The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-07

uS. XItsQ VIC lsttSSCUlSO
our Intended operations against S;onlt, we
should not have been able To have begun our
retreat before the Gath or 25.h, one or two
daysafler we did begin it,, IN that space of
time the enemy would lave brought up a
very large body of force, and interposcd it
between us and the coast; for though We re-
treated ON the night of the Esd, we found
the enemy OH the coast almost as soon as our
selves; and SirJ. Moore says, in his first
dispatch. that though "the enemy's infat,-
try have not come up. they are near, and the
cavalry is round us in great NUMBERS"
1t was rumored that part of the Marquis
de Romana's rear guard had been cut off
but as Sir John Moore says nothing Of it, we
trust the report is untrue-Wc should have
been glad, however, to have seen in the first
Gazette, accounts published relative to the
operations in Spain, some tribute paid to the
conduct of the Marquis and the brave troops
under his command. The information Of
the advance of the French from Madrid,
came from the Marquis. But not the least
mention is made of his corps.
| We lay before our readers, to-day, two do
cnn:snts of considerable Importance, OF i'm
portance only inferior to that of the intclli-
gence from our armies and from Spain. One
OF these documents, is the report of a COM
mittee of the American Legislature, upon
that part ct the Presidents speech, which
relates to the relations Of the United States
with France and Crest Britain the other
isa document from the American govern
ment, upon which further and more eff
Client measure is to be founded by Congress.
for enforcing the embargo 1t has been al
ready seen. by the extracts we published
yesterday, that the embargo is not ONLY not
to be repealed. but that it is to be rendered
more etfectual, and that another measure is
to be superadded, Non Intercourse Act
both with Great Britain and France.
The two branches of the American Lee
gislature followed somewhat different roads,
though both ended in the same point. The
Senate entering into a discussion of the mo-
ton for Repeal OF the Embargo, which
lasted from the 21st of November to the Cd
OF December, negatived the motion by a ma
lority of IS against 6, above four to one and
immediately afterwards appointed commit
tee, which proposed a bill for the more eff
cacious enforcement Of the embargo.--This
! iii, there was no doubt, would be passed.
| me House OF Representatives referred the
different resolutions proposed upon the sub
Ject OF the Embargo to committee, to whom
that part OF the Presidents Message which
related to Foreign Powers was also referred
no ueeision upon the Embargo took place
before the committee reported. Previously,
however, to the report being made, Co
rerHment Member Mr.. Macon, lioved three
Resolutions, which were referred to the
committee, and which the committee ADOPT
ed in their Report. The Resolutions of the
committee, which we published yesterday,
and which we republish to- day, were agreed
to IN a committee of the whole House Upon
the report of them. debate of many DAYS
ensued. and though we have no account of
the termination of it, there was no doubt it
would end in the adoption by considerable
majority OF the resolutions of the committee,
and that 1t would be followed up by the
enactment of bill similar to that proposed
in the Senate
But the Non-Intercourse Act, though a
new measure, in fact does little or nothing :;
1t leaves affairs in no worse situation with
respect to this country than they were left
by the embargo. II shews, perhaps, a more
hostile disposition towards this country. but
as measure of real operative hostility, it
adds little or nothing to what was done "a
gaInst us by the embargo. Trade with this
Country was cut off by the embargo-nothing
more can be done by the act of Non-Inter-
course. 1t is something like the old adage, of
showing the teeth without being able to bite.
And this is the character and consequence
OF most of the American acts and regulate
ons against us. They evidently hs-e as, but
they dare not proceed to extremities they
wish TO shew that they are hostile to us, but
clley do not choose to declare war against
us !; they are fearful of coming to close
quarters but they are quite ready to cali
us names.at a distance. Nothing can be
more undisguiscd than their ills will to
US they are fearful of coming to close quar-
tiers, but they are quite ready to call US
names at distance. Nothing can be more
undisgused than i'll will towards US !; no.
thing can be more harsh and high sound
ing than their language !; and when we
read the speeches of the members of
Congress, and the writings of American Po-
iiticians against us, we are prepared to eX-
pect nothing less than war, open determined
war. But they all end in some measure
more calculated to inju:e themselves than
us--Sl this they say is taking dignifet po-
sltion-they called their embargo a proof of
the resistance they made to the measures
OF Great Britain and France, but when they
explained the measure through the medium
OF their ministers at Paris and at London.
they softened it down into mere internal
regulation, which ought not to give the bel
igerent powers any reasonable ground of
offence. The report of the Committee upon
which non intercourse measure is founded
introduced their resolutions by a declarati-
on that America cannot consistently with
her rights, honor and independence, submit
TO the edicts of Great Britain and France.
OF course it would be suspected that a de
termination FOR to submit would be followed
49, Il