The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-24
europe.

a motion mas made TOR celebrating fhe
2sfh of October as a day cfJUBILEE, OF
account Of his Majesty entering the sOth
year of'his reign, Mr.. Waitman one ofthc
members, after some fircjatory remarks
| continued
He, for his part, had gone so much at large
into the subject on . former occasion. that
he felt some reluctance now to trouble the
Court at any length but. although he hoped
that he had briefly brought many MOST i'm
portant subjects under their consideration,
| still there were many essential points which
he had overlooked. When he mentioned to
some of his friends, before the last court,
that II was his intention to come forward
and express sincere opinion upon the sub
ject, they most earnestly dissuaded him from
doing it. 1t was not that they were not per-
| fectiy aware of the artful conirivance from
which the business originated they were
not ignorant OF the Calamities which have
6efallen the country during the present reign,
or OF the foolery of calling for a day for re-
Joicing in period of unexampled afI1iction.
| They knew that the object Of the CONTINUANCE
was to set up cry of loyalty. and throw the
odium Of sisoy atty upon every one who ven
tured to express difference of opinion
They, therefore, advised him not to furnish
handle to that party to excite an odium a
C.
he had determined to speak his OPINION
Whatever odium there might be attached 70
| opposing an artificial cry of loyalty, he had
never been afraid of encountering IL As to no
pularity, If he should earn it, he would be
content to wear it; but he never did. nor
ever would decline speaking his real senti-
ments from any view connected with obtain.
ing popularity He did feel some self an.
Piause in recollectinS that he had resisted a
cry which was set up from interested mo.
tves, and that he had preferred'the risk of
being unpopular to the tesertion of his du-
" IN that court as representative Of the
city OF London With respect to going to
church, he thought that was very propsr
thing; but still he was little surprised at
the quarter from which it was psoDoscd.-
AS to the congratulatory address, he declar-
ed that he was utterly at loss to conceive
what topics of congratuation could be seiec-
ted, and he should think it most puzzling
thing to shape any address of coneratulation
without filling it with the most gross and
infamous falsehoods When his Majesty
first assembled the throne, W. were a free.
happy, and united people, and our public a.
fairs were managed by the great Lord Cha
tham, the abiest minister this country ever
produced. The taxes then amounted to VIC
ry little more than seven millions annually.
whereas they have now increased TO seven
ty millions. ln:thc commencement of the
reign, the union and happiness of the people
were much disturbed by the suuabbles of
the government. During Mr.. Wilkes's time
or Until the commencement OF the Amcri-
can war, he could see no object of congratu-
lation. RAISING over then the earlier years
OF ms maJesty's reign, and coming directly
70 the American war, he must say that this
was one or the most wicked and calamitous
wars that ever thescountry had been engaged
IN that the objects of the war, and Ame
RIGA itself were lost and that the debt of
| this country was increased to a prodieious
| extent. He could say more-thst he ba
ileved that all the evils which have overrun
the Continent OF Europe, and reduced this
country TO great danger, might be directly
traced 70 the wicked policy which dictated
the American war. He therefore could not
see room for congratuating his majesty ON
that portion of his reign which wen. down
to the dismemberment of the empire and the
loss OF America. IF we were TO come
10 more modern times, and to look at the
history OF the last sixteen years, we should
hhd that this country has been inyoly
Gu III most bloody and caamitous war,
TOT an OBJECT which the people never under
S'oou. he Country knew when their fleets
were IN port, and when they were not but
they never knew what it was they were
hshung for. The calamitous events of these
bloody, expensive, and disastrous wars. were
certainly not subjects TO congratulate his
Majesty upon. Were they to congratulate
ms Majesty upon the frequent suspension of
the Habeas Cofus Act, aud of the Constitu.
ton during his reign? Could we corgratu
iate MS majesty upon the Treason and Sc
d'tlon Bills, in consequence Of which Dauy
unfortunate young men suffered most severe
punishment for merely repeating what had
Deen SAID with greater force Mt a former ne.
rod, by the very Ministers who recomnen.
ded the prosecution If we we,e to return
thanks to Almighty God, merely for pro.
longing the life of his majesty, we could not
congratulate our Sovereign for having esca-
pea bodily iDhrmity, nor yet could we con
graduate him on his family, or on the sue
cess OF the measures of his government
After such unexampled failures as this conn.
try has lately witnessed, IL should rather he
a time tor the city to go np and point out To
MS Majesty the cause of those failures, tn an
! 70 NIX TINS as time to have a day of rriojc.
ing. At the conclusion Of the last war a
! galnst France, after having incurred fresh
| DEBT OF two hundred millions, TIE nation was
informed by the Secretary of War MIR.
1orke) that " although we had gained bat.
Ties, the objects of the war were lost. and
that Europe vas gone" Was it then for a
war, attended with such expence, and 81
unfortunate IN its results, that his majesty
should be congratulated Or was il the e
| vents OF the present war--the Convention
Iof Cihtra the unfortunate occurren
jces IN Spain. or the Expedition 20 Walche-
! ren, the most disgTaceful one thst WA ,n bo