The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-07

however elevated, however surrounded by hon.
ors or Patronage The cold calculating discra
ton OF a" diguified moderation," would flatter
tbs sell love OF men in power; but that same cold
calculating temper is much better adapted to
! the atmosphere of despotism, than to the region
| where the press has obtained by the Same sove
reign authority which constitutes the political
government, ITSELF the right of censure over all
men aud all public measures.
| We are neither nsensible to the importance
Of the RICH, when rightly used, indifferent TO
the reputation which cannot fail Ga follow the
| honest and manly exercise Of its functions. We
might. it cody disposed, TO evade the discussion,
say that there IS nothing alledged concerning
the president or MIR Smth. that has been denied
| 10y them let us whether they too will come
| forward as Mr.. Gaatn has done; we might
ans wer To the m'irnurs which we hear, when you
have pointed out the facts To which you except .
we shall then examine them at present we
| have the assertion of Mr. Callatin as far as con
| Germs himself and Mr., Erskinc but we have no.
thing from the two other gentlemen
We shall not evade the examination in this
way; we shalitslsc up what is reported of Mr.
Madison and OF NJ Smith, as well as of Nc Cal
ATTN; ond we shall speak ofthem as public con
hdcnce requires US to speak without partiality or
reserve.
The dispatch of Mr. Erskine of 81 December.
| 1903, marked No. l, is principally occupied in
| reporting the opinions, uttered BY AIR Madison,
| and expressed 70 him Here Mr. Madison is re-
| represented making very important commu
Tcatlons, as well other members of the gov.
| ernrnent; and from the tenor of which Mr. Frs
kline declares" l confidently believe they were
delivered from unieigned desire that they may
| lead to some adjustment of differences with
! G which might enable the (American) gov
| eminent TO extricate itself from its present per-
| picking dilemma
Several other sentiments ofthe same tenor and
corroborallve thereof. are cited among others
that IT the British government were to see the
dispatches to France anl To consider the strong
| remons'rance of Gen Armstrong of 12ih Novem
Der 1907, that they would ackno Wedge the U
states hsd done every thing that circumstances
could do
| The tenor of all these observations cited, went
| to shew that the United States had no bias tow.
| ards France, and was prepared TO act in the spi-
| rit OF the Instructions which had been sent in
| common to the American ministers in London
! and Paris, declaring that the measures OF the u
nited States should cease against that one of the
two powers which should release American
commerce from the restraints of orders and de.
| crees
In these ideas of Mr. Madison we see nothing
that can provoke censure cavil against him in
divdually 1t was in perfect consonance with
the policy that had been long before adopted and
pursued as to the policy itself that is a sepa-
rate question; we say that Mr.. Madison pursu
ed the principles ofpolicy adopted before he be
| came president, and if there be any thing cen.
suraoe IN this, 1t must belong to the policy it
self; upon which we shall speak more hereaf.
| ter.
| There arc two points upon which some excep
tons have been uttered ; the first i'm these
words" Mr. Madison observed to me that i,
must be evident that the United States would
| enter upon measures OF hostility with great re
iuctance as he acknowledged thar they zuere moi
ar al rParei for svar, much less with power
so irresstIbly strong as great Britain
Ii there be any matter improper in this point
1T is the latter part of the sentence for no viewer
plausible the notion may be, that he ought not to
have scsno wledged that we were unprepared for
! war, 1T apprars to us on the contrary both wise
and proper because it was truth, and a truth
which ii was not necessary to tell, because it is
/ probable the BRITISH minister was as well &C.
quainted with our military condition as the pre-
sldent himself
The remainder of this dispatch treats more ge
I neralLy OF the sentiments expressed by Mr. Mad.
I ison and Mr. Erskine declares that he. sc be
ieves them to be his real sentiments" and refers
to " certain p,,vate important comnaaicatioss, %
which have been made 10 him by members of the
administration, who are sincerely DESTROYS of a
cancellation with G. B.
! Thus far the dispatch of MIR Erskine, No 1.
The dispatch No. III. is appropriated by Mr..
Erskine to the communications OF NJ Galla,in
it relative to Mr. Madison, proceeds wholly from
Mr.. GAllatin, and must be considered in that
/ way
/ There is no further note of any conversation of
| NJ. Mtdson, until we reach No VII of
M. Erskine's dispatch Of 10Th March, 1909,
which so far from being unexceptonable, is
highly creditable TO the president, fixes at once
the principles of his conduct, to be conformable
strictly to the rule avowed to the two bellige
rents.
1 Upon review, therefore, of what relates to the
conversations of Mr.. Madison himself, as repor.
1 ted by Mr., ErsSne, must draw line of dis
elimination between them and the reports of his
opinions, as they are stated by Mr. Erskine to
have been uttered by Nh Gsllatin, and must de-
clare that so far as the policy adopted was wise
and just, so far the conduct of Mr.. Madison was
! consistent and correct
| We shall to morrow notice the part which
| Mr.. Smith has borne in these affairs.