The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-17
mo. 81.

D' StiSkN hdN E lCNNtI
It. lPresume, that every man in the u.
States, will now admit, that n rebellion did
exist, and that the public safety was in Ian
ger: No constitutional objection coul,itherc-
lore exist to the bill, and when It's Hn.i,dti-
ons and directions are observed, which ap-
pear never to have been presented to pub
TIC notice presume posterior events will
nave demonstrated its proPriety in the OPT
niof. OF every candid M an of understanding
IN the community. What, Mr. President,
nave oeenthe consequences of its rejection?
i"u nave seen your Judiciary publicly heii
up tothe world as a spectacle of disgrace
you nave seen a jury sworn to try an issue
IN a criminal case, and excluded from the
privilege OF hearing the m ,st material evil
"ence upon which the trial of the issue de-
pended. You have seen treason GO unpublished.
And you have seen the character of ims)ec;iitv
given 10 our government, calculated to excite
oistrnst at home, and to invite contempt and
attacks from abroad. What would have been
the probable effects of passing the bill. p
Guiit would have received its lust reward.
ne public Justice would have been appea,ed.
the coincidence in the energy fine government
Wou'o nave been preServed,S you would have
been saved, sir, the painful modification of
oehoidipS the most atrocious treason stalk
ing unprnished thr ugh the land. triumph
ing In a security afforded, it is feared, Sir,
through the hostile propeRsities of the Judge
against MS own government, or at least a.
Sa'nst the administration of his own govern
ment. Yes, sir, and if throug,. popular sur-
gestions we should now be driven from at
io'ding the means Of executing the embargo
liaws, the consequences will be the more to
be regretted, as the evils to be remedied are
much more formidable. Let me then. sir.
now enquire into the causes of the violations
OF the embargo laws the nature of the
oHchccs, and the description of persons en-
gagged In their commissions. The oriei-
nai Gauss OF these violations is, British in
huehce: do not mean to apply this obser.
Vaooh IN the remotest degree to any gentle
man IN the opposition to this bill be-
heFe those gentlemen are perfectly ex-
cmpt from this influence. merely sneak
OF British influence as a fact which ex-
lists, as an incident attached 70 co.
Ciety' and OF course ought to be guar
ded against. 1t is a fact notorious,v
known that as soon as the British govern.
ment was appriseG of the measure of the
embargo, an order was issued inviting our.
c''zehs to violate the laws by Offering to
.eCeiFe ana protect their vessels. although
tiey should leave our ports without the Gus
tomary papers, engage in n lawless trade. Sc
'hus at least to assimilate themselves 70 ri
rates. 1t is also known, that the British
government has agents in most of our sea port
towns Tor purchasing up supplies for its fleets
ana armies That there are also British mer-
chahts with British capital connected with
uhPrihclpied Americans engaged in the vio-
ia'oh Oh tAcse laws. Yes, sir, unDrincipled
Americans have been invited through these
means TO engage in this scandalous traffic.
ana what, sir, is the nature of the offences
'aey nave been induced to commit. Is it
treason NO, sir, but it partakes essen AL
ily OF ITS character. If instead Of an ;uci,;-
ent' we were IN an actual state of war it
"ouid De treason, and treason of the basest
SUIT IT'S, to say the least, a base aban-
comment OF every honorable and patriotic
sentiment. Is 1t bribery! 1t certainly par
taxes essentially of that character. It is
violating the laws of oar countrv. and ca
operating IN counteracting their effects
upon our enemies for the sake of money.
regardless oil cOnse quences. Is it perjury )
ies' sir' " is II most cases perjury i'm
IT'S essence, and suborna,ion of periurv in
dh: 1et, sir, the authors of these offences.
u"" ."ose WHO ccuntenance and advise
me commission of them, have the impu-
dence to talk of moral and religions oblieati-
on! Are these the individuals, sir. who are
4 oe treated with so much tenderness p
are these the offences which are to be nro-
GAINED legal and Contitutional , That thew
nave conquered the constitution, & cannot be
cohtrr'ed by its provisions> IF sir. sir. we
should be driven by our fears from affordibr
the means OF executing the embargo laws, in
What situation should we stand before the
nation and the world ? We have inst said
we VIII not for the present repeal these
ia"s' and are we now about to declare that
we are afraid to execute them That the
constitution furnishes no means for this pur-
pose : what a SANDER upon the constitution /,
VNhat an insult upon the trainers Of it What
an Insult upon the people who adopted it ,
1nu what viii the people say to ali this r.
Nhat is the general sentiment at this mo-
nienti tits, enforce your cmbargo laws or re-
pealthem. And are we about to tell them that
the constitution contains no means for exc
cutIng the national will when fairly pro-
nonnced upon legitimate objects : or are we
10 tell them, that the constitution does af-
ford THE proper and necessary means for ex-
cutting the national will, but that we are Ell
ther afraid, or do not know how to call them
into action ?
Sir, those who assert that the constitnrf-
ton is detective in this respect, either do
not understand, or they misrepresent it's
provisions. They neither breathe the spi-
fit nor speak the language of the copstitu-
tlon. Dir, i feel for this instrument the most
sacred veneration. And with this c~onstitu-
ton in my hand and its precepts in my heart.
l am now ready and willing. in It's osvn
&flrif and language To- G4rnish the means
| NECESSARY ami GroIe,. "a. rorr,y,n ;.,o r.