The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-16


whole subject to any of them. sha all take arc.
Intercourse. ChiefJustice Ellsworth is no more. |
can no longer appeal to him. It could, 7
would say no more than the truth, but it would be
more than shall now say; and 1 aver that his !
representation to me was tho direct reverse OF
Harhton's dogmaticsl assertions. Governor |
Davie still lives, and to him appeal with conf.
dence. Hedeciaredto me, that to judge of the |
conduct OF the American government, both ip
their naval and other preparations for war, and iii
their political and diplomatic negotiations upon
that OCCASION, man must go TO Europe, where it |
genius, hrmness and wisdom. III represent the |
Governors expressions in stronger terms than
those he used, ! request him to correct them.
In England, know the Anti acob;n Journal a
bused us, and SO did Mcdonald, Goblet. Smith,
and every ,Briton in Europe and America. who
wished Us at war with France, and in alliance
with Eng'a But even in England ell the So
Der part of the nation applauded us, and that to
such degree, that it soon became the popular
cry, We must initiate the United States of A.
mercs, change our ministers, and make peace"
Accordingly they did soon change their ministers
and make peace at Amens. -
Mr.. Liston. whose character respect, had
run through long course of diplomatic expert
ence in various courts and countries in Europe,
from q secretary of legation and charge des az
fares to the grade of minister plenpotentiary, &
thence to that of ambassador at Constantinople,
was probably better judge than Mr. Hamilton,
who had no experience at all in any diplomatic
station, and who, dare to say, had read very lit
tie ON the subject of diplomatic Functions, and
still less of the history of embassies or of the
printed dispatches OF ambassadors, Mr.. Listen,
# any body, knew what would procure honor to
nation or government, and what disgrace:
what would raise the dignity, or what depress it
what was triumph, and what humiliation.
Now affirm, that the first time Mr. Liston
saw me after he had been informed of the com
munications Of the French directory, through
Falleyrand, Mr. Pichon and Mr.. Murray, he said
to me these words-'sIo sphar humiliation spiX
! not these Fyenchnen stoop, to afpease you? Tan,
very sorry for it opvn, did hope they syouid
hape Sone to spar with you.'' I smiled, but made
! no answer wanted no proof of the sincerity
OF this declaration. doubted not the sincerity.
OF his wish, more than did that Of Mr.. Canning
and his associates in the the Anti acobin, who,
upon receiving the news OF Mr.. Murray's noini-
nation, proclaimed that Jacobinism was trium.,
phant and carrying all before itin America. They
| could not, or would not distinguish between ia
| coblnlsm and neutrality Every thing with them
was Jacobinism, except a war with France and
| an alliance with Great-Britain. They all painted
tor war between the United States and France
as sincerely, though hot SO ardently as ALEXAN-
DER HAMILTON. . r., - .-,
There were not wanting iusinuatoris and in.
stgations to me, to confer with Mr.. List6n on the
subject OF AN alliance with Great Britain And
Mr.. L. himself repeatedly suggested to me, in
very modest and delicate terms, however, has
readiness TO enter into any explanations on that
head. always waved it with as easy a polite
ness as could. But my systenwas determined,
and had been so for more than twenty years, that
Is, to enter Into no alliance with any power in
Europe. In case of war with England, would
| not enter into any alliance with France. In case
OF war with France, would not form any alli-
ance with England We want no alliance: we
are equal To all our own necessary wars
90 Non taE auNiio, nee defensoribus fstis, rem.
| pHs cyet." We might aid and be aided by pow
! or at war with our enemy and might concert o.
perationS from time to time ) but / would,take
no engagementthat should tie up our hands from
making peace whenever we pleased. Had the
war with France continued, might have been
drawn by the force OF public opinion, or the in
auence of the legislature, into an alliance with
England but it would have been against nv own
Judgment and inclination
| Let me conclude this letter with an anecdote.
Dr.. Franklin told ME, that before his return to A.
merica from England, i'll 1775, he was in compa.
ny, believe, at Lord Spencer's, with a number
or English noblemen when the conversation tur-
ned upon fables, those of IFsop, La Fontaine,
Gay, Moore, &c. &c. Some one of the compa.
ny observed. that he thought the subject was ex-
hausted. He did not believe that any man could
now find an animal, beast, bird, or fish, that he
could work into new fable with any success
'''u 'hO HhotS COMPANY aPpcarSu 10 the
idea, except Franklin, who was silent. The gen
tlemen insisted on his opinion. He SAID, with
Submission to their Lordships, he believed the
subject was inexhaustibIe, and that many new &
Instructive fables might be made out of such ma
ierials. Can you think of one at present? Ifl
your iordshp will furnish me pen, ink and pa
'Per, believe can furnish your lordship with
one IN few minutes The paper was brought,
and he sat down and wrote:
Once upon tiRc, an eagle scaling round far
mers barn, and espyIng hare, darted down I'D.
on him ike beam, seized him i'm his claws.
and re-mounted with him in the air He soon
found that he had creature of more courage & |
strength than hare, for which, notwithstanding |
the keenness of his eye-sght, he had mistaken a |
cat. The snarling and scrambling of the prey
was very inconvenent, and what was worse she |
had disengaged herselffrom his talons, crashed
his body with her four limbs, so as to stop his |
breath, and seized fast hold ofh. throat with her
teeth; Pray, said the eagle, let go your hold and
viii release you. Very fine, said the cat. I |
have no fancy to fall from this height and he |
crushed to death. You have taken me rp. and |
you shall stoop and let me down. The eagle |
thought it necessary to stoop accordingly. The |
moral was so applicable to England & America, |
that the fable was allowed to be original and high
~ sppiauded.
Let Hamilton say what he will, the French di. |
retory found it convenient to stoop and set us |
down on our honest ground of neutrality and i'm. |
partiality, as the English Eagle did formerly and
now does second time.
Quincy, May, 1909.
MESSAGE
From the pres;dent oftba TT c...o. ..---.. |