The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-29

Legislative body. that, with France the
posture OF our relations does ,.ol correShsnd
scifs The measures taken on me hart Of
me u. s. 10 effect a E3oorabie change"-
This annunciation was accompanied with do
teuments which demonstrated that the
French Emperor still adhered 70 his DEGREES
in spirit and IN practice.
We willnot extend our quotations from
the correspondence with foreign govern
ments, laid by the President before Con
gress, further than TO Introduce in tbs place
a passage from the note Of Mr.. Champagny
to General Armstrong of the date of August
%, 1909. which note, although IL he'd on j..
feared fic0iouety IN the ne 7vshaherS, syas
communicated 10 the iegiSioiure b. Mr..
Madison. IL, o'tler th0t ihe G2cirinc svhich
IL proclaimed might be authenticated and
IoGc,dfly made known to The sshote nation.
:. The continental powers, (says Mr.. Cham
pagny) leagued against England make a
commo0 cause, they aim at the same obj ct,
they will reap the same advantages, they
ought also to run the same risks The
ports of Holland, of the Ei5e, ofthe IYeser,
OF lay and ut Sham. will not enDv any adj.
vantage of which those Of France may be de.
Iprived. They VIII both be either open or
shut at the same time to the commerce Of
which they may be the object" Here was
a precise declaration made known by the
President TO the people of The United States,
that : rance would not permit to her aili,
a trade which she did not enjoy herself. I,
was a new epoch liz the operation of the
French DEGREES; for previously to that pc
Rod the government OF France had al
lowed her allies 20 super;Btend the eXecu;i-
on of the E;nperor's edicts under an adaptive
principle but q practice was now introdu
ced quite the reverse: Frapce began TO
comhet the continental powers to enforce her
system. The custom houses of most of the
nations of Europe, from that moment, were
put under the direction of French military
agents and whatsoever was decreed at
Paris, or by Bonapartc, was absolute law TO
all his confederates and dependents. How
can the Executive be condemned for ne
elect of duty, when he continued to give such
public and universal notice of the prevalence
of evils SD aff1 cting to trade
The truth Isl. or merchants haze TOO
much diSregaroled the 7varning Uoice uf
their government. Impelled by spirit of
adventure and thirst for gain, stimulated
bv the incessant clamors of the federal par
~ that there was no danger to commerce
from France because France mad no navy
lconhding, in short, more to the misrepre
sensations of factious men than to the honest
truths OF their own rulers, our merchants
have risked their property in opposition to
all the maXims OF prudence, suffering their
pecuniary desires to outweigh their actual
knowledge OF the existing state of things.
But, 1T seems by the Boston Gazette. that
the seizure of American properly by the
French government ought not to occasion
Surflri-e. The Gazette is entirely mistaken
in his application of republican feelings on
the occasion. SurhriZe, indeed, prevails,
not that Napoleon Bonaparte should com
init such an outrage but that the merchants
[ ] al tPr he red md
pressive admontions which the government
had given, should put their property within
his grasp. Towards France, the sentiment is
not that OF Su1Trize, but of Indignation, at
the policy OF sovereign whose official and
public declarations. in the face of ALI Europe,
held language totally the reverse CT that
which attempts to paliiate the act Of sci,
zure and Confscation.
But why need we speak of Past impru-
dence Even lately, when the fact of the
violent sale of our property Gould no longer
he doubted when it is proclaimed, from
French authority, that all American vessels
and their cargoes which proceed to the ports
OF the continent of Europe within French
control. shall be seized and Seguestered
when the recent advices from our minister
AT Paris are staring our merchants full in
the face ; such is the singular cupidty of
the times, that millions worth OF property
has been sent thither by our traders, who,
at the instant they cursiDg Napoleon
for his late conduct, are Fastening to fur
nish him with fresh opportunities for add,
tional rapacity
Extract ofa letter from gentleman az
Natchez, to hisJfiend IN Norfolk.
Your friend W has overtaken me
at last at this place, from whence we shall
so in company to the Opelousa Country. AS
usual, he is full of news, but what is most
surprising. he actually brings us something
unusually interesting. He informs me, thar
IN descending the river. he fell in with a
party of four men, Cor rather heroes) who.
after suffering shipwreck on the North West
Coast, had not only the spirit to plan, but
Courage to attempt, and fortitude to perse-
we're and succeed in one of the most darin.z
undertakings ever heard of, viz n Jour.,
ney across the continent, from The Pac .fc
TO The .IlLanttc Ocean, with no ofher hrovl.
sions Than fhelr guns, 7yith 6 hounds of
Hozuder, and 30 rounds Of shot. Incredible
as this circumstance may appear, the short
account given by the head Of the party, Mr..
Baptiste LAVAL, to Mr.. W, carries the
strongest evidence OF the fact
Mr.. laval was born in the city of Phil.
adelphia, and although tepublican himself,
yet the attachment OF his father and family
to the king, rendered it necessary for them
to remove to Canada after the close of the
war, where he ever since has been eng tged
N the far trade That al I.