The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-07

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Tor iacst of tie preamble, / have objections
/ ;oa part Of it.
| snail Offer TO the house a few remarks,
which considering my own age, the peculiar
t9ituaticil in which stand and the prccipitate
| manner in which the subject has been brought
before the house, must nccessalilv be desul-
| tory. have promised when this subject ar
| rived at this stare to answer some CT the re-
marks of my frieads with respect TO the at
tack on the chesapeake. My opinions on
that subject had aircadv been expressed in
the pubic prints With the rest Of nay
couhtrymcn, thought our country insulted &
abused: believed redress was necessary ::
| ana though am not now decided advocate
OF that measure Cfhc Ein5arpo, il is not
therefore to be supposed, that am an advo-
cate for that nation, whose conduct towards
TINS country mad ever been marked BY Car
thaSehian faith. Because doubt the Dropri-
ETY. OF voting with Congress, / would not
therefore, Ito use the favorite expression of
the preamble) co7ee,. 6e,tceth G. britain
What times arc thesce When we hear gen
tiemen declaring that though We had no right
70 lcSisiatc on this subject, we must express
the opinion OF our constituents on its propriety
though there is no time to deliberate, vet
must we decidedly and promptly approve
without deliberatien. These times are hard
indeed. They threaten every man standing
here as an independent representative, with
the vengeance of their former friends. They
nave declared there shall be no neutrality,
that must unite in all their measures or a.
bandon all the measures of the administrati
on. L shall do neither. / shall side with
those who generally wisely administer the co
vernment OF the u. States, but will vote a
Sanst any specific measure till its wisdom
has been proved. The question before. the
dousc, relates to the embargo. 70 somuch OF
the preamble shall object, as expressesa firm
conVictioniof It's proprety. ] Go not mean to eX-
press decided opinion on the subject: but
merely to suggest my doubts, Iftkere are do'fe.
how can we express this decided appreciate
on and who, without an enquiry Which shall
remove every doubt, can believe that mea-
sure to be without doubt, from which so many
OF that wise body, (Congress) dissented ,.
o dcvelope clearly my sentiments on this
SUBJECT, must take view somewhat retro
spectVe OF our situation when this injury was
done. What was our situation? We were
III profound peace when dastardlv attack
was made on us.---What sentiments were ex-
pressed Was there not one universal SEN
timent of eXecration of our enernies9 ;. In these
sentiments concui'red. What YVES the gen
eral sentiment in another respects That
Congress would be Immediately called Ia
mong others believed it the wisest policy to
| collect the sentiments of the country and To
concentrate their force. Believing that our
honour called for war, wished that BODY to
be called which alone had the power Of de-
ciarngit. There is a tide in human affairs
which taken at the food leads to honour and
advantage. l thought it imprudent to wait
the ebb. 1 he government however thought
(perhaps wisely) that it was best and not dis
honourabie to wait the evePl of negotiation.
My opinion is that when government de-
termlned to pursue that line of policy, thew
should have continued it: and ] hesitate a.
oout the policy OF thismeasure at the moment
tlllt an envoy was expected on our shores
An embargo should net have been laid On the
principles of this embargo until the door Of
negotiation was closed. This measure is per
! maps worse than war, because the embargo
mas stopped up every pore OF her country.
NO vessel whether English, French, Danish,
or OF any other nation can trade with rs
Every market for our produce is cut off
have doubted whether an embargo of q diff
lerent sort or on different principles would
not nave been better--have placed our own
vessels IN security, yet left us some market
tor ourproduce. 1t is objected that this would
throw our commerce into the hands of c.. r.
and be to her advantage. I feel no desire 10
give her any advantages and lift has become
necessary l would shut C. Britain out of, as
well as ourselves within our ports. Rnt
~+AN i'NS S-AbSid buC lSlOn 10 every other
nation. For these reasons / have doubted
the policy Of this specific measure, and |
thought 1t perhaps improper and adopted at
an improper time. But express little more
than my doubts on the subiet There are the
opinions OF man who feels no other inter
est than for his country's welfare and indie
pcndence.
Mr. Smith observed that after so many ex-
cellent speeches which had been delivered.
he had but a few observations to offer. He
rose only to explain some Of his remarks
winch had been misunderstood by his friend
from Frederic. He was sorry that that gen
tieman should think that nc everintended 10
cenounce him, for any of the opinions which
he had expressed. lie had never entertain
ed the idea which that gentleman had as
cribed tohim, that the measures ofgovern-
n'ent were too sacred to be the fit subjects
Tor investigation. As citizens, as members
oi adeiiberative body, they could not be too
Vighant IN their observations nor could they
700 zeaously attenp. 10 examine the mca-
sures adopted by the Government. This was
ms idea that they were not now sitting as
the Legislature Of the y. S. they were nor
laying an embargo: they were not enumer-
atilig all the grievances which they had sns-
tanned from @. b. They were merely called
on to pronounce their sentiments on a mea-
sure, which had been already adopted bv the
US. and which had been so frequently can
yassed iii this state for the last 10 months