The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-21

hSNSI fVuna tiySeit SO fhuCh Al q loss to
form a Judgment OF what the nation ought to,
do, or what part ought to act. No man.
then hope, viii lave more confidence i'm
the soiidity of amp thing / may suggest, than
have myself. ,,le
irevere the upright and enlightened gene
raj sense OF our American Nation. 1t is ne
verthe!ess capable, like all other nations, of
general prejudices and national errors. A.
niong these Iknow not whether there is any
more remarkable than that opinion, so uni
versai, that it is in our power to bring foreign
nations to our terms, by Withholding chr
commerce. Nhep the executive snd leris-
lative authority @! any Nation. especially in
the old governments and great powers of Eu-
rope, have adopted measures, upon delibe-
ration, and published them to the world. they
cannot recede, without deep humiliation
and disgrace, in the eyes of their own sub
lJects, as well as all Europe. They will
therefore obstinately adhere to them, at the
expence even otgreat sacrifices. and in def
ance OF great dangers. In IVA, Congress
appeared almost unanimously sauguine, that
ch-imPortaeon and non-consumption as
sociatIon, would procure an immediate re-
peal Of Acts of Parliament & ROYAL. Orders
went heartily along with the rest i'm all
these measures, because knew, that the
sense OF the nation, the public opinion i'm all
the Colonies required them-and did not see
that they could do harm. But had no con
hdence In their success, i'm any thine, but
ansizng the american heohie. L expressed
tnls OPINION freelyto some of my friends, par
,cuia"y to hfr Henry, of Virginia, and to
Mayor Rdzviey, of Massachusetts. These
two, and these only, agreed with me in cni.
mon, that.we must fight after all. We found
oy experience, that a soar Of eight years,
| IN addition to all our Resolutions, was ncces
sary-and the aid of France, Spain and Hol
| land too, before our purposes could be accom-.
| piished. Do we presume that we can excite
lnsurrection, Rebellion aud a Revolution in
England! Even Revolution would be no
6cnefitt to us. A Republican government in
Engiana would be more hostile to us than
the monarchy is. The resources of that coun-
try are sogreat: their Merchants, Capitalists
SSprincipal Manufacturers are so rich that
| they can employ their manufacturers & store
their productions tor long time, perhaps
longer than we can or will be ar to hoard ours
LII 1874 upon these principles, and for these
reasons, / thought it my duty to decide in Sc
nate against Mr.. MADIsoN's Resolutions as
they were called, & have seen no reason TO
alter my opinion since t l own, l was sorry
when the late nonimpoitation law passed.
| When war with England was seriously an
prehended III 1894, Iapproved of an Embar-
go as a temporary measure to preserve eur
seamen and property; but not with any ex-
pectatlon that 1T would influence England. I
Thought the embargo which was laid wear
ago, wise and prudent measure. for The
same reason, VIZ. to preserve our seamen &
as much OF our property as we could eetin .
but not with the faintest hope that il would
lnhnence the British councils At the. same
Tune, confidently expected, that it would
oe raised IN a few months | have not cen
sured any OF these measures, because knew
L +
but think the nation must soon be CONVINCED
that they Will not answer their expectations.
| ne Emoa"go and the Non Importation la VS.
think ought not to last long. They will,
lay such foundation of Ctisaffection to the
Na.iehal u government as will give great un :
easlness to Mr.. jEFFERsoN's successor. and
Will produce such distractions and confusi
ons as shudder to think of The naval Sc
military force to carry them into execution
WOULD MAINTAIN war. Are you then for war
| you viii ask? will answer Won candidiv :.
think a war would be less evil than RICO
rous enforcement of the embargo and Non
| intercourse But we have no necessitv tn de
clare war against England OF France or both.
we may raise the Embargo, repeal the nom
| Importation, authorize our merchants to arm
their vessels; give them special letters of
Marque to defend themselves against all un
lawful aggressors; and take, burn OF DESTROY
| al Vessels, OF make prize OF them, as Ene-
mics, that shall attack them In the mean
time, apply all our resources to build frieates ):
some III every principal sea port These fri
gates ought not to be assembled in anv one
port, to become an object of hostile expe-
dltion to destroy them. They should be Sc
parated and scattered as much as possible
froP New Orleans to Passamaquoddy.
never was fond of the plan of building line or
battle ships. Our policy is not to fight soua
drohs at sea; but to have fast sailing fri
gates, to scour the seas, and make impress;
ops OF the enemies commerce and in this
way we can Go great things. Our great sea
ports and most exposed frontier places ought
not to be neglected in their Notifications
but cannot see for what purpose an hun
dred thousand militia are called out, nor WHY
we should have SO large an army at present.
ne Revenues applied to these uses would
be better appropriated to building frigates.-
we may depend upon it, we shall never be
respected by Foreign powers, until they see
That we are sensible OF the great resource
which the Almighty, in his benevolent Pro
violence, has put into our hands. No nation
under the sun has better materials. archi-
teCts, or mariners for respectable maritime
power have no doubt ourpeopIe, when they
see a necessity, will cheerfully pay the taxes
necessary for their defence, and to support
their Union, Independence, and National ho
nor.-When our merchants are armed. if
! they are taken, they cannot blame the on