The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-10-21


YOU were displaying all this generosity. Cen
ticmen, 1t world perhaps have becnos sveil
to nave acribcd our embarrassment to the
inia> ice of the bclligerent powers of Eu-
.. rope, as To the misconduct or omission of our
own government ~
But you still resort TO the vague and sus-
picious objections which you have urged "a
gainst Mr.. Madison in your former Address.
You still repeat. that he " stands fixed
and committed on every question involved
in our foreign relations" When I took up
your last Address, gcntlem men, it was under
fun persuasion that it contained an ex-
piioir erhiaaation of your sentiments on
these subjects. The world had called upon
you for light; and it was my full persuasi-
ON, that every difficulty was now to be clear
ed up; and every anxious donbt removed
But how great was my astonishment to find
the same vague End suspicious insinuation,
which distinguished your former eloquent eff
fusion. Not one explicit werd about those
points and facts on which Mr.. Madison is
SAID to stand committed Not one word a.
bout your own frojet. IF Mr.. Monroe is
neither for svar nor an Embargo. not one
hint is offered as to the course which he
would hursne.
AS to Mr.. Madison's commitment, YOU
should have shown us, gentlemen, in what
respect those points and facts are at variance
with the rights and honour of our country
And you should have shown us too. Si.s,
how this objection is not equally applicable
to Thomas Jefferson himself-Mr. ]. is as
completely fixed and committed on questions,
involved N foreign relations, as Mr.. Madi-
son can be. If this competition then, had
been between Thomas Jefferson and James
Monroe, you would have been compelled bv
your principles to abandon the former.
But how stands Mr. Monroe himself as to
these points. You, Gentlemen, have not
condesccnded to- inform us nor for any thing
that we know. has he ever condescehded tn
inform you. But if you ask Your country
men to desert candidate whose principles
they approve, in order to sufpors another
whose principles are unknown to them, you
are completely mistaken III the use of the
elective franchise. No constituent Should
vote for representative whose sentiments
on these interesting questions are not fairly
before him.--lf you ask your countrymen,
| to trust to " the &no7v,t oGinionS, conduct
| and character of Mr.. Monroe for prospe-
rous result, TIE reply is. that his opinions on
these points are not known, for he has not
| committed himself and that if the allusion
| is made to the general course of his specu-
lative opinions, his opinions and policy in the
| case of the British Treaty are far from be-
| ing favorable to the doctrine of implicit trus.
and blind acquiescence.--Buti if, Gentlemen,
| Won should happen 30 urge, that Mr.. Mon
roe has a $fecifc cure for all our evils that
he is able to remove our present embarrass
ments without mourning either the evils OF
Jp,tr or the Embargo; that his late treaty
is to be his political Panacea and that the
| first act of his administration would consist
| in sending minister to England for the pur-
pose Of re-proposing that obnoxious instru
ment--the question would be put at rest for
| ever. The people of this country will ne
| yer accept a President whose destiny is to
be connected with such an unfortunate instru-
ment.
Whence ybu derive your information, that
"Mr. Monroe's interest is rapidly encreas-
ing in the other states as well as in Virgil
MA II am at loss to conceiye.-That the
Federalists of Richmond and Manchester
have come out in his support, is certain-but
there is as little doubt that his cause is daily
becoming more unpopular among the repub-
llcan ycomanry of this commonwealth
| That great change" seems to have taken
place III Some of the otherstates, is equally
| certain ; but these are revolutions which
| should touch the bosom of a republican with
sentiments of the most profound regret
| These changes are federal. Are Won then
Gentlemen, willing to confess that Mr. Mon
roc Is 10 De Indebted tor his aScendanCV tC
the triumphs of the federal party? But or
this ground you may find yourselves disap-
pointed. If the federalists IN the othtr states
have the least chance of electing candi-
date OF their own, you MAY be assured tia.
| 1t is {. &. PinCkncy and not James Monroe
who viii be the God of their Idolatry Ks
to the Federalists of Virginia, we are very
| willing to believe that no coalition has
been formed with them. But if there be
no coalition; there is at leas. co-ofteratiou
and what is infnite,y worse, a co-opera
ton on federal grounds. Each of you per
haps believes, that Mr. Monroe's " course al
proceeding, in regard to our foreign relati,
ons, will be more agreeable to the sentiments
OF the federalists.---Though there be no ex-
press ntder&fanding betgveen you, vet per-
| haps IL IS pretty well understood, that the
| Election of Mr.. Monroe will be productive
OF something very much like charge ofnted-
sAre8
1t side, Gentlemen, for you to vindicate
yourselves from the charge of producing a
schi'm among the republicans" by such ar
| Sumcnts as yon have employed. Why refer
| TO the caucus at the Bcl-Tavern You,
Gentlemen, were in this City at the moment
of that meeting You had the real springs
| of this event before you. You must haze
known, that this exclusive caucus at the Bell
| Tavern was really dictated by desire to
avoid this very schism. You must have
knO9n, that it was not to- avoid :, fair and