The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-31
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND. OEclgM8sa 81, 1853
MUNrCATIoN.


cfice, and one too OF great responsibility,
ms department. in the management of tina,
ONCE, presents always Il far theme for in-
festigation and public criticism. Nor can
the individual, who may be TIE object Of
such remarks. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, when he
accepts OF station of public nature, he
does Ii with full view of al the consequent
ces attached DIT; and under the express OBJ
iigation that he will perfo, m his functions
faithfully and impartially. His mind should
DC e;itirely tree from the operation Of any BIZ
as which might induce him to Commit nten.
tionai errors, aud to lead him astray from
the correct line ct his DUTY. IL, in the csti-
nation ot his fellow citizens, or any one of
them he should be deemed not to have perfor
med his duty with that zeal Sl ai,cri,y, which
should distinguish, all public officers but on
the Contrary, to have wilmlly neglected it
the love u Country, every principle OF JUS
t'cc, would compel him to mark such trans
erosion with unqualified Misrepresentation. and
MI manner which should not fail, if possi-
bic, to work reformation
Under these impressions, the wr,tor of
this article will indulge himself with that
freedom, which the subject necessarily calls
tor, n msking scnle remarks S, relative tothe
Conduct OF the federal Attorney of this dis
trict
F." Your honor 7piN hleGse dis,niss the
tTrd"d Iur3 suien heu retaYn iUfo The
c'nrf hare no further use for thcm"
ouch WAS The Curious request made by our
patriotic Attorney. to Chief Justice Marshal,
ar the. sitting of the last Federal Court IN
this place This request WAS made at "A time
too. When the Attorney must have known,
for 1t was his boundcn duty, and he cannot
therefore be presumed to have been igno-
rant, that the Grand Jury were making di-
i'teht enquiry into the inti'ac5ons Of the en-
harGo laws. What could Mr.. Hay mean by
such motion? Did he not know that those
laws mad been imprudentiy and sha,aef;..iy
intringed upon under his very nose, and could
me wish that the offenders should be screen
ed from the Indignation & Punishment which
awaited item! 1 hope not if such were his
views, thanks to the patriotism Of that en-
iightened and virtuou, body, that they were
MT Carried into cfiect. The Grand Jury
were not to he put off in that way-Thcy
were rot remiss IN their tinty they knew
tuil well if Mr.. HAY ard tie Grief Jus.ice
dia net, the laws, TN tic execution oc which,
the honor ard independence of their
Country depended, had been violated and set
at defiance by the Is mast base and worthless
ff'art NJ community )" by wrctci,cs, vino
steeied against every honorable sensation,
ana regardless OF all other considerations,
were DESTROYS only of the accumulation of
wealth and the pr1Stration of rational cha
ractcr. Yes, the Grand Jury were perfect
~ acquainted with this, and they were ac-
cordingy prepared to hold them up to the
eZccrations of their ow-citiscns, and be-
stow that punishment upon them, which their
wicked and outrageous condact SO loudly de-
manded.
Let us now enquire what was the result Of
the enquiries of the Grand Jury, Subsequent
To the pretty request made by the Attorney,
and which would have been entirely defea-
ted, had they tamev acauiesced. Whv,
truly, twelve or fifteen prescntments follow
ca. q do not recolect now, the precise
number for violations Of the embargo laws.
ret MIR. Hay, could find no use for them -
Ii is also matter OF notoricty, that had the
conft compelled the at enhance Of witnesses
who were summoned, but refused 70 atten4,
other presentments would have been n. ade,
ana more cn!prits exposed to public view :;
some Merchants of Norfolk, and little l.
rish aris'ocrat of Petersburg, who together,
1t is reported loaded the schooner Good In
tent, witt, -four, and sent her Of; in the course
OF one nights
The vigilance, however, of the Grand Ju.
ry has furnished the Attorney with coed
opportunity 90 shew. to his injured and in
S'utc" country, Wnetner ms wishes, with re-
garti 10 the execution Of the laws are real
and slncere.---I had much rather test his
conduct and form my opinion, from the re-
sun OF these presentments, than to refer to
letter which he states to have written to
gentleman at Washington, containing his
views and sentir:ents cf the embargo. Yes
Mr.. Hay, during the next federal court, if
yeu are permitted 70 continue i'm Office, YOU
VIII manifest how far your professions to your
TREND are true and sincere, or whether that
letter was not directed by other considera-
ionS.
The infractions of the embargo laws in
this place. will not excite surprise, when
we reject upon the characters of those on
whom they Iaust rely for their execution
and force. The Chief Justice, in the first
place, man who entcrtans the most deaf-
iy hostility to the measures OF the Go
vernment and those who administer it, and
VINO would. tomorrow. hail their downfall
With the most heartfelt and malignant low.
Inc collector whom every body knows to he
as staunch Federalist. and g determined an
opponent to thepresent order of things.
Next cones the celebrated Attornev-
Wha can be expected fron, him He is
certainly not well calculated to do his du-
ty. in him also, the administration finds AN
enemy. Instead Of zeaouslv discharging the
trust rcposed in him, and attending strictly
to his duty, he has for some time past, been
necessarily clamourIng against the measures
OF Government; wantony rcvilDg a man
ILL