The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-02
Gbe Gnqn!rer.
RICHMOND, JANUARY ., 1910.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.


munications with that gentleman, have pIa-
ced our country in a situation, which must,
in the course OF a few months, produce the
most important consequences. The public
mind is now wholly occupied in reviewing
that transaction, and the people are sitting
as ampircs between their own Executive and
a foreign minister. On their decision hangs,
in my Judgment, the prosperity, the indie
R.:ndcnce, and the union of these states
Should they resolve to support their own go
vernment, and the British cabinet should
resent as an insult, the dismissioa of their
minister, the consequence will be guar AN
event never to be wished; hut an event
which ought not to be dreaded, when our
cause is just. and he people united But If
the public verdict shall pronounce that our
ENecSive have been rash and prccipita,e
that an atOnenent is due to Great Britain
for the injuriCuS treatment OF her minister
then is our situation. nj all that can be con
celved the most huniliating and con; ernpti
BILE. The woi Id will know that the official
organ through which foreign nations are ad
dressed, no longer Possesses the confidence
OF the people; England will desl.;s. the re-
n'oisrances of = country in whose acts here
is no faith, In whose resentmcnts there is 10
terror; and the constitution can hardly lin
ger out the rcmaining three years of tie
Presidential term The question nav, is
essentially different from those which are
usually brought before the public IN trr
present case the government haze acfrd
they have taken bold and decisive step
they canno1 recede without being degraded
in the eyes of the world. Nor is il a cues-
ton which affects merely those individuals,
| or chat department from which the act vro
ceeded. 1t will be felt by the nation itself
in all its transactions with foreign powers,
aod the American name will beconic com.
mon bye word OF insignihcance and cc:.
tempt W whatever party an American
may be, he must shrink with horrn.. from
consequences like these; he must feel all
his hones5 pride ronset into action at the
dea, OF seeing the constituted authorities of
his country BUNDLED at the feet ola govern
| ment, which even its apoogsts allow, has
heaped innnroerabie inuslts npon US.
Let us pause for moment, & contemplate
the posture in which we shall stand under
| these circumstances. Hitherto we have been
the complaining party. The aggressions have
| been all on the side of England unless we
shall be charged With the crime of rciuon
ts,rating against her injuries Wehave even
been taS,idious in the selection of eur phra-
j ses, lest we should offend herby the force
. II our language. We have spoken of un
| paraiiclsd wrongs, with nlidness and hui
miity which borders OH p,eanness The
a
the murder of our citizens, and tho plundzl'
OF our commerce. are not only unretressed,
bat aggravated by the most contumetious
demands Bat If the conduct of the Execu-
tive IS to be CenSured, the case will be re-
Fersed ne shall be called upon to repair
the wrong done TO England. special en-
wy mast be sent 30 make an apology for
the indiscretion of oar government: an apo.
iogy too, Ior all act which wa; done not
through InadvertenCe, but with the most
deliberate mind. The English governn. ens
knows well how TO exact from others, a due
observance of AL the forms Of respect
hey will require a complete and unqnaliii
Ell acknowledgment of our offence. If cur
envoy goes ont armed with reservations and
previous demands, he will be ordered ont of
the country; & should the case Of Mr.. Rose
be quoted Un them, they will treat il with as
much contempt they have done that of
Falkland Island. Perhaps they may con.
sent to make the dsmisSion Of their minis
ter AN Oft set against the attack Oh the Che
sapcake; leaving it to be understood howe
Ver that 1T, IN future, their ministers shall
make gross Charges against our governments,
wrapped up in all the circuity Of diplomatic
phrase, we are not to- be guilty Of the rude
ness OF dsmissing him. But whatever may
De the specific regulation adopted, the ne
cosSary result will be, that the Executive
must be disavowed. From that moment.
there is an end to all confidence in the gov
ernEnsnt. IT the pride Of our chief maris
trate should permit bin to remain longer IN
ofiIco, he viii be an Idle pageant or should
ne resign under such circumstances, and
| give way to some more plant character,
| t';ere Will not remain spirit enough in the
county, 10 murmur at the worst injuries
| that British injustice can inf1ict.
| With ? full view of all these consequences
before their eyes, there are men among US.
who labor with indetatigable zeal to have
! the conduct Of our Executive disavowed by
Congress and the people. Their orators
exhaust their ingenuity; their editors tax
their readers, with the most elaborate area
'nents, to prove point, whose truth or false
hood ought to be made to appear npen the
| SIMPLE perusal Of few sheets of PAPER If
! they should succeed III attaiaing their object.
! 'hey can only promise themselves the high
reward ui rejecting, that they have reduced
| .hcir country to The lowest ebb Of disgrace
II is in:pns,i5ie TO prescribe limits to the
ihihence I'll p.!ty spirit. But ia the present
! case, truth has gained Il victory which rare
/ " Ili'S toner o'. When the correspondence
with Mr.. j.. kson was first published, we
heard on every side the most unqualified
condemnation oF his conduct The gross
ness ot his l1slnuation was felt by every A
merican as 4 personal insult efFered to him
self With 'uc exception Ct a few hireIing
presses, the federal papers appeared unleI.
! The standard OF their country. j. the Sc
cate q; tie L. States, there we're only four
dissenting members; AID even they paid a