The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-02-12

toprOteCt commerce Dv an arnt Il force. there
should al the same time be immense quanti-
ries of property sen, abroad unde the guar
dianship OF iis own citizens when It was we'll
known that that property might and would
oe seized ny tue stronger powers under any
pre;ence they should chuse to sat up. Ano-
ther thing incidental t. the society TO which
we belong, sait, Mr.. Al is, that. with a COM
tuerce under such circumstances, we must
derive from that very commerce the revenue
which supports our government. In such a
state OF things am perfectly DESTROYS that
there shall be n chance once mere given to
the navigating and COM mercial part of the CT
t,zens OF the ". States TO go on without impc-
diment on the part of their own government
and make their voyages as advantageously as
they can; that they may go abroad like in
dustrious bees, and return laden with honey
to the hive; for. looking ut our financial sys-
tenn bottomed on commerce, think we
ought not to superadd. to the difficulties UNI
derwhich COR MERGE iabors. restrictions i'm
posed by our own government.
Mr. Wrighs said he was no. little sur.
prised at a gentlcman's rising and pr oposing
a direct violation of the piighIed faith of the
government, pledged in the law of Nav last
An the iacc of the world. He hoped that such
a breach of good faith would receive NO
countenance in this House. What, said
he, after the Legislature of the u S. have
Iegslated ON the subject, making propo
siien, and one power has SO far acceded to
1t as to revoke her DEGREES of Berlin and
Milan i'll so many words. are we to sh, ink
from the performance of the contract! Mr..
w. felt not little surprised that, after this
any Representative of the American nation
would feel a disposition upon the receipt of
a letter from Charge des Affaires (Which
he did NOT know that he was. by the appint-
ment of the President and confirmed by the
Il k,rI ,,r
Der would be disposed to slight the nations
promise. What does this gentle man saw ?
That our triSate Essex arrived on the 5th,
and that messenger Ginning ashore was
prevented by the ships being held liable TO
quarantine; and the ship " o Packet had
been seized at Bordeaux under the Berlin
and Milan DEGREES. Sir, said Mr.. w what
Information had the French government
chen received of the proclamation of the Pre-
sident of the u. States! None it was not
Till he 18th that the proclamation reached
Paris, where it was received by the people
with great Joy. We have no expression of
the opinion of the government subsequent
10 that time. In relation to the seizure of
this vessel, whenever an agent does an act
violating the law of nations, the government
mast be called upon and refuse to disavow
the &C before it can be ascrlbed to the gov
ernVent. What then has been done in thi,
u
which had been received when it was dis
patched. We find too that the vessel seized
had been TO 4 British port & was loaded with
articles not the growth this country -
Here, sir, We find our Charge des Affaires
telling very hastily that he has written
such a letter to the Due de Galore and
had not received an answer. And before
we are informed what were the precise facts
an this case, we are to act on one sided
inf nd in fact
NATION at all and to impute to the French
government an Intention, without knowing
whether it was their in eiiiOn or not to dis
regard their promise. On this single case
on the true color OF which there is no Ger
tainty, we are called upon to lay the founda
ton of revocation of that law. H. what
situation shall we place the Country, should
we act on the infor nation, and tomorrow
learn that the officer who seized the ves-
sci was punished. and the vessel Civ IN.
and that the government of France was
well disposed> The nation would be much
dissatisfied indeed, if after having held out
conditions to both belligerents, which are
accepted by one, without the least informa-
tion or reason TO expect any thing from the
other power, we were to retrace our steps,
Are we upon information that Mr.. Russell
had written a letter to the Duke of Galore
TO which no answer was or could have been
received, faithlessIy to repeal law con-
tanning so solemn pledge Could any
man feel devotion to the best interests Of
mis- country, who would place it in that pre-
diCament
>. MIR. w. said he was friendly to peace
but if we must have a collision let it be wit
chat nation which continues to niure our
rights If they should determine to revoke
their act, before the knowing what France
had done consequent TO the proclamation. it
would be extraordinary indeed. Here was
a very has'y letter of young man lust
indicted in Office, who inhis desire to
ahew his zeal writes a letter to give in.
formation which when received amounts
60 nothing. Besides, Mr. w. questioned
the correctness of the fact stated by him
of the Essex being ordered to uuarap
kline because the messenger who wen, in
her arrived at Paris on the 1871, and could
moi have been detained on board the vessel
at quarantine. AS to recommitting the bill
and waiting for further information. there
could be no objection to it but as to re
polling the law, it was proposition which
ought not under present circumstances
to be entertained by the House. Mr.
w. said ne looked upon our engagement
with France in the light of solemn trea-
~, and as such binding upon us If he
could be satisfied, however, that these
things had been done under the authority of
France. he should beas ready as any one 70
denouBce the act and 60 as far as any one m
procure redress for he had been long fired
oil the aggressions on our neutral ripbfs