The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-28


had voted for the embargo, announced in
his place, u DISCRIMINATION to move for the
repeal OF the embargo laws, with the further
intention OF passing a law to allew merchant
vessels to arm in their defence. j then be
lieved, and subsequent events lave confirm
cd the opinion, that this motion wosld have
prevailed. unless some other measure, con-
nected with the repeal of the embargo, by
that Congress, should be proposed and IA
doptcd. believe, and still think, that a
majority was then determined to repeal
the la~ before the end of the session.-
Permit me TO refer you to a speech l had
rcnared in support OF my resolution, bn'
whiCl,l was prevented, by indisposition, from
delivering during the Iii cussion 1 publish
itnow as it was then written, that you may
judge OF the motives whica governed my con
duct. That mcr,Lcr OF tine resolution which
authorised the issue of letters ct marQue and
reprisal was rejected by 4 great maj Gritty
IHe member, which related tothe repeal of
the embargo, was retained, and the blank
which l had intended to fill with the 1st of
June was filed with the 4th Of March. In
stead of adopting my proposition to grant
letters of narque and reprisal, it was pro-
posed to permit merchants to arm in their
own defence and another proposal was SUBJ
mitted, authorizing merchant ships to lie
capture vessels which might be taken -
III my former letter l stated, some obicc-
tions to the prOpriety of arming merchant
men, when the nation was not avowedly at
war, and there are additional consideration
of great weight, which confirm my original
opinions on that subject. 1t would not only
put it in the power of individuals to involve
us in war with the nation, against which their
prejudices might mere particularly prevail,
but this power, from the unhappy facility
Occidental to all commercial states) with
which foreigners can avail themselves of the
use ct oui. 1ag, be extended to persons, not
citizens of the United States. Either of the
nations, whose Scts we complain of, would in
this name be furnished with ample means
to embroil MS with its adversary. Convinced
as every man must be, that interest as we'll
as inclination, would prompt Great Britain
and France to take advantage of this state
of things, to promote their several views, il
cannot be doubted, but that their agents
Would be s~mmediately in motion. We should
then witness the degrading spectacle OF the
american flag, an instrument In the hands
Oh foreigners, to eifecta purpose, which should
never result, but from the mature delibera
ton g solemn decision Of the American PEG
pie Nor would it assist mercantile i~nteres,.
The mere merchant would not arm to obtaina
protection which he could purchase at small
er expence, and ii by the payment Of tribute
he could pursue his with more
safety and with not more eXpcDce, he would
not often be tempted by the consideration Of
national iudi gnity, TO prefer the more ha-
Zardous enterprize-By this measure our
trade would be resumed with those nations
whose ouSrages apd M neutral restrictions
we have pledged ourselves to resist, and
under circumstances OF great national dcg.a-
dation. We should virtually r%e.inquish our
national sovereignty by submitting 10 taxati
on and tribute we should acknowledge the
supremacy of nations whoprcsume 70 dictate
to US the manner Of exercising our rights !;
and we should return in fact, 70 the conditi.
on of colon es, by surrehdering the monopoly
of our trade at the mandate of 4 foreign go
vernment.
A strong conviction that the embargo would
be repealed Internationally, Oh upon terms
which i considered still more eXceptionable
than an unqualified repeal, induced me to aC-
quiesCe In the non-inte:course law. With
me 1T was Not a measure OF choice, but of ne
cessity. Deficient as it is, / believe it to
be preferable to measures which would O.
therwise have been embraced. IF it be not
the most effcctual kin of resistance, at least
il is not submission.-1t reserves for the de-
cision of the people by their representatives
in the next congress, the question, Of what
course viii most probably conduce to the
maintenance of interests. deservedly most
dear to them 1t opens our commercial in
tercourse with every part of the world except
France and England, their colonies and de-
tendencies, or places in the actual p~ossessi-
onef either.
For myself, from the the moment the ag-
gressions on our commerce and sovereignty
began TO assume that serious aspect, which
they have since borne, / nave admitted but
one opinion /; ] believed that our rights, ho-
nor and independence were assailed AS a
freeman, as your representative, my deter
minatIoD was instantly taken, to resist 70 he
last extremity. Three alternatives were be
fore us, War, Embargo, or submission
The last was spurned as unworthy a high
spirited people. Embargo was resorted to
as combining the effects of precaution and
coercion. In its former character, we have
had sufficient experience OF its efficacy, to be
satisfied with the consequences in the latter,
although enough was effected to evince
its cogcncy, entire success has not attended
it. You all know why and how it failed, ard
will not be surprised, that the men whose OPP
position very materially contribu'e ed to its
failure, should from that circumstance, de-
duce an argument to proveits original incom-
potency. =
The question, ofhow far our resistance to
the invasion of our rights shall be carried,
which is yet to be decided, does not involve
the single consideration OF our countries ho-