The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-15
The Lii.cd Stass. yindicatei against The charge u
French In,aesce.

have observed with msss4ts Fret, tina, the
message OF the Piesident.ofthe U. States has
been can,assed among us, rather IN a STRAIN OF a.
crimonisus irvecti,e, than in the spirit of tempe
Fate and candid inquiry The discussion is o.
such importance, as To- demand the mediation of
our most deliberate aud unclouded Judgment, and
our angry passions are, therefore, tin most unit
counscilois that we can summons 10 our aid. We
. have been long accustomed to regard Mir. jcifer
son the invetcrase cnemyof this country, and
fear that, un,ttr the influence OF this iInpressi
on, we apply 10 tie message the character we
have fornel for TIE ,nan, ralc OF constructi-
on, and a ground OF rcproach. If there be no
thing in the message abstr:.ctiy viewed, to war
rant The severity OF our ccnsurc, this mode of in
depreciation is, 70 say more of it, unchartabe,
and if We recur at all, 20 the prejudiccs we as
c:ibe 10 hiiu, il should be only to applaud the do
ininicu that he has exercised over his private
sen,I:icn,s i'll tie discharge OF public duty.
attribute TIC estimate torned Of this mcssagc by
the liberal ai;d enlightened portion of our com
,nunit}, ins,Xc degree, to an ondue although a
Enable pTeGo!.innce of national feeling, but prin-
cipally, e. IN igSor,.ncc of several important cir
cunst.nce $; that go TO explain his silence on the
subject OF French Suggestions shall therefore
beg leave IT, submit To their consideration, a
statement of facts, collected from ,u,questonabc
authority. and whichI shall venture, however, to
preface 10y some general observations on the parts
OF his message, that hare given most dissatisfc-
itch. ~.
Ishall adver, in The first instance, to the litera-
~ censorship that has been us,uped oyer this pa
per. If J were disposed to embrace the defence
cot The authors style, should certainly plead to
the jurisdiction Of such set-crcated tribunals us
those of our ni,rJterial editors, wko themselves
appear To have sworn eternal enn,y to lucid order
d grammatical purity. Bet am no master Z" Of
the whole extension of language" and! shall not
therefore undertake formal yindicaton either of
American style in general or ofthat ofthe message
must however, he permitted 70 add, that cam
not discover in the production now under re-
view, solitary word, combination of phrase
that is not habitualiy employed by Tie most chaste
ahd classical Writers Of England the contrary
think can discern thrpog hout, the stamp of 4.
pregnant, Vigorous intellect; great occasional
aptitude OF expression, and felicity of arrange
ment, qualities Chat emne,itly distinguish the
celebrated Notes on Virginia.
The most Important accusation preferred IL
ginst the message is, that betrays strong. symp-
toms OF rancor against England & df Partially to
France. Our lninistcrial prints iIave urged this
point so sreAuOus!y, and indulsetl in so much
general nectivc that scope is left for conjecture,
about the nature OF the end To which icir l,bors
are directed. They have, PERHAPS fallen unon
the mgchous device of making Tie most of the.
occasion, in order TO lntc our ind eation against
the government and people of the United States,
AVID thus league c,r feelings with the grand eS
pertinent of universal warfare. | abandon. how
ever, this su.inise to the sagacIty of the public
and proceed 60 state, that after most dilirent
and dispassionate examination Of the message,
am unable End III it Single deteimina,e indi
cation Ut Hostility To this country or prediction
for France 1T but plain, calm narrative will,
no warmth o. coiorings or latitude of remark
Inc PRESIDENT commences, 10y simple detail of
tile cat'ses, the progress, and the result % the
late American hissien to or court The aff.ir
OF Che Chesapeake, and the measures it entailed
arc noticed without comment, and ce rtainly not
in tnc kIt6uaSe OF violence or eXaeEeraJion On
the subject 0f France nothing occurs but = re,
mote aii,Islon TO The Famous deere. Of November
The President ;idvcrts, III tl.e beginning of his
Eiessa;re, To Z" successive innovations on the pr;n-
cipies of public Law; SC" x,M in this part eyi
IDENTITY ailueles to-ceft.in acts OF tie British go
rerninent When we consider his official cha,,lc.
Ter, it will surely be acknowledged that there is
nothing novel or obscure in this lape,laee-no-
thing that testiies any particular eongenalNv of
ssnuneht OF recent coincidence of views W,th
the French Emperor He obviously allides to
our attempts Oh colonial commerce, our interdic-
ton OF the coasting trade, Our iIlprcssrnent of
American scsmen, and to all our multiplied res
tricho"s on neutral navigation, which have gisen
rise TO much earnest and doubtful discussion
under titS administrations OF Washing ton and A
dams, afd which these his predecessors, uniform
~ reprobatSti, as subTePsiyc Of the established
usage oil nations. and resisted, as cro.clments
upon sacred and ndcfeasble rights The object
moreover, OF Tie late extraordinary mission to
this country, was TO lay Tie fcnd of discord that
has haunted It's SO long, BY a coanb,oanise of neu.
HGI and GeliSereh 6efeHsiOnS, li. it was both ma
turt1 and proper 10 introduce this Topic 10 Con-
gross, b, SUMMARY of the causes that led to c
adoption of the measure. The President also
calls the attention of the Lcgiol.tule to our or
der OF ccHncil, of January Z, 1907 /; and coafor
H;a5iy 10 thc principles invariably professcd and
constantly maintained b. the A;ne .ican govern
Inent, styles 1t violation OF maritime ri.i,s To
Tientlon 1t was an Indispensable duty, and | know
not how ~ Al American President, c could haze
done Sc in any other manner. Mis- exposition i,
10 more than correct. The order dovs intcrdict
all neutral trade between ports of nations at war
with us Ii is stated III its preamble TO be 7,e1f
sure n trtdIidHon on Frahce, jrslifed by the e,e-
eesSes u The enemy, not BIZ tie braqice of fcyane,
hosti(fieS 1t u, therefore, as Mr. Jefferson qua
Efiesi it, a neyo fas1 efthc Ocean and subi.;ssi1n
TO IT. was not matter of course Ii WAS fgsf tc
undergo the scrutiny Of Congress and in orde
10 assist their deber inms, the President state
without aggrasatiOn, IS injurious effects on the
American trade IN DE Mctlitei rgncar,--a consi.
Iteration OF prliT.Tt Importance
Enough, thJh has been now said, to dcstro,
the unfNorablo: differences that are drawn from
the illusions made in the message to this coun
Try. Let us pow examine, whether the Inodcra-
ton which Fir. Jefferson has displayed towards
France, bc not susceptible ef an ample iustfca-
ton. III silence ON the subject of the French
decree Of 1906, is the chief ground o. our dis
contents which j shall attempt to remove by
scv c IN tIe FIRST place, thGf the Psvsyaa,,ent of