The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-28
mo. 100.

1900 ~
the temptation iSneces sarily held Quito those
who conld neglect the dictates OF Lmcraiity,
and violate their duty To thoir country, at
the instigation Of ~avarice. a strong motive
was thus furnished tn these who originally
approved the measure. to desire its a5.sadon-
nient. and an argument was supplied to rs
opponents. At The meeting of Congress,
aone difference OF opinion prevailed as 60 the
duration which should he given TO the EN-
barge; some gentlemen thought ti,atit should
not be extended beyond the Al, OF March, o.
theirs the LIST of June, but none, l believe,
contemplated lis continuing after the next
meeting OF Congress, which lit was then cx-
pected, would be in December; bat every
dictate of common sense and sound policy,
required that its utmost limit should not be-
promulgated. The period OF ats most active
operation as a ~coercive measure was then
arrived, and Co announce the determination
ot removing the pressure at Il fixed and no
remote dav, would have been TO prepare those
against whom it was directed, by every in
Clement of interest and feeling, to await it's
removal without yielding. It would have,
been simply to say, we can 5ear the embar-
so un;it sTrh Il day, IL you can hold out un-
I'll tier. the victory vii! be yours. Much OF
the dissatisfaction excited against this mea-
sure is, regret to believe, Justly asCribables
to the influence If British intrigues. To OBJ
tain the election Of 4 President, whose poll
tics might better suit their vic VS. shan those
OF Mr.. Madison, was a primary incentive to
their active Interference with our domestic
affairs. On the failure of this attempt, to
fonent the discentents against the embargo,
and wrest its repeal from the government.
by exciting CLEANERS and almost resistance.
was the next step. Ole of the boldest fea-
lures of this attempt to direct our policy.
was the publication at Boston, bye British
agcnt. OF a letter FROM Mr.. Canning to our
minister at london. The purport of this
letter was, to misreprescnt the conduct of
our government, in it's negotiation saith G.
Britain, and TO convey an insinuation that the,
offer, contained in the extract which have,
quoted from Mr.. Pinl.ney's letter, was made
on the personal responsibility of our minis
ter. rs this letter was not adapted to an
swerany purpose, except in this country.
we may fairly conclude from thence, as we'll
as from the manner of its publication, that
it was solely intended to operate here. A
copy ofthe letter had been, for a short time.
in the possession OF oar administration, hut
the publication of it was suspended, at Mr..
rinSney's request, until his reply could ac-
company it: both have since been published.
There is not one ofyou, / trust, who does
not feel indignant at the recital of this inva-
sion OF our right toregulate our own affairs,
a right as valuable as any we owe to the re-
vo!urion. To the success OF these i~ntrigues
~ I'c''NN''i6 oD'bsIbioi " lttS ciHO1TpO, 10
the numerous evasions ofthat law and to the.
credt'ouS reliance of the British ministry Oh
the result of the Spanish commissions, muck
OF their pertinacity, in adhering to their Or
dcrs in council, may be fairly attributed
AS early rs December last, there was q.
general understanding AMONG the republicans
members of Congress. trat the embargo
should not be continued logger than the first
OF June. In January. a Law was passed for
assembling Congress in May. and it was un-
d~erstood tn be for the purpose Of repeating,
the embargo, and to make the necessary
preparations for asserting our rights By arms.
These, j am authorized to state, were the
motives OF the republicans generally, in yo-
ting for the law Some very respectable
republican members voted against it. but.
with them it was a prevalent opinion, that.
the embargo should not continue beyond the
first OF June. &C a very small number thought
OF extending it TO September. After the pas
sage of this law asd the public declaration
OF its supporters, as to their object in pas
sing it, should be known in Europe, no fur
ther advantage could, Of course, be expect.
Ell from the embargo, as n measure of coer-
ciun. Its duration being limited and defined.
those OIL whom it acted, had every induce
rnent to sustain its pressure and await it's
termination. Nomotiyc then remained Will,
us tor its continuance, but to preserve onr-
p''PS'ty III ScdllSl, IOr All event WHICH,
1T appeared to be the general sentiment.
could not be much longer deferred, the COM
mencement o: offensive measures 10 assert:
our rights.
Information, however, soon after reach
ed us, that the violations of the embargo.
had become so frequent, as to make itcerta!n
that Great Britain, the nation which had
more materially injured us, was receiving
very considerable supplies Of our produce.
Eight ships sailed at one time from the lit
tie port of Jersey, in N. Jersey, loaded with
cotton, the article, for. want Of which.
the British manufactures were more espe-
cialiy suffering. Many vessels escaped from.
New-England. Immens quantities of A
meriean produce, not only of the neighbor-
ing states, but also of the cotton and tobacco
OF the south, were collected in Canada. rea-
dy to be shipped to Great Britain. as soon
as the river st. Lawrence should be frees
from ice. On the southern limit of our ter
ritory, the same game was playing to AN g.
quail extent. Twenty British ships had been
seen at one time, within the Spanish iu,is-
diction, on our southern frontier, loading
with, and expecting cargoes Of American
produce. These ships were, in general. strong