The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-03
ENQUIRER OFFICE Dec. 6:
GOVERNOR BARBOuR,s MESSAGES

1S@NSC4N Lee. y,
GOVERNOR BARBOUR's MESSAGE
COUNCIL CRANBER, Nov. 3Oth, 1912.
70 me Senate and House Of Delegates.
1t would have been 20 me, fellow Citizens,
source of great pleasure, could I have
communicated to you, that since your last
session the two great contentling powers of
Europe, sensible of their injustice towards
us, had at last abandoned their offensive
measures, and made honorable PREPARATION
for the insults and injuries they had so long,
and SO wantonly inflicted upon the United
States.
1t is painful, on the contrary, to be o.
bliged to state, that the conduct of these
powers has been essentially otherwise.
Whilst France was wantonly committing
the most lawless and unprincipled outrages,
she was nevertheless making strong profess
sions of Friendship. This induced a hope
on the part of the General Government that
by remonstrance, and negotiation, it might
be possible to avoid resort to the last ex-
tremity against that power.--Great Britain,
on the other hand as little restrained by con-
siderations of justice, and avaling herself of
her naval superiority, continued not only her
acts of violenceby which our commerce was
harrassed on every ocean, but added injuries
peculiar to herself, ard boldly proclaimed
her unalterable determination to persevere
in her iniquitous course.
Although it would be as painful SIS humi-
hating to recapitulatc, i'll detail, the wrongs
| which this power for series of years has
done us, yet rapid review Of the most i'm
lportant incidents, during that time, may not
be without itssuse, as it will present.a vo-
lume ofevidence, demonstrating to the world
the ardor with which America has cherish
eo peace, her patient and long suffering un-
de luiuStIcea and eccio md he
rious necessity which finally compelled her
to assume a hostile attitude.
AT the commencement of the war so af-
fiictihg to humanity and which has so long
desolated Europe, America just recovered
from the Convulsive throes OF her own revo-
lutien, and at peace with the world, was re-
posing under the benign influence of go
vernment founded upon the rights, and hav-
ing tor its object the happiness of man, adj
minlstered by the genius OF a Washington,
whose illustriouS virtues by the unanimous
consent OF the nation, had obtained for him
the most honorable of all titles, that of father
OF his country. Under such suspicious Cir.
cumstances, she was marching with rapid
strides to the fulhlment of her high dest-
MES. This prosperous career could be ap-
rested only by the interruption of her peace.
Its preservation, therefore, as consonant to
her inclinations as to her interest, became
the obJec. OF unceasing solicitude. And that
nothing might be attributed TO her, which
should justify the belligerent powers. in dis
turbing the peaceful attitude she had de-
termincd to preserve, she invariably main.
tanned towards each an impartial eu,rality !;
she discharged with the most scrupuous fl
deity every obligation imposed by justice,
performed with Cheerfulness every act Of
Kindness dictated by friendship, and took
no farther interest in the troubled scenes of
Europe, than to weep over the folly and
wickedness which kept alive I, war, every
where marked with unusual carnage and
desOlatiOn.
With such dispositions and such conduct,
she might we'll have hoped that her rights
undisturbed. How Tar tins just expectation
has been realized, let the long and bloody
roll OF acts of injustice ndvioence perpe-
trated by Great Britain, answer
She had scarcely become a party to the
war, when, with the avowed and wicked
purpose OF starving thirty millions of peo-
| pie, she directed her cruizers, in contempt
OF the laws ofnations, to seize, & bring into
her ports every American vessel, bound to
France with provisions, and not content with
this offensive measure herself, she solicited
her allies to cooperate with her, and actu-
| ally bound them by treaties to follow her eX-
between the colonies Of her enerIy and the
mother countrv-fhe1 she would not permit
that trade by the circuitou8 route--an ag-
gression which independent Of its intrinsic
enoTmity) was characterized 10y heTjIdg, IL
as much as. by the solemn decisions Of her
! own Courts, that trade had been pronounced
/ legitimate. Our citizens. confding in this
! pledge, covered the ocean with their YES
! sells w hen, to the Indignant am.zement
/ OF Americans, by All e:c host .facfo regelitd.
( II, British cruizers were let loose upon their
| properly, TO the ruin cf the owners. Her
| new and unwarrantabie system ofb!ockade,
nterdicled cur intercourse with whole coun-
! tries :--Shc caused her vessels Of war To
hover around our Coasts infcst our harbOrs,
insult orr sovereignty, and murder our CT
| tiZeHs--Sha caused thousands of QUE ha;ive
born s:Hmen to be impressed on the high
seas, aud torn from their homes, their fa.mi-
! lies and their country finally, by her or
ders IN Council, Size nsolently assumed the
power Of regulating our commerce, thcrcb
reducing us, # submission, on ,ur past, hac
| follower to state C colonial ysssalagc.
| America, AMIDST thcsc catrages, CONT
nued TO give new proofs Of her pacific cispo
sitiUE. and actually retired from the ocean