The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-09-14

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ed several days Those who were about me can
bear testimony to the agitation to my mind -
Al length the uoteriety Of the facts, both here
and at Hamburg, shut the door to all expedients
and left me no alternative bnt to denounce the
ships in question, or to suffer the suspicious ex.
isting against the whole property cfmy fellow
citizens to be confirmed by denunciation from
another quarter, not only Of these cases. but OF
myself as participating in the fraud. The pause
! made in the choice of such complicated diff
culties had excited already clamours among
some of my countrymen, and insinuations uufa
vorable to my motives. In short, on the 18th of
December, i denounced the ships in question to
the principal local authorities, and wrote ex
planatory letter to his majesty the King Oh Den.
mark, which sent by express. These ships
were afterwards tried in two Tribunals and
their papers being found forged, they were to-
Sether with their cargoes, condemned. after
wards received the unanimous appreciation ola
general meeting ofmy fellow citizens at Ham.
burg, supercargoes of the ships here, and at
their requestproceeded TO Copenhagen, to snli.
cit the liberation of the American property in
these Provinces. The delay which has occurred
IN this investigation is the only source of dissats-
faction with my conduct.
Perhaps the dissatisfied would have preferred
immediate confseation 70 delayed liberation This
IS the summary of the principal facts shall
make but one or two observations. Although the
enemies of the measure have endeayored L. make
party question OF it, it has nothing to do with
party Among my opposers were men of both
the great political opinions which characterize
my fellow-citizens at home, and the committee
who communicated TO me the sense Of the meet
ing were all Federalists. The law contravened
rs an old one, and was passed in the year 1903 -
On the ground of expcdiency and deiicacy to
wards the local authorities, have ascertained
from the highest sources, that had the properly
been given up by und,stinsushing general or
der, new arrest would have been Immediately
laid under different agents, and which would have
proved fatal to the whole Was it then my duty
to leoPardize millions of the fair property of my
fellow citizens out Of mere etiquette and delica-
cy towards foreigners? One fact more--i have
put myself in state of hostility with many of
the people with whom am doomed to live, and
have experienced many inconveniencies and Pc
cunlary losses On the other hand, defy any one
to shew that have derived any advantage di.
rectly or indirectly from the measure. Is it pre-.
tended that was influenced by jealousy & base
ness Ireply that had enough of fair permit
ted trade, and if would have excepted such bu
s'ness as that which exposed, might have had
nifty cargoes, not merely on consignment but on
participation of profits without risk If had
wanted money, might have received enough to
have made me quite independent for hfe-In
short, can declare before God and my own con.
science, (and every honest man who knew the
circumstances, will admit it) that every motive
OF personal interest or convenience, was against
the measure I t ok
acted upon the most enthusiastic love of my
country, and its injured commerce. had right
to expect the appreciation of that country but
am sorry to have experienced what many have
done before me, that malice has been much more
alert than candour, and that am at this late Pc
Rod called forth to vindcate myself ag 1inst the
most active calumnes in that country, Tor whose
| interest alone, / have sacrificed myself and that
in England, whose commerce nave directly at
tackled, 1 have found more apologists than in the
States.
To the liberal and candid friends of my coun-
try and its fair commerce, hope that this justi-
tcation will be unwelcome as to those of
different description, and especially as to thoae
profit and loss patriots, with whom the dignity &
honor OF OF the country or the flag are paltry
considerations, when weighed against a good
freight, do not solicit their protection, nor will
their ennty ever turn me from the course have
hitherto pursued.
NJ FORBES