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

wAsnIncroN CITY, Feb. a7tA. 1863.

Six,
At the close of the last session of Con
grc:s You were informed of the hostile anc
nDprovokcd attack upon our AND
independence by France and England -
They had each, under the pretence OF injuY
ing each other, forbidden us to trade except
with themselves, and Great Britain las
since by act OF Parliament accompanied
thSt restriction by an enormous tax upon
every article exported from tie United
States and intendtd for a foreign market.
lt was ut once perceived that ihe Practical
operation of these measures threatened our
trade with total ruin, either by it's exposure
TO indiscriminatc plumber, or sudden limita
ton to asingle country. They presented us
tho choice CT submitting ta die unrsstrained
~avaricc of every freebooter, OF OF seeking:
shelter under the British navy, and paying
IS the price of that protection, q tribute upon
the whole produce CT tie soil. lf it were
possible for the people OF this country TO &C
cept a connecticn so shameiul in its nature
the ruinous Consequences would speedily APP
prize them of the fatal error 4 trade thus
shackled would impoverish the farmer with
out enriching the merchant ; thes momenta-
ry slamber of public spirit would be di,fur-
bed, and it would be vain for the votaries
of avarice, and the enemies of American in
dependence oinvite the uation to pursue the
pau o! GlSNCilot, ny me PROMISES Vi gam, at
the expcncc of freedom.
thought it prudent to select neither of
these evils that it WAS better to withdraw
from the ocean, place our country III Il state
of defence, and if driven to the necessity,
assert and defend our rights by force. 1t
was with these views | appreciated the
embargo, as the only means of preserving
peace and saving Our property; l hoped that
ingenious explanations, liberal propositions
from our government to France and Eng
land, and the pressure which would be felt
from the loss OF our commerce., would pro-
duce an abandonment OF their views against
us. can with truth affirm, this did not
proceed from sympathy in the cause of eli
ther, but by way of precaution against injuries
& to obtain justice from both. Altho' his mea-
sure hasnot accomplished the revocation ofthe
edicts which produced IT., it has nevertheless
effected the important objects Ct saving one
hundred million dollars OF property, & kept
us as vet ont oc the war. 1t is by no means
certain that resistance in another mode
would, nave been more etficacious upon our
enemies in the same time, while the consc-
9uenCes have been more disastrous 10
ourselves. The existing state of the world
when the embargo was laid rendered it a
strong weapon. The British minister him
self acknowledged it was well time1, and
all men who d!spassionately consider the
subject must admit it would lave given US
what we desired but for the events in Spain,
and the disturbances in this country, exag.
gerated and misrepresented by designing
men. Previous to these occurrences, the
most serious alarm prevailed in England !;
the stagnation of trade, the want If markets.
for their manufactures, and the consequent
want OF employment among the poorer elias
SEES, produced disturbances which we're ONLY
quoted by the arm of power at the point Of
the bayonet. The causes which gave rise To
the meetings of the weavers and mechanics
of Manchester and elsewhere, would have
spread through the nation they would not
al have been dispersed BY ordering the mi
htary to fire upon them. Atthat period, the
government of England became sensible of
the error it had committed and the suffer-
ings it had inflicted upon the people. Mea
sures were taken to quiet them bv raising
Etheir wages, a disposition was manifested -
make peace with US, and assurances given
in June and July to Mr. Pinckney that the
terms offered by our government would be
accepted.
The hope of settling our dispute, so ar
IDENTITY desired by the people of this country
was suddenly terminated by the ~intcxicati
On in England ut tue progress and success
of the Spanish revolution and tive intclli-
gence carried from the United Statcsby the
August packet. The forciable attempts of
a few %smugglers in Vermont, the proflgate
justification of the British government b.
1.-the newspapers, and the indiscreet zeal of
political partizans, were considered sYrlp-
toms Of instruction and dissolution of the
Union. From that moment they changed
their views, and since that period they have
ceased to treat US as a nation strong, united,
and capable of resisting their Injustice
Buoyed by the prospect Of ovcrthrow;ng the
government, all their measures have been
directed to our party divisions This is the
true reason why our embarrassments have
continued md explains the policy Of The Bri-
fish can't The impression If Tie go
vernment ard the preva ent pin on among
the people vas, that a luile perscvcr
auce would Cb,ige us TO submit aud Weld
to their attempt to tax US. The public
prints furnish ,amDle proofs upon this sub
ject, and it any thing more was wanting.
would refer you to the proclamation inviting
the citizens of the United States TO violate
the embargo laws, and insiructjng the COM
manders of their vessels to give them pro
lection. Nothing bat the infatuation Of party
spirit could reconcile a single individual t,
this shameful interference in our affairs II
IS severing the bond which unites all civilized
people (; and England in particular should
be Cautious, since it was this very principle.
laVowe0 in the famous decree nf the Fr.rrh