The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-25


your rights of sovereignty, hut now. in this
state of th,nss, IL is .ho$si6te COR MS to enter
rain them. We do not say that we will even
entertain them. IL IS not even probable that
we will, but we possibly may, if all our hopes
are blasted. Refuse French ships an asy-
lum in your harbors prohibit French goods
do this, and promise To contribute your best
efforts to retaiiatc on our enemies the inju
ries they have done US, and we will assure
you. that IL is possible 10 entertain, your
Professions AS Co pedging ourselves to
agree to them, that must depend upon Cir
Cumstances. IF the triumph of our arms in
Spain. and our money in Austria, shall give
new vigor and extent TO our power, you may
go and whistle for that. Yo,; must be salts
fled with the possibility of entertaining Your
propositions! Can language be more inso-
lent, or conduct more cOntumelious!
5. We have now, in the review of this
note, reached the three celebrated PROPOSE
tions which MIR. Canning. with a legerde-
main, peculiar to himself, puts into the mouth
of Messrs. Madison, Gallatin, Smith and
Pinkney. These embrace the substance of
the views Of the British government On
our formal engagement to adopt them. his
majesty will recall the orders of January
and November, 1907.
We have already seen, rs detailed in pre-
vious articles, that our situation would be
rendered much worse by the adoption of these
propositions. than it would be under the Or
ders of November. BY their adoption we
should have shut ourselves out from all COM
merciai intercourse with the enemies of G.
Britain, without the privilege of pursuing
any portion of that trade, were we base G.
nough to do it, under British licences, as to-
lerated under the orders of council we
should renounce, during the present war.
and probably forever. the colonial trade
with the enemies of France; and we should
sink ourselves to the lowest depths of con-
tempt by legalising the right of British ships
10 capture, and of British tribunals to con-
denim, our vessels contravening our laws,
thus, perhaps, setting the first example "a
mong civilized nations of such a vast sur
render of sovereignty.
All this we should doto purchase the re.
vocation of orders, which, ihso facto, by the
adoption of these propositions, spring again
into instantaneous effect A more absurd
offer surely could not be engcndered in the
brain of a lunatic!
Is then the offer of such propositions evil
dence of the friendship or the hostility of I'll e
ministry to us? Is the liberty given to MIR.
Erskine to communicate the note, contain
ing them. proof of any thing but purpose
on the part of the ministry to offer, in the
most exceptionable shape, what it knew we
this was the ground on which it was resolved
forever to standa And is not the publication
of it proof of MIR. C's desire to widen the
difference between the two governments so as
preclude all prospect of reconciliation
MIR. Canning did not believe, for he has
too much sense possibly ohave believed
that our government could for moment lis
ten to the propositions offered.
But other concurring and co-temporaneous
facts remain to be added. If, we had been
induced to make the large sacrifices of honot
called for by these propositions it must have
been under the influence of sordid interest
1t must have been for the undisturbed enjoy
nent OF a paitry trade. Now what degree
ct trade would We. have enjoyed. had the or
ders been revoked, and these propositions
been adopted in their stead
We should have enjoyed the direct trade
TO England, and probaIly, that only. Every
other trade would be too uncertain and pre-
carious to reckon upon. Heretofore the
French arms have triumphcd wherever thev
have been carried; and is there any reason
20 doubt that they viii. continue to be crown
ed by like success? And ifthey are, the ii-
rect trade TO England will be our only re-
source.
This will be allowed to us Let us enquire
Intoits value. AS ifaware that in certain e.
vents. this might be the result, England has
fortified herself against every event caIcula-
ted in the least to impinge on her total mono
poly of the profits of trade. The same can
did and friendly ministry have taken special
cars to render the trade, thus benignantly al
lowed to the American merchant, worth no
shing, by the imposition of duties of which
1he following are specimens ::
Dois Cts.