The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-24
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, MARCH "a, 1899.
NCoNsIsTENcIEs!t

The Inconsistencies of the federalists are
truly ridiculous. Doctrines are at one time
naintained-which, at another, are disa-
vowed in theory and abandoned in practice.
-Whcn certain opinions were calculated
to advance the interests of the party, they
were sound articles of faith-when these
principles happened to work against them.
they lost their value and their virtue-Thev
became the objects of proscription-instead
of applause.
The recent examples of this truth are
frequent and degrading.
we have seen men, pretending to be the
exclusive friend of abandonipp
It's beSt SiHe7v, our seamcn, to British i'm,
p~ressments.
we have seen men, pretending to be the
select champions OF the rights of navigation,
submitting to British encroachments UPON
our dearest rights, and approaching the 60
vernment for its noble resistance to these
death-like Entertainments.
We have seen the legislature of Msssacbu-
setts in '99. denying the right of the State
legislatures to c~riticiSe the acts of Congress-.
and Claiming this right exclusively for the
courts OF the u. States-and we have inst
seen the same body arraying itself in obbo-
Sltton to these very acts, by a direct law.
We have seen men, during the administra-
ton OF Jonn Adams, acting upon the principle
OF excluding all, but political favorites. from
Office we have heard Robert Goodloe Har-
per avowing this determination on the very
floor of Congress, during the session of 90
z. And we now see this very party in the
legislature OF Massachusetts, unbiushinglv
reProaching 1.-The present administrator
with having "~originated this spirit of pro
scrlptloiI. See a long aud elaborate adj
dress to the People of Massachusetts. of the
I'd inst. Astounding in similar misreprescnta.
tions-the professed aim of which is to ar.
ray the people of New. England en- nasse A.
5alnst tie southern states, by the bold as
%scrtioas that the farmers of the East have
different interests from the Planters of the
south, and that these last are decidedly hos
tile to the interests of commerce.
We have seen men, once arroratinq IN
themselves the exclusive title of " friends
q order" now assuming the prerogatives
OF Jacobins and DIsorganIzerS, and preach.
ing up an opposition TO the laws and consti-
tuted authorities of the country.
Amidst these fragrant contradictions, the
curious instances, which we are now to re-
cord, may appear almost too trivial to de
serve NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. though less i'm
portant than the rest, they are perhaps more
striking & convincing The annals Of parties
do not present a more conspicuous instance
or gross and Liberal contradiction.
Mr.. Gore in his report to the Legislature of
Massachusetts, of January IS, 1909, makes
this assertion "While it has been said.
that Great Britain is the ONLY nation that
upon, or otherwise given a sancti-
oil to -, (the rule of war Of 1860 the edicts
OF France. Groxi 1904 TO the hrcscnt dgy.
7oi4h tut small nterpaks ofdeUiation, either
IN principle or practice, declare the re-
verse"
Now mark the language OF this very Re-
porter in his letter TO Mr.. Madison IF No.
vember is, 1906, published along with the
congressional documents of 1860 i'm which
he lays before the Secretary of State. the
case OF the ship Indus, belonging to Boston.
condemned by the British court Of Admiral.
~ Tor a violation OF this assumed principle.
In this letter, Mr.. Gore has most triumphant-
ly exposed the unjust effects of this rule, and
ot the illegal conduct of England. lie makes
use ot the following unequivocal assertion:
= Inns principle was .frSI brought forward
in the war OF 1855, and was then ATTEMPTED
to DC supported by the doc, rines advanced
by Bynkershoop. Yen, SIR, to whom the wri-
tIugs OF this eminent. civilian are doubtless