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

clsely on the same footing as with Grea
4 Br ain. In both cases the Executive az
T. copied the faith of the nation, pledge
, through their minister; and if should ,ur
= out that we have been deceived by both.
: will prove that there has been always O.
: tue part of the Executive OF the u. States
: sincere disposition to have peace with thes
) nations On the subject of the spoiation
ON commerce by France, and her seizure
ana considerations, il would be found that II
every letter addressed by our minister t.
that government the restoration of that pro
Ipcrty was cons dered as making an essentia
part OF the arrangement. The circumstance
OF the minister being obliged to return from
France, at period perhaps rather unfa-
voraoie, might have prevented that part %
nc arrangement from receiving that decided
character which it ought to possess. Mr.
Il. SAID his colleague was mistaken as to the
| tiiedged cause of the seizures in France
Ilt was not retaliation for the non-inter.
Course law, but for the supposed seizure of
property In American ports. He believed,
| that 1T was a fact that no such Sc zure of
property had taken place I; and if the law o,
reprisal was to govern in this case, if any
| hing like justice could be relied on from
france, the property would be promptly
resored. Mr.. T., concluded by suggesting
to his colleague the propriety of Offering his
4
ton There were considerations which
ought to induce the House Immediately to
pass regulations for the relief of our own ci-
tizens.
Mr.. Randolph said it would give him
great pleasure to comply with the request
OF his colleague. were it not for the circurl-
stance that this non-importation went into
operation to day. The truth was, if there
were to be in point of fact any operation
at all; it the medicine were to work; if it
were to have any practical effect, he would
let 1t pass. But although in point of fact it
would do the belligerents no harm, and un-
questl nabiy dous no good, it would be made
an engine Tor sinking the value of the pro.
perry OF his constituents. Mr.. r. said he
was opposed to this sort OF legislative
quackery; it went t. the impairing our own
consiitutlon---'o injuring our own health,
without affecting our enemies. He THOUGHT
the gentlemen had stated that there h. ii
been no case in which the Berlin and Milan
DEGREES had been applied to our prope ty
since the 1St of November. In The name of
common sense, said Mr. X. of what conse
ounce is it to us, if we are plundered and
robbed, whether it be under NJ decree or
ano' her. Will he gentleman say that
there's no case IN which our property has
been robbed, and the proceeds pu, in the
+ ench reasurys 1t is of no matter or con-
! Sequence To US, whether we are murdered
a d robbed. the high way, or ne rights of
hospitality be disregarded and we murder
| edln our beds under the prote ction of our
no't as resates 90 MS, me question is alto
getherimmatefitl. There is a deeper die
| OF depravi5y in one case than in the other, as
relates I" the "tf1nder--nni shade of differ
ence as relates to the party offended. I
seems, ST., that we at end so much of late to
mode and so little to substance that if we
re not rob 1ed and plunder.d after this par.
| ocular manner, we may be robbed and pInn-
dered To- our hear 5 Content after ano her ia
shinn The Question with us is whether we
are robbed and piundered. II may be mat
ter It Paris. whether there is so much IN
ne mode. but to US old-fashioned people it
Is n" matter, so as we lose our money, how
! il is taken.
Mr. said he should have been ex-
tfemel' glad to have submitted this propo-
Sitioh lin the shape or resolution, and dis
| cuSsed It IN the committee OF the whole to
whom the oil was ~eferred. But could it
not be discussed nowf Was it no, as much
IN the power o! any member under the pre-
Sent motion 10 discuss the question whether
ne non-lnte recourse law shall be repealed !?
| His colleague, Mr. X. said. 1ad justified the
seizure OF our property N ench por 5 as
| retaliation for alledged seiEJres of French
to have taken place Was it of any consc
quence to the people of the u States, ifthey
were plundered under false aud stale pre-
texts, what those pretexts were! He appre..
hended not.
One word, said MIR. X. on the subject of the
faIth said to have been pledged by the act
| or May last. 1t cannot have been so plede4
ed. Pledged to whom? To Great Britain :
unques ionably NOT. To Frances u ques-
tionaby not. What is our Iaw1 A rule of
action! To whoml For ourselves We
have been aggrieved by the two great beIIi-
gerents OF Europe we pass a law for the
regulation of our own conduct the operati-
on OF which is to depend or certain eontir,-
gencies Is that pledge of faith to either
OF those belhgerents! Unqucstionably not.
bu' TINS 1T does not behove me to prove; it
6ehoves my colleague to shew how it is a
pledge of our faith.
! With regard to the anxiety of the Presi-
dent to preserve peace, Mr.. r. Or, sumed
there could be no doubt of the fact; he Fever
doubted it. He submitted to the House whe
ther late occurrences did not afford an on
Poriunity OF getting rid of this wretched
system OF lame ezpedients, i'm which thew
had embai ked STAGE they abandoned the
embargo. 1t might be said that in short
time news might be received of the repeal
OF the orders IN council, which would i'm the
opinion ct some render this motion unneces
sary. The law MIR. K. said, was a rule
OF conduct for him, and no foreign nation
bad right to know of its existence; and
/ II &