The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-16


BILE privilege is cheaply purchased, by tole-
rating the most wanton abuses of the free
dom OF speech. Yet there are occasions
when patriot will hesitate to expose the
errors of his own country. When it is en-.
gagged In a periious controversy with a TO
Ie,sn power, from which it has received
great and acknowledged injuries. he will
nor seek out for new subjects of discorl.
which have no tendency to redress her
wrongs. AS this discovery, therefore. of
Mr. Dana has no bearing on the dispute with
Great Britain, and was calculated only to
produce schism among ourselves, its author
deserves the apprehension of the public.
Those wnn recolect the events of few
wears past must be struck with astonish
lnent, when they hear Mr.. Madison accus-
ed Ivy the federalists of too much precipitan-
cy, in embracing a proposal of peace with
Great Britain! a superficial observer would
Imagine, that parties had changed places,
and were now retorting tbeir charges against
each other. From the FIRST formation. of
parties, Mr.. Madison and his friends have
been accused of n settled hostility to Great
Britain and criminal attachment to her
great rival. How will the authors of this
charge solve the enigma, that he has over.
1ooked allthc usual forms of diplomacy, to
catch even the CLEAN of peace with Eng
land! Ii truth and candor are not extin
SutSucU III tnclr DCSOnS, tiley must rctfaCl
one or other of these assertions ; they
must either admit that the President has
not been precipitate, or that he feels no a
version to all accommodation with England.
But sriis accusation of the President APP
pears still more odioIs, when we contrast
it with the language OF the fcderalists at
the eXtra-session OF Congress. The first
step taken by that party, was to propose
vote of appreciation of the conduct of the
II ri
'ihe real friends Of Mr. Madison opposed
this motion as premature, and calculated
only to give to our adversary an improper
idea of the Importance of her friendship to
lis. They urged, that the negotiation was
but in an recipient state, and it would be
Improper for the Legislature TO interpose at
q time when they could not have full view
OF the subject They apprehended it might
have a pernicious Influence on the future
negotiation Bat IN csc objections disappear
cd before the eager eyes OF the federaists
They denounced their opponents as the enc
3uies of peace; their caution was called en-
unity 10 Great Britain and their refusal to
7'ste appreciation, was construed into the
opposite sentiment. Atho' the agreement
was regarded by every republican, as the
s:onsummaiiOn of the whole system of our
,neasures altho' it WAS hailed with the
most fervent Joy; their prudent and well
regulated APPROPRIATION, was drowned in the
noisy and clamorsus applause of those who
aelt at their hearts the deepest mortihcatioii.
hypocrisy always oversteps the modcsty of
nature. The great drift of this resolution
was to cast ooiique cens,re on MIR.
Jefferson 1t was said, that the same terms
'pSht haze 6ecm G!5oayS o6taincI j,'0ni q
Britain. had it not been for the hostility Of
MIR. Jefferson. They endesvored to SHOW,
that the agreement placed G. Britain on a
much better footing than the ofiyr made by
Mr.. Jefferson the preceding summer. Mr..
Madison became the federal toast, and his
name was ENROLLED in the calendar of fede-
ral-saints. They copied the policy of Han
,hll, who spared the farm of Fabius to
destroy his credit with his country.
But mark the sad reverse! In six months,
sic Estle months, the scene is woefuIly
Changed! MIR. Madison is no longer the fe
sierai idol; he has become not merely the
"bJect of dislike, but of the most active per-
secution. He is accused of having been pre-
Cipitate in believing the accredited minis
Ter OF Great Britain ,altho' these same &C
cusers had endeavored to give wings to h,
precipitancy. The agreement itself, which
was before so reasonable, that it might have
been drained at any time, is now so disho-
norabie to q. Britain, that MIR. Madison
oight to have foreseen, that it would not be
rauhed. The language of Mr.. Smith, in
accepting the PREPARATION rendered by Mr.
l.rskine for the attack OH the Chesapeake,
which was before the world st the time the
tederalists ru2g the air with their applause,
- now so insulting. that 1t rendered it i'm
possible Tor his Britannia majesty to acqUi
e4Scc III It. DIX months ago, ii was criminal
An any man to doubt the propriety Of a ic-
.;IS'ative expression OF appreciation of an i'm
Perfect treaty, before the corr eSpondence
which led to it was known; no7p il is criu,i
a'al in the President, that he did not hesitate
40 .ccede to an advantageous cfier made by
ahe acknowledged minister of q foreign stale
s3ix months ago, it was fashionable 10 prove
that Mr.. Madison always had been fede-
Taist; now elaborate trcatiscs are written to
SHOW, that he has uniformly acted from
hostility to Britain, and devotion to
France. This is the short history Of the
,ise, progress and decline Of Mr. Madison
popularity with the iederalists. 1t began
ayith hypocrisy, Has Continued with insiGi
Gus applause, and ended with malignant
persecution. Thus We see the federal party
shaping their Course according to the emer
Sency of the times and keeping nothing
steaaly in view, but die great Object Of adhc-
ring to Great Britain.
have endeavored to show, that Mr.. Da.
mas argument (admtting its truth) affords
vo defence of Mr.. Jackson 30 Just fCation
at Great Britain; ana displays the hallcw
oaIth OF the federal party in their conduct
70 their own government. The next number
will be devoted to the merits of the position
takenby Mr. Dana.
ACRJC0J