The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-19

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power to show their zeal for the u. States
But we dread their decisions. Their lea
ders in Congress have already flown from
the high ground of reason and of right In
the Senate of the U. S. Pickering < Lloyd,
Hillhouse and Goodrich have voted against
the Resolutions Of Mr.. Giles, without offer
ing to urge word against them, thus nei-
Their daring To abandon nor to justify the
British Minister. In the House of Repre-.
Scntatives, we see the curious spectacle of a
party, lodging and wincing and throwing
every petty objection in the way to embar-
rass the proceedings-calling for papers,
which either cannot be official or which
are utterly irrelevant to the subject before
them. -
Under these circumstances it is incumbent
upon every friend of our rights, to rally "a
round the government. No exertions should
be spared--Not nerve should be relax.
ed. Let every man be at his post.
The question IS, what steps are we to take
to vindicate our rightsi To meet the ae.
gressions of the European belligerents. To
relieve our commerce from the embarrass.
mcnts which enthral it
Shall we do nothing; leaving our com.
merce and rights 10 shift for themselvess
Shall we remain as roe are-with the
partial Nop-Iptercourse alone on our statute
books.
Shall we retaHate upon the belligerents
According to the Resolutions of Mr.. Troup
Shall we adopt one of the Alternatives,
which are stated in the letter of the Score.
tary of the Treasury. reinstatine the
system of restriction, partially abandoned,
In all its parts and with all the provisions
necessary for its strict and complete execu-
ton?
OR, shall we resort to other, and encr-
getic modes of resistance.
These are the principal alternatives, pre-
sented to rs. Let US dismiss them with a
few observations upon each.
!. Should we rescind our present Non In.
orcourse regulations and do nothing, what
will be the result! Insults the most gross
and aggressions the most alarming, will be
submitted to. Our rights OIL the high seas
will be abandoned to the caprice and usur.
patton OF bel!igerents. And as .. submission
never set bounds to encroachments," every
vestige of our commerce may be sacrificed
to the subsequent Orders of the British go
vernment. For as to France, she has too
dear an interest in the multiplication of neu-
trail bottoms, not to employ greater circum-
spection ard forbearanCe in her attacks up
on the " Li6erte de Mer." the Liberty of
the Seas-Cur national homer will become
furnished in the eyes of the world.
And where that honor is but another name
for the vndicatisn of our dearest rights, it
should be az precious to us "as the ruddy
drops that warm our hearts" In this def
milton or the term, let US have the pride of
saying with Francis the 1st. a. we have lost
eveLy thing but our honor" How much this
precious principle has already been tarnish.
ed by the imbecility of the panic-struck 10th
Congress, it is not for me to say-but it is
for the present Congress of the U. States 70
be warned of the folly of their predecessors
2. Let ns remain as ne are. with the
partial Non intercourse alone on our statute
books, the results must be obvious to every
observer. The Secretary of the Treasury
assures ms truly, that the provisions of this
act, " particularly as modified by the act of
last session, under, an expectation, that the
orders Of council of Great Britain had been
revoked, are inefficient and altogether inap-
piicable to existing circumstauces-that ex-
Portation by land is not forbidden, and no
bonds being required from vessels ostessibly
employed in the coasfing trade, nor any au-
thority vested by law which justif.s dcten-
ton, those vessels daily sail for British ports
without amy other remedy but the precari-
Gus mode OF instituting prosecutions aga nst
the ahharent ozvners."-The consequence
is, that knaves will be getting rich at the
expence OF honest uen The upright mer-
chant, who observes the laws of his country,
VIII Carry on acircuifous trade, and his car
go will be burthened with additional freight,
commission and expences-on the contrary,
the dishonest smuggler, who sails direct to
U. Britain. is able to undcrsell him in all
the markets.
These arguments prove irresistible, when
they are taken in conjunction with the new
orders, which are said to be about to be is
sued by the British Cabinet. These have in
view, to interdict our produce from going
from ffrtuitons ports to England unless in
British ships or in our own with Bri-
fish liccnses-6ut to admit them when going
direct from the US. We shall say nothing
OF the morality of an order which tempts
our own people to violate the laws of their
country. 1t is sufficient for us to ask, in the
words OF Mr.. Madison's despatch to Mr.
PinkRey OF July 18th, 1908, " ruhat would be
the charge against the u. States, if they were
by proclamation, to invite British subjects,
those too expressly and particularly prohibi
ted froa, leaving their country, to elude the
prohibition, OF to attempt by interested in.
ducements, smuggling violation OF evasion
OF laws, on which G.. Britain Pounds so mate
rial part of her national policy" This
question goes home TO the conscience of the
British Cabinet. They will not feel it
but our trade and our laws will feel it, il
7pe continue as zoe now are.
8. Shall we take up Mr.. Troup's resoluti-
ons, and attempt to play off their owr
weapons upon the belligerents---return the
contents Of the poisoned cbalice to their owr
lips" That we have the right to retaiatt