The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-07-05

, war, who had just been enjoying the hospi
tality of snnc nerts, and had actually sailed
out of the ver,, Same harbor in company with
the frigate for the purpose Of making this
outrageous attack. This violation Of the So
vereignty of our flag. was in consequence of
demand disclaimed by all the laws of natl
ons, and expressly contrary to the indepen-
dence Of our country. Not satisfied with this
insulting outrage, his commanding officer still
continued to modest the rights of our juris-
o.iction, bring to by firing at vessels pursuing
their regular course trade, and 10 institute
real blockade of our harbor.
For an outrage, thus gross and thus un-
| precedented in its nature, a solemn remon-
STRANGE has been made, but no PREPARATION has
been given. Our just demands have been
rejected OH the most frivolous pretexts-
The commanding officer still remains in the
confidence of his sovereign. Three of the
seamen torn from the flag of the American
frigate still continue in the feetprisons
OF the triumphant assailanss: while the fourth
has been placed by the sentence of a court
| martial beyond the reach of demand or of
restoration.
He has virtually declared himself the ru-
Ter OF the waves and the arbitcr of the winds,
at whose sovereign nod every thing, that is Oh
the bosom of the Ocean, is to sink or.swim
To carry this usurping system into exc
cution, to SoOthe the unworthy animosity of
| his commercial subjects, jealous of the RI
| sing prosperity of these States to extend
| their commerce by the sacrifice of our own.
he has employed the mighty resources
| of his maritime power. He has used every
expedient:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of
tho world:
BY instituting blockades of whole countries
on paper, when they had no real exist
ence in fact:
BY intcrcepting the circuitous trade be-
tween the colonies and the mother coun.
try ofhis enemy, although conducted &C.
cerding to principles which he himself
had previously recognised by the most
solemn forms:
BY interrupting all direct trade between
these States and the cuuntresuf Europe,
even in the native productions Of oul,
country:
BY compelling our European trade to wan
der from the course of its voyage, and
to pass through British ports and British
| custom houses.
He has attempted to weaken the honora-
bic allegiance of our countrymen, by hold
1 ing out to our merchants and seamen the al
Tentative OF losing their property by British
capture. or d:sG5fioinE5 the flag of their coun-
I try by sailing under British license
| He has authorised the commander. of his
armed ships to search American vessels on
a pretext utterly disclaimed by the laws of
| nations to impress our seamen from those
vessels, IN their own ports, on the high seas,
and even in orr own h:.rt5oTs, thus compel
| ling our gallant Comtrymen to bleed in a
cause for which they have no sympathy. and
ii which their country has no interest.
! He has endeavored to bring on our innocent
countrymen, the piratical rapacity of the
| states of Barbary.
| He has sent the ministers &C his ambition
among us, to provide the means of military
expeditions against the territories of nation
with whom we are at amity; thus enlstiHg
our own resources to extend their conquests
over those territories, or sowing the seeds of
jealousy and war in the bosom of a friendly
power.
| He has excited domestic instructions a.
rnongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on
the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merci-
less Indian sayages. whose known rule of
warfare is an undistinguiShed destruction of
all ages, sexes and conditions
! In every stage of these expressions, we
have demonstrated against his Injustice BIZ;
renonsrrances have been in vain.It is time,
therefore, Tor us to rise up against these ag-
gressions to show to the wondering unive rsc
that we arc worthy of tie rich inheritance
bequcathed to by our ancestors; and that
as like them, we are subjected to the inius-
tice Of at-Britain, like them the holy
spark of liberty is not extinguished in cur
veins.
We, therefore, the people of these United
States, appealing to the supreme Judge of
the world, for the rectitude of our intenti
ons, do solemly publish and declare, that we
will cheerfeliy acquiesce in the sacrifices,
which the Embargo may impose upon us !;
and that the injustice ofG Britain shall still
continue, that we Will, whenever the con-
stituted authorities of this country shall re-
quire it, encounter every privation, and she'd
our blood In the defence of the rights and
honor of our country. And in support of
/ this Declaration, with firm reliance on the
protection Of Divine Providence, we mutu-
ally pledge to each other out lives, Our for
tunes and our sacred honor.
The Anniversary of the Independence of
the United States was Yesterday celebrated
in this City witk its customary honors. AT
day break. the sound of gun announced the
dawn Of the glorious day. At sunrise, a
round OF II announced the number of States,
who this day enjoyed the diS:if suisiieti iiouor
m tle forenoon The xyoI,,,.1a. zo.x.s. = r - -