The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-14

part of this treatise, what are the Rules APP
piicable to the Political Lies, which relate
To men and cnaraCters-we now come TO
such as relate to political measures, causes
aud consequences.
PART II.
ON MEASURED LIES.
In lay down these Rules. Gentlemen,
it is proper that you understand certain pre-
liminary cautions.
FIRST, Always ascribe your own measures to
the best possible motives:
Second, Ascribe those of your opponents to
the worst possible ones
Third. Exaggerate the good effects of your
own measures, to the highest possible degree.
Fourth, strain the i'll effects 0f your adverse.
RVS measures, to the worst possible height.
The two last prec cautions are Indeed not
so much Ives as the Succedaneums of Ives
but as they spring from the same fruitful
source, viz lying imagination, they should
not be overlooked i'll this discussion. These
may be resorted to, wien Lies themselves
cannot be employed-for we have already
said; it is better to be charged with breach
of Logic than a breach of veracity and a
false argument is safer than faIsehood.
Fifth, Never tell the truth, but as a stroke of
policy e
Sixth, Never waste your lies in profusion -
There are really but very few good iies-aud
therefore they should be husbanded and made the
most OLA politician, who is prodIgal of these
good things, is a nuisance to his party--he may
b. said to waste the treasures of their public
stock, without any adequate remuneration. He
IS drone, that dissipates the honey of the Fed
eralists, and tor his pains deserves to be turned
from the hive. .
This rule peculiarly applies to those of a
miraculous and alarming description. -
E" Terrible objects should not be too fire
quentiy shown to the people, lest they grow
familiar The want of observing this SO ne
cessary precept. in bringing out the raw
head and blondy bones on every trifiing &C.
caslon. has produced great indifference in
the vulgar OF late years"
Your great and terrible miraculous Lie,
at present. Is a French Influence in the u.
). But considering That there is not one
visible, satisfactory TACT to back The rumor,
you have really pressed it too far TO be borne
any longer. Whence indeed you have acQuir-
ed the impudence TO repeat so stale a Jest,
in such a variety of forms, il is not for me to
say. You all recollect the lot of that Door
old arch deCeiyer, who fabricated plots and
clues and tub bottoms with as much dexter.
i,y as spiders spin co67ye6S out of their own
bowels. The Fat and unprofi able jest was
so often repeated that every man began to
see through it-and poor HARPER could real
ly pipe no longer. The man became the
was forced to drop the trade altogether
His charges of French Influence we're dis
credited. because they were SO often de
tecied-and the world we're no longer start
led by monster, whom they had so often
heard OF, without having once seen.
The very same rule. gentlemen, you have
violated, in a similar way as to the imDu
tations of a BRITISH INFLUENCE. Ii is
too perceptibe that such an influence exists
amongst you, to be any longer yelled or
dlscredited by your denials. The British
consuls amongt US, the crowds of foreign to
res who walk our streets. the information
transmitted by spies to Halifax of the sail.
ing OF our vessels, the extenuation of I'M.
provoked British outrages, the tone of your
prints, and the arguments of some of your
caclques, that &" G. Britain has done us no
essential inJury"-all these circumstances
lntallibly point out the British party in this
country. he tfIDg was too plain to be
concealed. No man could deny it, but he
who has partaken of the maiady. Under
these circumstances, what was your policyi
i0deny that there was any such party in
this country or to admit that there are in
deed FEW If this cast in the u. Statese
IT, gentlemen, you had adhered to the last
lie, 1t would have been far better for YOU
You would have got some credit from the
really you have denied the existence of this
influence with such ridiculous pertinacity
you have pushed your lies to such an cx
IRENE extent, that no man will now believe
them. "None are so blind. says the pro.
verb, as those who will not see -
Ms to the animating or encouraging lies.
OF the miraculous cast, Swift gives us the FOL
lowing Rules; that they should not exceed
the common degrees of probability that
there should be a variety OF them and the
same lie not obstinately insisted on; that the
promissory OF prognostcattug lies should not
be upon short days, for fear the authors
should have the Shame and confusion to see
themselves speedily contradicted.
by these rules, Gentlemen, Won were
wrong IN prognOsticatmg such excellent IF
reefs from he raising OF the Embargo. For
w"ere IS that mighty trade where that great
security to our merchants; where that re
spect tor our flag and our purse, displayeds
NO where, Gehtiemen, but I'm your news
papers and IN your orators speeches.
In those things which partake NJ number
ana quantity, be upon your guard against
TOO excessive stretch. Lie within tho
bounds Of probability there IS medium,
in ala tbings. Let your comes. whales