The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-24
Du.nsBlir.
COMMERCE AND PATRIOTISM.


are now loading in the Delaware, with car
goes for England direct. in contempt of the !
laws OF the land, and to the disgrace of the !
public morals. I
we do not think that in state OF depra-
witty SO extensive, that it is rendering exact /
justice or service to direct public attention |
against single object, or a single house. or |
sinSte emp; the spirit of prohigacy is so
general, that nothing less than the interposi
ton OF che great mass of the nation, by is
representatives in congress, can save the
country from such a vortex of vice and ha. |
bitual turpitude, which has encreased, that |
we shall become detestable in the eyes of the |
world, and degraded from a conviction OF our |
depravity in our own eyes. !
Nor is the effect of this depravity conf.
mad to British agents, Tor these come hither
not to render credit but discredlt to our iaws
not to 40 us honor or advantage, but for their
own proht; with British agency the system
OF england is In their eyes, an example eve
ry where ODE followed ;perjnry, smuggling,
forgery OF papers, fraud on the revenue.
false packages. false invoices, and all the
circle OF iniquitous impositions, and aoan- |
document OF morals and honor, are the IA pil5 |
ar Practices IN England The government
OF England, by orders If couacii, and by the
proclarnations of their colonial governments
openly invite the citizens of the u States
violate the laws, and hold out premiu,us for
their oisSrace !; and we have seen in the case
t roger ana Others which we publ d
few days since, tina there are Americans
capable OF as much depravity as any E.ng-
lishmen anon us or any other co,ntrv 10
deed when the state of Massachusetts h, ;+s
leg, stature, recommended hostility to the es.
ltablished law OF the land when a sen,tor
OF the United States was so corrunt 40 t
stand up the advocate and apoloeist of e,
reign outrage, the turpitude of the British
gents appears to bear a shade less execratIe
upon the comparison.
Nor is the evil confined to these limits rho
unfortunate inflammation of the tenth conrre.s
has furnished at once an ercnse and a nm.
dtton OF the violation of law
Many who violated the public laws. pro-
duce the fdntc struck repeal of the embar
go, as an evidence of its injustice, others now
md an excuse in that hanic struck ACT for
entering into measures to evade or violate
the inefficient law which was substituted for
the embargo
And the lawyers, like the vultures near
helds OF battle, are ever ready to Come in
and lend their talons to demolisb the fab,;c
OF law when once it has received a wound s.
teed upon the torn carCases of the body which
su.tains them.
The contamination extends to the officers
OF the .goVeinment-constitu like othe,.
men, OF unequal portions of faculty and in
tegrity--hke other men, as liable to be
perated On by tear, interest, or favor; the
INDIGESTION OF Congress has extended the inf.
yuatlon or encouraged the vices of many of
them.
In our sea-ports the courts sit which ara
to try cases of violation of law; the iuries
are composed in many instances, of persons
concerned IN similar frauds, we have seen
cases In which the relations OF the defendants
were inpannelled as jurors-and could
from the complexion of the jurors, as clear
~ set down the verdict before the case way
opened, as after the picadings were clo-
sed.
We have been informed OF cases in which
officers OF the government were themseIves
implicated as participators in the profits
arising from breaches of the law
single out one man, one ship or one
mouse, or one lawyer, or one officer of the 60
vesnment, would nevertheless we think he
not merely unjust, but futile !; the remeay i,
above; congress possesses the power to de-
are and provide means for enforci,e the
law; but 1t is not by such imbeciiiy or in
a1uation as was exhibited by the zenith con.
gIe9s: tnat Viiiainy Can De rePressed, or pub
iic officers taught to fluff their duty wb,n
the representatives of the poop c are unfarth |
ful, or which IS in effect the same thIsg |
when through fanic, false or erroneon,
Information, or true knowledge of their
trust, and the best method of fulfilling il |
they desert or betray their duty the hum |
pier officers OF government calculate upon
lmpunity for their criminal fralties, & vel
them under prete ded imbecilty, uncer-
tainty, or ignorance.
1t IS now admitted on all hantis-eyen |
by the infatuated part Of the tenth congress.
that the most fatal MEASURE ever adopt ID, |
since the foundation of American indepen |
oence, was the reveal of the embargo il is !
now clear that it has done us no good. that |
IL mas neither procured us justice nor res |
peCt. ana IS as Certain to every man of COM
mon 'ense, that had it been Continued for
SIX months longer that we rhould now have
a tree and unobstructed commerce with all
the world
The eramfie Of congress, is as much az
the ia"--if ihat body is wavering, so will |
the people, but particularly the public Off
GERS; 1t this congress on the other hand
acts with decision and dignity worthy of |
the nation, and hey have in the history of
the Old congress an example and a Dreccpt
the neople will cling 20 the laws and to the
congress, and treason and traitors will dis.
pcar."..furora.
Ihc ehTi augustus ChcUer, has orriDsd
at Fsatem in So days from DFatta Mr. ia
sem Austin, Of Boston, dhasSenper in ber.
fVorms fhaf tie 6fediterra1ean is NH ri
FTfnch frtUateers, which c0hture eyerD
'9mcr'eaH Uessci Mey .fid, 6nt, that nost
" mem are recovered for their Owners 6v
H. I'LL n /