The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-06-24
mo. 16.

'sNSo o'"tSo- ASdihiOl Dul entertain SuSDICiOn.
that the only objects of Great Britain, in sendin.
Mr. Rose to this country, were to get time to put
her colonies in our neghbornood in state of de-
fence, and to take the chance of einbarrassn n,
at home, by exciting in the minds of portion OF
| the American people, distrust of their own ,ol
| vernment. That such an effort has been made
andis making, must be obvious to all who read
| our news-papers-ho~ else can various publca-
tons be accounted for
When the Embargo was laid, circumstances
iuiy Justified it. 1t is q fact, however, that this
measure was taken, not only in consequence of
| outrages then committed, but in expectation of o.
Tiers OF more fragrant nature, not only from
| England, but France. When the President re-
commended to Congress to lay the Embargo, he
| informed them that the Emperor of France had
| announced, through Mr.. Champaign, to Gene
raj Armstrong our minister at Paris, a determine
! ationtn apply his decree of the Dist CT Novem
Ter, 1906, tor the blockade Of the BRIT; sb ysIs
10 us as well as other neutrals, from the operati-
l on OF Which decree our commerce had hitherto
| been exempt. We knew, that our demand f,r,
repatriation for the attack upon the Chesapeake
| mad not been complied with We believed C;re.r
Britain would instantly declare all Bonaparte,s
COMMONS and those of his allies in a state of
blockade this opinion was founded upon the past
conduct and declarations of that government:
Accordingly it appeared, as we had anticipated
That orders to that effect issued in Great. Britain
| on the 18th November, 1907. We at the same
Tune received the proclamation of the King of @.
Britain commanding his cruizers to impress ALI
his native born subjects, whenever thew sbouId
be found on board merchant vessels and =, AZ
mand all such as should be on board ships of yvsr
ms officers being made The sole and absolute
Judges or who were, and who were not his no.
tive-born subJccts.-The British orders of No.
Vemper last have been followed by the French de-
cree OF December l7th, extending TO every nos
sible case, the authority to capture American
vessels gong to, returning from, or carryiBg a.
ny brltish manufactures, and to all vessels that
nave submitted to be searched. The French have
since sequestered all our vessels that were in
their ports, and the British have attempted to
confine our commerce to their dominions (,y;th
eXcepuons) or 10 subject it to be carried
on under British licences and subject TO British
taxation. When the embargo was laid, it was be-
ieved there were 100, 0O0,0 900 dollars of Ameri-
can property ahoat and in other countries bue
for the wisdom Of The measures of our aovernI
ment, we might have been deprived of all this
property If we had Welded &c GU. ;ust resent.
ment and gone to war, when The embargo was
lad, all, orthe greater part of our;property THAT
"as ABROAD: would nave been lost TO us Ii we
mad not laid the embargo, great part of our
last years produce, with at least an equal value.
Oh the produce OF other countries, now the pro-
perry OF American citizens, to the amount of
from seventy to eighty millions more would not
only have been lost to us, but would hayc gone
70 ehrich.t hose' whose perhdy, injustice and OPP
preston we have so much reason 70 complain OF.
AN this, we have not only saved to ourselves,
but withheld from the grasp of robbers and
pirates. It Is enough to justify the embargo To
say, that not ship of osrs can SAIL which will
not De SUBJECT to seizure and confscation by ono
OF other OF the beilgerents, unless she is eoiner
to the barren kingdom of Sweden challenge.
any man to deny this fact. There are other
facts which prove the propriety of tits measure.
All the vessels that left this country after the
| trst OF December last, and before the embargo
was laid, for the continent OF E,rope have e.
| Their been seized and
| market where the cargoes could not he sold NJ,
nave been obliged 10 return TO this country witL
their cargoes, not having been permitted to go
to their place of destination; this has happened
10 severS vessels, and Congress was obliged to
| make law TO permit such cargoes to landed
in the United States Under these circnrsta,-
ccs what ought Congress TO have done We
mad no choice but to lay AN embargo go to war
arm our vessels withdraw our ships and let TO-
relgners carry on our commerce or submit to,
| trade within the limits prescribed by 6. Britain
AS to war, there are the most weighty reasons
why we should avoid it, 1t is in Itself one ofths.
greatest evils, and there ut this moment con-
sderatlons, that make it peculiarly tire interest
OF the United States to avoid it,, if possible is
evidently the object Of both Great Britain and
france, 10 plunge us into war with their aover-
| saI'y Inns has been ayoWed in q manner that
cannot he mistaken. But for the peculiar Cir
cumstances In which we are placed but for the.
situation into which the world is thrown, by the
unsuitable thirst for domin on IN the two great
powers OF Europe but for the risk of BEING
thrown INTO the arms of one Of these contcndinSr
nations, whose insidious caresses should thinS-
more dangerous than the hostility of either or
both; and but for the benefit that either of these.
nations would derive from being - war with the
other my vote should have been given for a de-
fciaraton OF war. The cooperation of this coun-
try with either of these nations would enable that
nation to effect its object. With our aid, Great
| Britain could sustain herself forever The com
merce of both the Indies and of North AND South
America, would furnish her with eyervthinp- she,
| wants, and market for her manufactures bur
this wouic be contributing to a despotism on the
ocean that would drive US from H. If we go to
war Tith England, the loss of our market. the.
withholding our supplies, and the proper appli-
cation OF our force, would bring destruction Up
on that nation. This we have neither the inci-
nation nor interest TO do 1t cannot be the into
OF the United States, that AL tie force of Eli .
rope should be at the disposal Of one man In
their contests wish to preserve neutrality, if
We are permitted, and to keep the United States
free from all political connections with every other
country. II war with either power ia necessary
Tor our own purposes, we will wagcit for either
OF them, we viii not go to war, we will not be
f coerced into it sooner than would make war
{ upon the mandate Of any government or to avoi,
injuries threatened to be inflicted by that govern.