harmony aad good will between them,
which is SO essentially necessary to coun-
ter2alance the portentous power of France.
desire, therefore, o-put the legal question,
touching the search of private vessels for
deserters wholly aside, and to consider mere
" the propriety Of coming to some amicablc
arrangement, which, by preventing the
perpetual irritatons arising from the exer-
else of a right (supposing it to be one) SO
harrassing tn commerce, might cement
cordial union between two natisns, who have
so strong and so mutual an interest to be, as
1t were, one people. Why the late minis
tiers did not make some attempt to lessen the
resort to the perpetual search of ships, by
some temporary arrangement with the Unit
ed States, by way of experiment, only to
try the efficacy of legal provisions, and to
prove the faithful execution of them, have
already endeavored to account fer. Their
precise views or opinions on the subject,
am OF course unacquainted with but We
all know, that the Treaty was not broken.
off on that account; it was signed here by
the ministers of America, and before any
objection was taken to its ratification ON the
part OF her government, the administration
was dissolved.-What measures have been
taken, or are ultimately intended, by their
successors, know not but l hope they will
be judicious and healing, because the resto-
ration of harmony between Great Britain
and America, at this moment, would be
eath blow to the ambitiono of Bonaparte,
=" There comes his fit again,
'sHe had been perfect else''
IF he could bring America into his vortex,
his triumph would be complete; without it
in the end, he will be nothing There are
nevertheless, madmen waking about our
streets, who have probably broken loose
when Bedlam was lately repairing, who con-
sider war with America as rather to be
courted than avoided: we should, according
to them, blockade all their ports, "and take
all their ships" 1t would be notable ex-
plot. to be sure, in the greatest wholesale
dealer in London to succeed in mailing up the
retail shops OF all his customers In town and
country, and to procure the seizure of all
the Wagons and lighters, conveying his own
goods TO every corner OF the country and of
the world 10 whom, pray, are we to sell
all these American prizes, and our own ma
produce And from whom, in
the event OF scarcity, are we 10 import -four,
or tar on timberfor our marine, if we are at
war with the whole world? But would it be
only present loss Recoiiect, that the po-
puiatiou of America is already eight milli-
ons, and that the portentous state OF Europe
is a hot-bed to her. She doubles her num-
bers every 16 years If peace and harmo-
my are preserved, you will soon want no other
customers. She already takes ten millions,
annually, of your exports. In twenty years,
which is but day in the period of nation,
she will take twenty millions; and in twenty
moro, which is but as another day, forty mil
lions: and iii twenty years more, which is
but as a third day, you cannot cloath her,
or administer TO her wants and luxuries-
You may blot the Continent of Europe out
OF the map, md your trade and subsequent
revenues would overflow. If you continue
to cultivate peace, she viii not manufacture
for herself, so as to interfere with you, until
her boundiesss deserts are cultivated; pc
i.iod incaiculabiy distant.
This view of the subject should never be
lost sight of for any speculative temporary
loss or Inconvenience. In all our transactions
with America, we should look to America of
fifty years or a century hence. The policy
OF a nation should be prospective, extending
to the contemplation OF future ages, and not
like the prudence Of transaction between
man and man, which Is properly contracted
within the narrow span Of individual exist
cnce. America should also reason upon the
same principle--Shc is now in her infancy,
and, it not checked in her growth by an un-
natural struggle with her parent, will ar
rive sooner at maturity and greatness, than
any nation OF antiquity; because she started
into lite in theimeridian of civilization !; but,
1T from her highly Republican Constitution,
she acts ill her great political character
from the sudden impulses Of the multitude,
and not from the mature considerations of
regular Government, she may throw away,
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