The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-21
col THE ESOu,RER.

ri see.hs 10 me- impossible that the sketche.,
which we have received OF Mr.. t;ugh Mel
S ms speech III he ~. of r.. can II es-
pond with the original the Reporter must
aave misunderstood him-but if they are
correct transcripts of the originals, they are
ca!c lated to excite very melancholy G.
motions. M
Let us however, admit, that they are Cor
rect; we arc struck at once by the eXtrava-
giant descriptions which they give us of the
consequences OF an opposition to Great Bril-
cain.
1t needs no ghost to come from the grave
to depict to us the evils of war. They are
obvious to every eye, yet great as they must
be, why shall we paint them to be greater
than they are ? These caricatures are only
calculated to paradise the spirit of the peo-
pie and awe them into. submission at the
feet of G.. h.
Why do Mcssrs. Randolph and Nelson
attempt to turn us into stone by setting be-
fore us the Gorgon head, OF the French En-
peror !-Nhy is the former even so rash
as to insinuate-that our disposition for
war arises from an antipathy Tor England
and a love for France Can those gentle
men be serious In their opinions or their
fears .'
will take upon me to vouch .or the Re-
publicans, that those suggestions of MIR.
Randolph are but the idle o%alunnies. not of
his own, but of federal invention. We do not
hate the British nation. We too can vene-
rate the names of Milton and Of Newton, of
Locke and of Rumhden. W. too do no
mage to the great genius OF that wonder
ful Commoner, whom Mr.. Randolph has
sought to adopt as a model with more
than his asperity, but in genius and pub
lie spirit, how unequal Yet had he truly
studied the life of Chatham, he would have
seenhow vigorously that great man resented
an insult upon his Country,in the case of the
Falkland isles /; and how eloquently he de-
claimed against national degradation & a
dishonorable peace.
AS nations, the Republicans love the Pri-
tlsh more than the French. They think the
British Constitution better, infinitely better.
with all its defects, than that of France
They have no peculiar prediction for the
French people ; nor have they any extrava-
giant fears OF the power of the French ru-
ler.-but 1t is not these speculative points
that must decide the question of peace or
war. we look to the acts of their rulers /;
we ask ourselves, which has most invaded
our rights ; which has the most disturbed us
on hat element where we and they must
come into contact Which of them has i'm.
pressed our seamen? Which of them has
tramplcd on our dearest maritime rights
Which OF them, at this moment, continues
her aggressions, upon our commerce, in spite
OF the relaXations of the other3 which inter.
ceptsour natural commerce upon the seas up
on the most frivolous pretexts ? We see
that 1t is O.. Britain-it is her" sea -robbers''
that prey upon us her officers that insult
us her aggressions that ought to be resis-
ted. And with all these facts staring him
IN the face, can Mr.. Randolph be at any loss
TO account tor the present tone of the repub-
means! But this is not the first time that n
politician, VINO wants public spirit himself,
should charge a similar want of it upon q.
Tiers.
MIR. X. fears that, in case of a war, we
shall be tempted into the arms of France ;
and sorry am j to see that this is not the on
ly thing IN which Mr.. Nelson chimes in with
ms coiieaGue.-Wc ave no fears of this des-
ciipticJl. We arc as much aware of the
dangers of French alliance, as these gentle
men can b%e-they strike the ruling party
too sensibly not to put them onthc guard a.
Sainst such an event. But this argument
proves TOO much.--Let us wage any war
whatsoever with c.. Britain, ami the aycH-
[fend is still ready to devour us. Then
let us have no war at all with her-let rs
meaniy submit to every wrong and inslit
which She can pat upon us. -LetasEiss the
dust at once, let us bear every ill which Dri-
tiSh PTlde or Jealousy Can lntiiCt, for fear OF
those distant and precarious Ills % that VIC
know not Of" Fix Ibis chimcra would "make
cowaras of us ALL"
B1t We are told, We have no ono to lead
our trcopt to bat.lc--eXcept, Mir. Il.
says, can acquitted fclon.' Come CD then. G,
Britain, and seizcyour victim do your worst
upon uS /; have 10 fcajs of .4n1sficn, for She
has 10 man of integrity or skill to heal
her troops. Though She may call he.
sons to her assistance, she viii call in vain.
lhsir genius IS gone and her sun Of glory
has set for ev.r. =
X is as vain to say that or re. ubiican insti-
tutio s cannot stand the CROCK # war. If.hi.
were he truth, what melancholy reflection,
would i not suggest i.Rcpublics would he the
.'o3 disgraceful of all forms Of government
'1r they would be the most fee5lc. they mt
$ iOnIt 70 every insult, from = fear of thc;i
~ sso.utiou. But II IS noi t1c trn.h. F1rouI
coz trylnen ~ill TIlly around the staudar,
tne laws anl While taey nave scirit e.
dough 70 resist the foreign enemy, thgg have
t@o much tense 20 submit 70 domestic usur-
ger.
Var has It's evils. And we know il. Roi
We oagbt neither 20 paint those evils create
nan sley arc; 90 to 0aserrsts cur OWE