The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-09

every barrier which genius and wisdom
could devise and vaior could build up against
the universal despotism of the natural enc
my of his country Others, the
union of these states with the mother
coantry.--When he forced the colo
MES into rebellion, and into the arms of
France, and fhe empire was rent in twain"
you say, that "the bulwark against French
domination, reared by the wisdom of sages
and cemented by the blood of heroes. tottcr.
ed TO its foundations. The out works OF the
great fortress ofhuman liberty were disman-
tied. The citadel svas alone left; it was left
in the stout hearts and free institutions of the
people OF these States-shcs aitera gent
um-the germ of future resistance-to
that aspiring dominion, through whose aid
our independence had been established"
We leave you, sir. TO settle with yourself.
whether Great Britain or the people of
these Mates are the citadel and bulwark
OF the human race against universal domi
nation.
But, if England should .fcN beneath the
grasp of France, shall we become the first
objects of her assault and ambitions Napo-
leon has his hands full in Europe. His new
organization of the old continent requires
considerable time and vigilance to mature.
The seeds of the old order of things are yet
thickly sown & widely scattered. There is
an elastic spring in society, which requires
the constant energy of his genius to keep
down. Spain, Austria. Prussia and Britain
may be ovcrwhelmed-but the spirit of re:
volution in these empires, cannot be eXtn-
guished. They will watch the earliest OPP
Portunity Of insurrection-and his presence
VIII be continually necessary to awe them
Into obedience. Years must pass AWAY
a new generation must imbbe new sett of
sentiments and feelings, before the germs of
INSTRUMENTATION can be lost Russia too, now
rising daily into importance and power ex-
tending her soil and her population the
fruitful nurse of thousand hives which u
sed to pour their forces upon the southern
provinces of the Roman Empire, Russia
VIII continue to sit upon the skirts OF France,
srappie with her power, and set bounds
to her acquisitions.
Besides, where are those urgent motives
to an attack upon the United States, which
SOME have conceived The ambition of
Bopaparte is directed more towards the East
than the West-towords the chimes of Tur-
key, OF Greece, of Egypt, of Persia, and the
riches OF the East Indies, than towards the
regions OF America. Years must pass away,
before these objects of his ambition have
been accomplished. Besides. where are his
resources for our destruction If the Bri-
fish navy should fall into his fangs--the CT
tadel of Liberty is still left. 1t is left in
the stout hearts and free Institutions of the
people of these states" The spirit of my
countrymen needs no panegyric-but when
united, as they would be on such An occasion,
they will teach the legions of the Emperor,
to respect the wide distinction between
treemen and slaves. "Did they live to see
French army approach this country, they
wouic meet it on the shore, with torch in
one hand, and sword in the other
INey would receive them with all the des-
truction of war! They would animate each
other to immediate them in their very boats,
before their native soil should be polluted by
a foreign foe. If the French succeeded in
landing, orr countrymen would burn every
blade OF grass before them-raze every
house-contend for every inch of ground"-
until their persevering yalour should be
crowned with success.
Such, sir, are the mountains of difficulty,
which your faith must remove, before YOU
can conceive the French to be in possession
OF this country. A thousand chances may
impede their prngress-a sword may reach
the heart OF Napoleon, or tile, like that
which levelled Pyrrhus to the dust, may ar
rest his career. At the worst, the whole is
series OF chances and contingencies-and
probability is strongly against them. But
what is the course which you would pursue.
in the mean time? You would crouch be.
meath every indignity. which G. Britain could
impose--Nor do / see upon your prin-
ciples, the point of suffering to which your
Christian patience would not extend.
Ii she captures our vessels, we must sub
mit--.because England is the shield of
the world.
II she impresses our countrynnen-it must
be borne. because England is our barri-
er against universal domination.
1t she were to invade our territory, you
would perhaps preach up humiity-protest
against resort to arms-cry out, that we
ought not to precipitate her downfal-be
cause you consider the existence of YOUR
country to rest upon her independence
1t Mucius were to propose to levy a tax
and subsidy for the benefit Of her exche-
quer, or to link these independent states in
an alliance with England, the proposition
would not surprise me-because " England
is fighting the battles of the civilized world.
An enlightened politician will calculate
consequences-he possesses the " sagacitv to
compare causes and effects, to Judge of the
present state of things, and to discern the
future by a careful review of the of the past''
But it is no part of that calculation, to sub
nit to actual and intolerable intlignities, for
fear OF such as are merely contingent
and remote. It is no proof of that sagacity,
to shut our eyes upon the future encroach-
ents OF England. which may grow out of
Submission to those which are past.
The embarrassment of a virtuous nation
may draw the sigh of compassion from our
bosoms-but when that nation assumes the
privilege OF depressing all around her, and
N mi sol he Z