The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-29

bat nischievouS alarm We know il in its
whole extent. IL scus The unauth1rised at
tack Ut a British naval officer on The .dn.e-
rfcan Jiyyute Chesohecke, 10 search for and
take some deserters knosvn 10 haze Seen re-
eetved on board, schC had 6een often demand
cd, and as often refused TO Be delivered uf.
AS was expected by all considerable men, and
oy the. president himself {as have before
observcd) the British government, OH the Grst
information OF the unfortunate event land
without waiting for an application disavow-
ed >the act of the offcer-disclaimed the
principle Of searching national armed vessels
and declared its readiness to make suitable
reparation, as soon as the state or the case
should be fully known.
l., Under such circumstances, who. can JUS
afy this alarm ofwar An alarm which great
iy disquieted the public mind, and accustomed
an interruption of Commerce extremely inju-
rlous 70 our merchants and sea-faring citi-
zens.
i win close this long letter BY stating an
the existing hret fences, for there are no causes
tor a war with CT. B.
|. I. The British ships of war, agreeably to
a right claimed and exercised for ages a
right claimed and exercised during the
whole OF the Illustrations of Washington,
OF Adams and Jefferson, continue to take
some OF the british scamen found on board Of
d.
numberof ours, from the inipsssibilitv of al
ways distinguishing Engishmen from citi-
zens or the United States. On this point
our government well know that Great-Bri-
tain IS perfectly willing TO adopt any ar
rangement that can be devised, which will
SECURE to her service the Se08ien Svho are he1-
ozcn SUBJECTS; and at the same time exempt
ours from impressment,
2. The merchant vessels of France, Spain
and Holland, being driven from the ocean,
or destroyed, the commerce of those coun-
tries with one another, and with their colo
MES, could no longer be carried ON Iy them
serves. Here the vessels OF neutral nations
came into their aid, and Carried on nearly
the whole commerce of those nations 49,.
With their seamen thus liberated from the
merchant service, those nations in the pre-
sent and preceding wars, were enabled to
man their ships of war: and the neutral
vessels and seamen supplying their places,
became, IN fact, though not in rame, auxi-
iaries OF war The commerce Of those ma.
lions, without one armed ship. on the sea,
appropriated for tsprotection, was intended
thus to.be secured under neutral flags; while
the merchant vessels of Great Britain, with
Its numerous armed ships to guard them,
were exposed to occasional captures. Such
a course OF things Great-Britain has resist
ed, not In the present only, but iii former
wars; at least as far back as that Of 1856
And she had claimed and maintained right
to impose on this commerce some Limits and
restraints; because it was commerce which
was denied by those nations to neutrals in
time OF peace because it was a commerce
OF. Immense value to the subjects other enc
mics; and because it filed their treasures
with money to enable them to carry OH their
wars withG. B..
i, 8. The third and only remaining pretence
Tor war with G. Britain is the unfortunate
affair OF the Chesapeake which having
been already stated and explained, | will on
ly remark here, that it is not to be bcliev-
ed that the British government, after being
defeated, as before mentioned, in its endea-
vors TO make PREPARATION in London, for the
wrong done by its servant, would have sent
hither a special envoy to give honorable salts
faction, but from its sincere desire to close
this wound, if cur own government would suf-
terit to be healed.
:; Permit me now to ask, what man impair
tally viewing the subject, will have the bold
ness &c. say, there exists any cause for plum
ging the United States into war with G.
Britain! Who, that respects his reputation
as mansof common discernmenl, will saw
IT Who that regards the interest and wei |
rare OF his country will say it Who then
can justify 3 Who can find an excuse for,
course of conduct which has brought our 4
country into its present state of alarm, em-
barrassment and distress For myself, Sir.
l must declare the opinion, that no free coun-
try was, ever before SO causclessly, and so
blindly thrown from the heighth of prospe-
rlty, and plunged into state of dreadful |
anxiety and suffering. But from this depra- |
dcd and wretclied situation, it is not vet too
late to escape. Let the dispatches from our
minister in France be no longer concealed.
Let the president perform the duty rcaui- |
red OF him by the constitution. by giving to
Congress full information Of the state of the
union III respect to foreign nations. Above
all, let him unfold our actual situation with
France. Let him tell us what are the de-
mands and proposal of her ruler. Had these
been honorable to the u. States, would not
the President have been eager 10 disclose
them That they are of an entirely differ
ent nature--that they are dishonorable-
that they are ruinous to our commercial in
terests, and dangerous to our liberty and in
dependencewe are left to infer.
i hope, Sir, that the natureand magnitude
Of the subject, will furnish sufficient apollo
gy for the length and style of this letter. |
Perhaps some may deem it presumpruous
thus to question the correctness of the pro-
ceedings OF our government. A strong
sense of duty, and distressing apprehensions
OF national ruin, have forced the task upon
me. To some, the sentiments which, in the
sincerity OF my heart, have expressed, NAV
give offence for often nothino oNande 90