The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-04

oaroarty. But who can forget that caiarni,
" EXISTED upon the water, as well as upon
ne land: The treatment of the American
sailors Was perhaps more shockiug than that
Eof the soldiers. They together with some
other Classes of citizens were thrown into
one OF those Heating dungeons, where every
evil winch has afflicted the mortal world as
socrates as 1t were for rivalling each other
1 III their different administrations OF woe and
"ie'cneoness tits indeed the protracted
misery OF living death. Can YOU conceive
a place where the light. of heaven never
beams upon the person IN confinement, where
ne S.eXhausted from the putrid and infected
atmosphere around him, and would give
WORLDS Tor. one single respiration in the o.
pen element? Can you conceive "A Yrons,er
visiting this region of darkness and corrrup-
ton with taper in "A shade lest it shouid
ire the foul and pent up breath, and with
morsel of conarnnsk frovision casting it
TO tae hungry and emaciated prisoner, as
ienvlnus- OF the relief it might give and how
az last he leaves him with impious exclama-
ton not toretlirn again, until death shall have
removed the object of his cruelty. Yes
such place is IA prison siip. And YOU
surely cannot have forgotten The Jersey sta
TONED or New YORK, in which, during the
last SIX years OF the war, eleven thousand
Americans breathed their last. For some
considerable time after the conclusion os the
war large piles of their bones were to b..
seen bleaching to the sun On the shores of
Ions, Island.
"t let us leave these loathsome & meIan-
choy scenes. We have rapidly skatched SONG
OF the distinguishing passions of our eight
years w + and the complicated tissue of dis
asters, which our ancestors were force1 ~
encounter in the attainment Of their liberty
and independence.
It's ianiliarly known to tie world. th.t
Great Britain violated in a thousand ins,,r-
ces, every principle of that code of warfare
whiCh was intended to ameliorate the con
dition OF the soldier, and that no means &c
any description were left unessaved ia nra-
serve her system of tyranny among US If
the cIhtcnity, or accomplishing an object ci,-
1ances Its value, what estimation OUGHT we
TO give TO the political happiness we enioy /,
Ana WITH what everlasting gratitude ought
we, on this day, to speak of those brave com.
p"ulo'S IN arms who, rather than witness
the slavery of their country, preferred 70
rush into the arms of death,
On the Wing of Ecstacv upborne' -.
oprang M" liberty and Light and 7 if, -
IN withoraWins our attention from the
ieiu, the first objects which strike ON, at
tehtion, are the cares and embarrass,nents
OF the federal government They, for a shur.
Tune, overcast the brilliancy of the prospect
~nich had broken upon our view. But thes,.
u'!S%hlai passions were soon sooihed by the
Wisdom and virtue or our councils Ic w,c
nor to be expected, that feelings which had
been So highly elevated and directed to one
grand ooJect, would, after its accomplish
i"ent and the unsteady state of thingsocc
oheu Dy the various views Of confederation
ana the exhausted state of our finances. set
Tie down In perfect tranquility. Their ma
lure had undergone sensible and important
change the transition from slavery. in which
ihey nae breathed melancholy and despon.
DING breath, into the regions of liberty where
.hey ihhaicu fresh and elastic air, was ma
'ur''ly app 10 transport them above serious
IeueC''ol ana the du!i ntricacy political
calculation. Commissions have ALWAYS beeo
/ felt at the close of revolutions. and NOT ,nf..-
! quently have destroy ed the objects of their ~
risln. Hut the same benign genius which qui-
deu our destiny lin battle, did not forsake n,
when the enemy was gone. 1t was to be
expected that parties would be formed fin,
/ although the tyrant was driven from the soil
some OF his noXious seed still remained
mere were some persons in a state of infatu
alton which habit had rendered inveterate
towards the mother Country. Itseemed diff
nchit TO destroy the attachment. At one
,''he indeed, the seeds of Bristish influence
oe5an 10 shoot forth their creeping vines and
with sympathetic treache,y to insinuate
themselves round some of oui. native growth
he union became so happily effected that il
was almost dihcult to perceive any distincti
on. But letus adopt the maxim Of moralitv
and be silent where we cannot approve:
&
The most important event which engages
the mind IN reviewing the state of things
from the commencement of the federal eo
Vernment, is perhaps the revolution Of 1900
Not the Conflict of arms, but the mild and
dignihed conquest of reason. 1t reduced onr
political character to the true and faithful
elements OF repubicanism. Before this pe
r,od' there were doubts and sympathies ari :
sing from the unsubdued influence. of forne,.
habits and attachments. But the dawn of
the present century arose with an efiulpence
that cast into obscurity those ",octnruo ms
1sneS" whose beams were dull, cherries and
| obllque. Our character at this time w5s felt
athome & understood abroad Tie Deople n Il
now with emphatic firmness declared their
system of politics & no insdious policy of En-
| rope could expect to prevent the course of
republicalb,m. And here permit me to saw
that considered the republic as having re.
ceived its finishing stroke. Bnt pardon me
Tor these long and hasty remarks. the i'm
presslons which arise on the mind ON the 4tb
OF July would if INDUCED swe ell into volume
Let us conclude with hope that its return
may always find us equally happy and secure
IN the possession of those rights, which copsti .
tute the basis OF our government and political
prosperity.