The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-10

Slns 70 the industry O! the country.
The Fact therefore is upquestionable, that
:osi, France and England have felt serious
jJdcInvcnience from the loss Of our trade
shal ever bel eve thst England would
gladly have relieved hereof by accepting
.!e very advantageous proposition offered by
U'e administration but for the unfortunate
t'visionS among ourselves. 1t was proposed
70 renew cnmmefciai intercourse with he
and Continue NE embargo against France,
IpraYilel She would revoke her orders in
%co"acIl This offer removes so compicteiy
the ground for issuing those orders, that one
can scarcely believe it las been rejected.
lt proved the embargo as to England, owed
i.s origin and duration TO her own act, and
hat its Cessation depended upon herself. 1t
"nt on all supplies from France, and thus
answered most perfectly to the object she
PROGRESSED Il placed the United States at
once in collision with france, which nnus,
ultimately have terminated in war unless
she ieiinqiushed her decree. Il proved that
instead Of cooperating with France in what
Mr.. Canning calls the blockade CT the con-
uincnt, we ~cre ready to continue oGr inter
course er~ct4a'Uety~ England should that
sNstenbe adhered to. lift couid be presun,-
ed the United States would nor a!To,,l pro-
lection to thei- destined 70 Eng.
land against French cruisers, it offers no a.
pclogy fer the British government, because
thci? pcrts being open the Ships of that natl
on would 'mmcdi 'tely become their Carriers
and reap the profits themselves. The adni
nistration could nj more clearly evincc its
sincere desire FOR peace with England than
BY excluding from this proffer all previous
subjects ef difference, and reserving them for
atNicab,s discussion
Great Britain has never rreteuted that
she was justified either by previous injuries
InA~r sl@. IL
fons, to interdict oar trade not only with
France, but with the. whcle of Europe. uu-
less it had first passed through a British
port, and paid an exTnrt dmey neaslv eiaa! 10
the value OF the Cargo; she has offered the
apology and rested her justification upon ne
cesslty, the right OF retaliatiug on France
the injury she would feel from the enforce
ment against neutral NATIONS Of the French
DEGREES, prohibiting their lawful
with England SurelV it will be admitted
II the United States should continue to trade
with herin direct opposition to those deccees
they cannot be considered as acquiescing or
TaIrlv required to do more Every preteXt
OF attack is taken away ; yet this is in sub
stance the offer made to the British. But
when | consider how infinitely beyond the
rational limits prescribed by the rights of
retaliation she has venrured, that instead
OF b~iockadlng France and shutting us from
that Country, we are driven virtually from
all the important ports of the world, and
subjected to the most rigid system of colo
niSstion, | am convinced .dmerica is the OBJ
ject marked out for destruction.
A. the meeting of Congress we were in
formed of he failure of the negotiation for
peace it was to have been expected the re-
Election of terms so fair and honorable, cvin-
cling the most unequivocal disposition for
peace, and at the same time an equal deter
mination TO defend our rights against France
if relieved from the odious shackles of the
orders OF council would have united all par
ties and merged all differences of opinion in
resentment for our injured country. In this
have been disappointed while the most
hollow and insinccre pretcXts @. the British
government have been readily admitted, the
plainest evidencesof sincerity on cur part,
have encountered the most obstinate incrc
dulity OF party spirit the contemplate glory
of defeating political opponents, has BEEN
sufficient motive for enfcebling ;he national
arm, and e~ndangering The existence Of the
confederation. sit hen surprising Engiaud
should persevere, when she finds her oujr.-
GcS the means of dividing the American peo-
pie? When the injuries She has inflicted
are studlously concealed or shamefully per
verted, and the most TEMPERATE Indication of
resentment and the mil!est precautioD &.
Sainst danger on our part are magDihcd into
the most serious provocalionsf
If instead of this 'humiIiatirg condition, we
were united. anxious for peace, Conscious of
the value Of the union, reposing rational
confidence in the views and policy o. each
other, considering the interests of the Uni
ted States identified (as they really are) de-
termined to defend them by force if they
were not protected by Justice. our rights
would have been respected, and our peace
preserved. What will be the establishment
of the world to find additional injuries are
necessary TO awaken our indignation nay,
that we arc called on to pi opitiate the enc
any by repeating municipal regulations, cal
culated solely to preserve op property from
pinnder, and afterwards rely upon his Gle
nency There was a period in our history
when such spiritless condescension would
neither bave been recommended by our own
citizens or expected by our foes.
France was required to revoke her decree
violating our commercial rights without of
ieriDg To remove the embargo as to her,
aEd Continue it in force against England. 1t
Cannot be denied that this proposition was
less advantageous than that made to her e.
reny; this fact is sufficiently manifest to
destroy the suspicious CT an improper parti-
atty, which has been used TO infiame the
public mind /; | however think the dis.
%tinctioA was such an one as the act of Con