The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-29
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND. AUGUST. 90, 1909.
FEW QUERIES

tanning mas lad before the House OF Com
mons. and the sentiments which he has there
expressed, we may form some idea of the
OHfncdfum of the British government, and
the propositions which will be made by Mr..
Jackson-and as nothing like an union of eff
fort can be expected from any people un,ii
they understand each other, will Won Permit
me To ask Your opinions on certain import
ant points, which will probably be brought
before the American government! / address
myself to YOU, because you IN some measure
7'ecetUe the tone from as well as to Grtpe it to
your party.-One advantage may at least re.
suit from this erhkanation-that the people
having your creed fairly before them, may
Know what anticipations to form of your eff
torts-and what pretensions you possess to
their confidence.
Mr.. Canning has given us reasons to be-
lieve, that he never will rescind the British
orders in Council. until the President of the
y States shall agree to continue on, rest.Ic-
mons against France, and to abandon all
frrfenstons TO The colonial trade during the
present war. These are to be the sine qua
non-Now. Gentlemen, the question is are
uon prepared TO support the British Secreta
ry in these pretensions? =.
lst. Are you ready to justify the insolcnt
demand, that the u. 5. should Pledge them
sefues to one power, to vindicate their ezvn
rights against the aggressons of another?
Are you prepared to justify the most insoent
demand which ever was made of an ildcEen-
dent nation ?
Cases are common, where two nations
covenant by treaty to allow each other
all the privileges which are granted to an
TIER, the most favored nation-or where they
permit the seizure Of the vessels of each other
bound to another country, with particular ar
ticles of contraband Nothing is more common
than treaties Of alliance offensive and defen-
sive, whereby each party engages to render
assistance to the other in any war which NAV
be waged against third power. But where is
there case on record, in which one nation
makes solemn pledge to another to defend
It's own rights against the attacks of third ?
Some OF you-aInongst, others, Mr.. Cole
man, who commonly leads the van of your
troops-are silly enough to ask wha; objec-
tion there was to Mr.. Madison's giving this
pledge to u. g.! Surely if the honor {, indie
pendence of the United States did not forbid
1t, the laws & the Constitution would. The
question denotes Irctoand ignorance of
both. Where is any such power in the law
The Act of 1903 vested the President with
the power OF suspending the Embargo laws,
IN whole or in part, in the event of such
changes IN the measures of the belligerca ats,
as would rentler the commerce of the United
DN'NN" SeA'S'Shtif SdiC III HIS JuOSHSnl.---
The act of 1909, vests him with a similar
power of rene7ving trade with either nation,
IN case either of them "shall so revoke or
modItyher edicts, as that they shall cease tow
o'ate the neutral commerce of the United
States 30 far then as the lar goes there
is no power in the President to pledge his
country to the continuation of these restric-
tons against the other belligcrent. And if
there is no such power in the law, it would
be completely forbidden by the constitution
On this point Mr.. Canning seems to have
BETRAYED the grossest ignorance of our Con-
stitution-he calls upon the President to
make stipulation. which is completely be-
yond the sphere of his powers. The p u. S.
is. to be sure. the medium of communication
with foreign nations He is to make all
treaties by and with the advice of the Sen
ale. But what right has either or both of
them to pledge the u. S. to commercial
regulation which rests alone with the lie.
SisiaHve body ?* The President & the Sen
ate are therefore incompetent to do an act,
OF themselves, which requires the concurrent
voice OF the II. of RS not this profound
ignorance of the fundamental rules of our
Constitution
2d. But admit, that this is power which
the president OF the United States may, and
ought 10 exercise-what will you say to the
ID of Mr.. Canning's terms, Are YOU ready
to sacrifice our colonial trade to the avari-
cious Jealousy of the British government !,
Some of you--amonst others, this very Mr..
Coleman-came out manfully, during the
year 1906, i'll the support of our "pretensi-
ons" to this trade. He seemed to value it
too much to shink of abandoning it. i ask
him, does he now think of sacrificing it ?
fias he so little integrity. or firmness, as to
deny the very truths, which he formerly.la-
bored to establish? I expect nothing better
from him. He is too firmly welded to the
British government, not to exercise his puny
powers OF sophistry in the miserable attempt
20 confute himself
D. How long will you abuse the PATIENCE
OF your countrymen When will you exer.
else the same perseverance in her defence as
in that of G.. Britain, when will you cease
to direct your parricidal dagger against the
bosom which bore you!
a. You know it to be a fact, that there are
British spies and Emissaries amongst US
you have seen the honors, which decked the
brow OF Goblet, on his return to G.. Britain,
for the sole reason of serving his king and
country" by his writings-you have seen,
and suppose, will publish for the edification
OF your readers, the infamous letter Of Ste
fhen Cullen Carfienfer,t who boasts of his
'.fdchty TO his country" his LorAL41 and
truth ;" who once edited the Charleston
Courier and "The Peoples FRIEND in New
York, "for the sole purpose of serving his
King and Country. You may have seen
ms mans Infamous memoirs of Thomas