The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-16

Iject it had in view, is declared, and the al
jternative is suggested Of reinstating it in it,
original rigor, Chat IS to abolish the coast
ing trade. and prohibit expectation by land.
or removing entirely all its restrictions. Sc
tar as they atiectthe commerce and nariga
tioh of America
| January 12.
| Letters from Holland, of later date
mention that King Louis had returned from
Paris and that approximations of an incor
poration with France no longer existed.
The American frigate John Adams, pre-.
vious to her arrival off Dover, touched at
St. Maloes, where she landed Mr. Fen
wick. with dispatches for General Arm
| strong. She has since proceeded to Dutch
port, cater landing messenger with ,les-
patches tor Mr. Finkney,) where she will
wait Tor General Armstrong; answer. IT
is also said, she carries to Holland the an
nual interest, in hSrd dollars, of the loan con-
! tracted with that government during the re
evolutionary war,
Col. Burr, formerly Vice President of the
y. States, arrived at Hanover on the 10th
I of Dec.
The important news from America, Goa
tanned in our papers of yesterday and to-
day, relate to three subjects: The finances
OF the country, with which we have less
concern the conduct to be pursued in re-
lation to Mr.. Jackson and the measures
proposed upon the resumption of our Orders
in Council. The last is by far the most mo-
mentous topic; for upon it will ultimately
depend the question of peace or war.
ihe resolutions proposed by MIR. Troup,
a member of the House of Representatives,
IT adopted as a law, would, we apprehend,
be decisive of the determination of the A
mericans to appeal TO the sword. Exclu
sive OF the consideration of this melancholy
result, which must spring from the enact
meDt OF them, it will, we apprehend, be :
videDt to all dispessionate understandings,
that the Resolutions are in themselves parti-
al and unjust, in every way in which they
can become the subject of investigation /.
They are unjust, in protesting to deal indis
criminately between us and the French: .,
they are unjust, in affecting to be mere
limitation OF our Orders in Council. s, and
they are unjust to the Portuguese and Spa
niards.
Upon the hostile act of the Congress, re-.
sulting from the conduct of Mr.. Jackson, we
have the less to say, because America has
certainly sustained no ordinary hroUocation
in this instance. We have never vet given
our opinion upon this subje ct, and Shall now
therefore state it.
First, then, assuming as fact, that OF
which considerable doubt is still entertained,
that Mr.. Erskine did act ia manner con-
trary to the spirit of his instructions yet
whence originated the necessity of imputing
the knowledge of this, our minister's deeia
ton from his directions, to America! 1t is
sufficient, according to the doctrine cited
from Vattel, by MIR. Smith, and acquiesced in
by Mr.. Jackson, to Illustrate the validity of
an engagement, that the Minister forming it
should have violated the instructions given
| m rua ,nf .,,xy%
yer that the other contracting party knew
this: (" To refuse with honor [says high
authority on public law] to ratify what has
been concluded on by virtue of full power,
1t IS necessary that the government should
have strong and solid reasons, and that it
should shew in particular, that it's Minister
has violated his instructions" Hence it ap-
pears Qt this argument be we'll founded, of
which we have no doubt) that the offence
given to America was perfectly unnecessary
aud gratuitous the real merits of the ques-
ton being this: Did Mr.. Erskine violate
his instructions ?" Nor "did the Anne rican
government know that he violated them l''
And in the establishment of the former po-
sition, Mr.. Jackson would have foand ample
exercise for his talents, without underta
King the task of proving that men knew
that which they declared that they did not
know.
The last topic On which we shall touch, is
the financial statement of the Secretary 70
the American Treasury. We omitted to
observe in our remarks on this yesterday,
that the thirteen hundred thousand dollars,
whereby the expenditures last year exceeded
the receipts, was covered by n sum already
in the Treasury, the surplus of the revenue
IN the preceding years; yet whoever consi-
ders that the cxpences of America have
thus, without doubt, been outweighng her
means, and observes too, that she acknow-
hedges her inability to commence war
(Which will impose the sensible burthen up :
on us,) without negotiating loan, for the
bare interest Of which she cannot provide.
without having recourse to sonovei method
as internal taxation must hope, at least,
that she will not hastily or unnecessarily en-
counter perils so incalculable.
The Importance, however, Of the prece.
ding observations. though, we trust. not
their correctness, (as founded upon an as.
sunned state Of things will lie materially
altered by the following most important and
more recent communication from France,
which reached us at late hour last night |:
Jan. 6.
yRoa THE LONDON COURIER,
On A7inisferfat Pafer.