The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-27

We have addressed you, sir. In the lam
lguage and spirit of a revcrential affection
the boldness of our address, will not, we are
persuaded, be misconstrued. We think it
full time that the whele people should declare
that they are ready TO maintain, at every ha !.
card, the government of their choice. the
chief magistrate and their representatives.
who are faithful to the Independence of
the nation and its most sacred rights, aud to
express hope, that their government will
not longer suffer them to be outraged with
IMMUNITY.
JOHN BARKER, Chairman.
FREDERICK WoLBERr, Secretary,
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES.
FELLOW CITIZENS,
Common circumstances would not JUS
tify, nor do common circumstances impel
US to address you. Since the glad tidings of
peace was proclaimed throughout our land,
from the foundation of our government, ne
yer has so momcntous and critical = period,
as the present, elapsed. We have deter
mined to make known our sentiments. and
solicit you to manifest yours. Citizens of
country we love, living under constitution
we venerate, having common cause and a
common interest, common hopes and anxi-
cites, we are as DESTROYS to know your OPT
nioES as we are willing to make known our
own. UNANIMITT At, HOME rs OUR OBJ
SECT, and IS THE ONE THING NEEDFUL.
Having secured that, We may laugh to scorn
the malice of our enemies and make them,
yes, the proudest of them, to tremble and
be afraid. To effect this great good, this
desirable end, we know no means so ade-
quate, or SO easy, as that of the citizens as
sambiing in public meetings and instructing
their representatives. These are rights
which ought now, if ever, to be universally
exercised.
We request your attention, fellow citizens,
while We state some of the motives which
have prompted us to action. In Europe one
revolution has rapidly succeeded another
one government has been removed and an
other substituted-one monarch has been
hurled to the earth, and asother has assum-
ed his throne-cities, towns, villages and
their inhabitants have changed masters
hundreds of thousands of human beings have
persisted in the mighty conflict but no
where has the voice of the people been heard
no where has Freedom triumphed, or
Justice, tempered by Mercy, ruled the ma
lion. The eye of humanity is aim'd at the
retrospect, and the bosom of Philanthropy
heaves sigh at the recollection of what
dope had promised
Sickened at the scenes exhibiting in Eu-
OF Columbia and e1ultingly proclaims "there
rests the ho1e Of HE g0orid." We are, in
deed, fellow cititizens, the guardians not
only OF our own rights and the rights of our
postsrity. but of the hopes of the whole hui
man race. How precious the trust! How
sacred the deposit! Our bosoms swell with
gratitude to Heaven, that we are this high
ly favored people; our sinews stiffen s. our
strength redoubles in the confident belief,
that HE, who mas thus distinguished us. will,
by his Gracious Providence, safely guide us
through all the perils and dangers which
may assail us.
The wars which have desoiated some of
the fairest portions of Europe have not been
unproductiye of evil to the United States.
The belligerents have, by edicts hostile to
neutral commerce, and in violation of public
law and the principles of Justice, done us
essential injury but those edicts, however
they might have affected our growing pros.
perity, would never have excited the strong
sensations which have agitated the Ameri-
can mind on another subject. One of the
beligerents has, under various and veXati-
Gus pretences, asserted right to board not
only our merchant ships, but our national
ships, even in our own waters to muster
the crew and impress such, and as many,
as their caprice or their wants might require.
In the exercise of this tyranny, they have
outraged humanity, sported with our lives,
trampied on our honor and struck the flag of
our country Thai flag which the proud
spirit of Montgomery would have planted
on the walls OF Quebec-1ha flag, before
which Burgoyne surrendered and Coyn7Uai-
lis capitulated-Ihat flag, under which
Washington, Greene and many named and
nameless hero fought and conquered-Ihat
flag, under which we glorously achieved
Independence and secured Freedom, was by
cruelty and treachery bathed in the blood of
our unsuspecting fellow citizens We do not
wish to fan the fame of passion he who
can patiently think of the outrage on the
Chesapeake, has neither the feelings of a
nan nor the spirit of an American!
But the cup OF our humiliation was not yet
full. A special minister was sent under
pretence of making atonement for the out
rage com uitted, and his first and only pro-
position was, that we should declare our
selves in the wrong, by withdrawing the
Proclamation which forbad the rights of hos
pitality to those who had SO grossly abused
it. The proposition was spurned and the
minister who made it returned from whence
he came.
TO manifest the strict neutrality and i'm
partial justice OF the nation, our govern
ment laid general Embargo. 1t was a
wise, peaceable anG proyident measure
but the virtue of p portion of our citizens
was not proof against the larements to
wealth, which were held out. SO gross was
the conduct of the British government at
this period. that they actually issued all or
der of council, inviting. nay Offering boun-