The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-10
TIE ENQUIRER.
RIcHWoAo, N>BRUARY 10. let
RoR TIE ENQUIRER.

grcss on the 9Th instant, at which il was de
cidcd that the embargo shon,d be raised the
4th of March, except as TO England and
France (; as to them a non-intcrccurse that
al additional number OF troops be raise',
and that a loan he authorised OF S 10. ooo, 600
Admitting this to be ~ajact-ani We shall
Soal be able tn ascertain it by the measures
taken-tlis is a course that l could no where
Consent to.
The calculation, that youcan permit your
vessels to goto sea, and whilst ut sea, res
train them in their traffic, is void. II ;his
position wanted proof, it is amply foundi "a the
number Of American vessels. that have siSce
t',c embargo. t"en trading wild, British Ii
ccrccs. and in the deviation OF VOYAGES from
Norfolk To Boston by t~oiching IN the West
Indies. To the course above described, /
object, because it partakes of All the oijecti-
aiis off Tnore efficient plans. without any or in
considerable advantages.
Itis true that the dependencies of the Bel
~lgerents, even Holland, arc not included.
which Will leave you on paper, some respec-
table Commerce. But we are seeking a mea-
sure THAT is to cocrcc the bcliigcrcnts into
Justice. Tn plan proposed, II faithfully exc
cuted, aud We are to pressure, 1t has been
predicated ON that p~yeSu:npGon, cannot have
that effect. Yun transfer all the American
trade from England to the continent. Ad
nit this to be an efficient measure, 6 Rri
tain must on her system make a direct WAY
OF capture on this Nade; for she hcs told
you that she will take yoar vessels g.iag to
the continent, even though You allow her a
full participation in the commerce, nay more
when she is fattening on tl,at commerce, as
is proved by Barring and others. 1t is your
belief of that declaration which impe,is to
this very act. 1t is therefore demonstrabie
that this course ends inNYar, if executed &C
cording TO Its Import. liz "uat situation will
Iyoi and yourselvess The market OF Britain
hiied withrAmerican ARTICLES captured from
them. Your enemy m de rich by your own
you by that, much poorer. Goucorn
menced this contest in 1908 with full tTeasu-
Iiy, with the most ample supply Of foreign
iaiticles. In 1910 you will it
with an empty treasury, dependant on loass
to supply it, and when your former stores
arc exhausted.
This is called the gaining time. Now to
Fneit - exactly the reverse. Ii is ioosiIg ali
the Is months of contest we nave had. It is
acknowledging that we arc determined not
to SO TO war, which will be 10 small acces-
sion to the popularity of MIR. Canning, and
take as much from the American CnaraC-
ter.
Again, on the idea of gaining time, we
have this advantage, to be sure, that our
numbers increase daily, but great as that adj
vantage is, it will not compensate for every
other consideration, nor FOR the difference of
entering on the war with advantageous or
disadvantageous grounds, such as stated a
bove; much less will it pay the increase of
debt oT compensate for the loss ofpnblic spi
rit, which this plan is calculated TO produce,
whether you mean if as a public declaration
OF the great council of the nation, that the
people are not to be reused to war or only as
to the effect of representation.
Truly not on my own Judgement, but again
and again havel heard it\said, that at the
time OF the attack on the chesapeake, the
nation was ready for war !; that since they
had cooled off. VIII not the same effect take
place Row as to the orders of cpunciI ? You tell
the nation they arc not to go 70 war for them.
What will you tell them next wear. That
they must. If at your fat, the war propen
sity IS to rise and fall, then are YOU dcpriv.
ed OF your first motive that of the nation not
oethg ready for resistance Is it not rather
o be believed, Infatuated TO the idea OF Brj-
fish taxation, that the people will say after
enduring it for two years, had we not better
bear 1t yet a little longer, ani will not your
argument OF delay be as applicable then as
now, ndcoRsulting the course ofthc human
heart, you must say more congenIal 20 it's
ordinary workings?
But, suppose this plan should result in a
form OF trade elsewhere, whilst it was in re-
atty with O.. Britain. 1t is not necessar;
to consider the various ways by which it
could be effected. Somc are very ostensible.
a supply OF cotton may be sent to Britain bv
the means OF any of the Spanish or Portu-
Suese possessions. Pensacola, for example,
may take the place of Charleston and New
YORK, as shipping port, for cotton tobacco
too may be lodged there. Or, as our vessels
requireno papers to go directly for Britain,
they may clear out for some European port
OF the same nations, but not go there, except
IN their way home. Clearances for Tan
gers or Hamburger, and a market, nav
be rs common as that for Cowes, and a mar
k.t forfnerly was. What is TO prevent this +,
\ our laws operating in Europe, how are
you TO obtain the evidence? Shall | be told
that the patriotism Of the merchants viii
prevent It? | must be pardoDed for the
want OF confidence, since the experiment of
the embargo, and rs British consuls arc A.
merican merchants. Icannot, therefore. but
condemn q proposition which, whilst it pro
poses to gain time, loses it and which.
whilst it proposes to be neither submission
nor war, must eventuate demoustrably in
one or the other.
TO THE EDITOR o. the ENQUIRER.
SIR,
Two questions are now before the n. of