The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-25
From the aurora.
THE NATIONAL STANDARD.
TO The PEOPLE.

| TO The PEOPLE.
Before proceed to investigate the resoar
ces VI our country. l will offer few con-
lJcctures on the probability of their being re
CURED either for attack or defence. shall
nor spht sentences in order to discover vine
Their the British minister has insnlted oar
government The curious in such discus
siohs' are referred to the pathological debates
or great assembly. which might in my o
pflion have better object. II is not logic
tins questloa-and I envy not those of the
men who can doubt on the subject, nor do
want fifty columns of diifuse reasoning and
close printing, TO convince me that ought to
teei injured when my veracity is doubted or
TO give rules tor measuring the exact pro-
vocation ought to bear. There was time
some OF you cannot rene mber but all have
heard OF 1t, when the very address of a let :
ter to your general, in which his tide was
iomittea, was considered as intolerab!e in
suit. ltcame from solemn embassy. The
oiiVe branch was impressed on its seal. Ii
pu,ported To be the preliminary Of peace,
and to contain offers for putting an end to
war you now SO greatly dread--a war with
britain! Yet the letter was returned the
seal was unbrokcn, and your high minded
leader rejected the overtures of peace, be-
cause they were not made with the respect
due to him. who ommanded the armies of
an independent people, The congress of
those days considered an ndis atty offered to
'heir general, as one to themselves and their
country. They approved the spirit with
which he had repealed it, and they did not
'quander in idle debate those precious mo.
tnients they had sworne to employ in defence
lof their country.
There were then no dissecters of senten-
SEES, TO aiiatomize its different members, and
who Ike those of the human frame cannot
read their lectures on the parts until the
lie and spirit of the whole subject is evapo-
rated and lost. Nodiplomatic dancing M as
tiers, to teach grown politicians what STEPS
to take in cases OF doubtful insult, how often
TO BOW before the impertinences of an envoy
or with what ceremonies to receive the in
ldignities of an ambassador:
amuse myself with an idea of one ofthose
mincing statesmen capering up to Washing
ton In his tent, and telling him. :. Sir, YOU
only imagine yourself to be iasuited / can
IProve to you by Wicqnefort, and Bunker.
shock, and Puffendorf, Grotus, and many
others, whose names | have learned on pur-
pose to overpowcr you with my learning !;
that the tnSihuatiom you think contained in
the direction of this letter, that you are
imere private individual, is perfe city inr,isi
Die, that the English commissioners were
Justihed by preceden,s at the treaty Of Wcst.
lFhGtta, and Protest against your breaking
Or negotiation which England will never
renew alter you have returned her letters
unopened. "A lOol, to abash even the ora
tors OF the capitol, would have interrupted
his harangue, voice never heard without
reVerential attention, a voice that seems now
rsverberated from the tomb, would have an
swcred--
| f TyJ I,-fhT 81
FroUotcs it.--Reperenc vourselyes
or you 7oiH neUer be reshected
| There is no safety 7cifhout honor. Peace
IS me flrize Of courage, and can only be
maintained by the reputation ofyour arms
| Such was the conduct of Washington and
! OF the patriot band who then guided the
destines Of our nation. Such were their
sentiments in times not like the present, of
prosperity. wealth, union and good govern.
'nent; but in time ofdistress, of poverty.
Ok danger, and disorsanizaticn, when the
rlsque was not merely that of few ships, or
a]lttle supcriluous riches, but Of family. of
fortune, of liberty, and of life. Yet we're
these put at issue Yet were these found
light when weighed against our honor.
| BY conversation with such statesmen. bv
seeing and partaking their labors, your Pre-
sident acquired those sentiments which
prompted him toact on this occasion. And
every days reiiection on the sub ct but will
| give you more reason to admire the conduct
which has been formed on such models. & { !,
prize the good fortune of having one brunch
at least, otyour government, guided by such
principles.
1t is true, and the reflection is a meIan-
cholY one, that those high minded meu arc
chiefly Oue.----Yet the dead are to be en-
vied-They dropped successfully in,o the
grave--surrounded by the scenes Of pros
peritY which had been purchased with
their tolls, their counscls. asd their blood
they looked with pleasure, on the fstiEues
! they had undergone. Nor would they have
exchanged Tor millions, the recollection Of
dangers, greater a thousand fold, than those
b, which their descendants cannot now antici
Ipse without horror. Jhe 8UrUiUors ere 10
| be HiHed They have lived TO see the no
/ bic spirit 'T!,ich scCYncd any compromise
wi'h dishonor, the spirit that supported
! tten through poyerty and pain, taat led
tHcW Country To Independence aud peace
they have lived ~ see that spirit exchanged
+, tor cold calculation, which Il S tariff Tor
every indignity, and can tell to "A fraction
now ouch, by svcmilting TO any given insult.