The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-04
sconnexioa for tbs British naticn. no afiec
Aion. bur such ssI ought to feel for all man


all the means which the Wisdom OF our so
ycrnment has hith erto devised. or her power
executed, for redress, have proved ireHec
tuai to she attainn,ents of that desirable ob-
iect. A different expedient, seems. SOW to
be concentrated. All communication. with
that government, through their minister in
this country. is now suspended. and the
way seems fast p,sparing for commanding
op:n and avowed hostilities with that nation.
How far the nature and magnitude OF the
wrongs we have suffered, or the prospect of
redress, by having recourse to war, can jus.
tify the measure, deserves well to be consi-
dered by those who are TO make the decla-
ration.
have no hesitancy in saying, that accord.
ing To the common notions of mankind upon
such subjects, Il am not much fond of war
myself in any case,) the conduct Of the
British, towards the people OF this coan-
try, has, in some instances, if net many,
been such as to Justify forcible resistance;
provided, from due Consideration OF their
situation, and our own, we could have ra
tloual prospect, by such resistance, Of Undue
ing or compelling them to redress our wrongs
and restore our rights. Yet am not prepa,-
ed to say, that any thing has been done or
said by the British Minister to Mr. Secreta-
ny Saith. so gross and insulting, far as
can be discovered in their late correspoa-
denee, as To Justify the hasty, and, as think,
injud;cious step taken by our government,
much less to indace me solemniy to pledge
myself and the people whom have the honor
to represent, to engage in so disastrous a
measure, rs that of war, as recommended
in these resolutions, Unnecessary, to repei it,
however war, in the views OF any, might be
justified on ether grounds. What, sir,
shall we-shall a whole nation go to war
Shall thousands OLIVES be lost, and millions
of hard earned property be wasted. because
ono man imagines. in which imagination he
may be. as think in this case he must be,
mistaken, that another has made some re
presentations, or insinuations, that might
seem to affect his honor or character? Are
you willing, sir, that our sons should thu,
fall unpitied victims, at ambitions shrine
] hope not sir.
Icannot admit, that such an insult was of
fered by Mr. jackson, as has been imagined,
nor could agree that such should be the
consequence, if it had been fact.
FeAtter turning over every page, and care
fully reviewing the whole of the correspon
dence between Mr.. Smith and Mr.. jackson,
lhave really failed to find what others think
they so plainly see,
Mr.. Smith, in his letter to Mr. jackson
of the 9Th of October, calls on that minis
ter for prompt and explicit explanation
government TO abide by the arrangement
lately made with his predecessor, Mr. Frs
kline. Mr.. Jackson, in his letter of the ] it'll
of the same Aonth, replies, that in his eX-
animation of the records Of MIR. Erskine's
mission, he found no traces of complaint.
and that he did not hear any express annun
Citations of it in the several conferences he
had had with MIR Smith, on the part of the
u. States. Of his majesty having dsavowed
he k1c .nse A.
lnded to and then candidly supposes, that
this want of complaint by them, might be
owing to a consciousness that il would be I'M
reasonable TO complain of the disavowal of
an act done under such circumstances as
could only lead to the consequences that had
followed. What were these circumstances.
as stated by Mr.. Jackson. They were
these-that Mr.. ErskiDe had not only not
conformed with, but had acted in direct
contradiction TO his instructions, in the ar
rangement he had made; that these in
structions were contained in Mr.. Canniny's
despatch 10 him Of the Esd of January, and
that that despatch Contained the only instruc
items Mr.. Erskine had received relating To
that subject, and that those instructions had
been made known IN substance, though not
az ertenso to the American government
Now, can the mes jealous eve discover any
thing IN these assertions of Mr. Jackson
tnat Cou!d De oHeDslve to the most sQueam-
ish stomach! Unless it be In the last. and
that Mr. Smith confesses to be true and
yet, some how or other, seems STRANGELY tn
Imagine, that they contain some inaGmissib,e
1nsinuations, and premonishes him apa CT
repetition. In answer to this, Mr.. lack
son says. that he had been careful to avoid
drawing conclusions that did not ne cessarily
follow from the premises he had advanced.
and not to utter an insinuation, where he
was unai5ie to substantiate a fact. Mr. Smith
had asserted, that our government had no
knowledge that what was made known of
the despatch of the esd of January. was the
only authority Mr.. Erskine had to make the
arrangement in question and yet, by init
matinS an opinion, that his general autho-
rity as minister plenipotentiary was suffici
emit. seems to admit, that he might not have
had any other special authority for the mr.
pose. Here it would not be STRANGE if the
busy meddliBg mind OF man should suggest
an enquiry, how it should come TO pass III a,
authorities or instructions III. were inexhi
bited and unknown, should be subS,itrted
as the basis Of an important arranrerrep,
IN the place of those that were ,xbib;ted
discussed aud rejected! If none had brcn
exhibited, and found to be inadniss;b,e II
would not appear so strange, if the rerera,
authority had been relied on. MIR. Jackson.
however, no where asserts, that I can find
that our government knew, AZ the time If
The arrangement with Mr.. Frskiue ,bat
he had no other instructions or authori,ies
to make it, than such as were exhibited but
simply, that ne knew such to have bec,' ,be
i.Ef MI 10, II.