The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-11-10

q
right to claim-she but gains with one hand
what she gives up with the other. But lie,
US take the other supposition if she refu-
ses to yield 1t, we. on our part, lose all that
we hold most dear. We are slaves to a
pretension which stamps our character with
disgrace and our sovereignty with the marks
ct subsection. " 1t degradcs the nation f; i
deprives our citizens of their rights as free
men it takes them by force from their IA
miles and country into foreign service, to
fight the battles of a foreign power. perhaps
against their own Kindred and their own
country."~
The times on which we are now thrown.
| are similar i'm more than.one respect to those
of '76. We resisted the storm of oppression
then. and we resist it now. We strove then
for the rights and liberties of our country !:
the same Cause invites US again to the field.
G. Britain was then determined totax US
without our own consent; yet we offered to
tax OURSELVES in lieu of this pretenson -
We now offer to give uf the use of her sea-
men; she is determined to take them. I'm
both cases. perhaps. She "means more than
meets the ear, Then, she was led on by
wish OF applying our purses to her own
emolument and now, under pretext OF
taking her oTvm, she takes good care to
crimp orr own seanen. The 5000. whom
she has now in CAPTIVITY, rise up i'm judgment
against her, and call upon us with "trum-
pet tongues" for revenge or relief. In 76.
she lost the richest jewel in her crown ;"
and at the present day she may lose another
limb of her empire.
." If zve make Law to exclude British
seamen from our navy (said good fede-
ralist to US the other day. and Britain will
not cease her impressments, & make peace
with us on these terms, we must zuhih her
srt, - . L<,f =. 4 = -
and whose is it not twill the leaders of
the Federal Party dare to say, that this is
nOt their idea fWould those men, who sway
ed the sceptre in 1900 under Mr.. Adams,
da' e at this moment o.make peace with
GU loosing the chains of their captive com
TT, men these politicians had the same
ideas. when they had the reins of power, as
the republicans entertain at this day. Ii
mothy Pickering himself would not then Ell
ter into, any stipulations which should be
construe Co empower the civil, military. or
naval officers forcibly to enter into the ter
ritorv, forts, ports or vessels of the other
party &c. with view to compel the deive-
~ OF such persons as shall (even) desert"
Mr.. Wolcott (he Secretary of the Treasu-
ry) falls into the same idea. The Secreta-
ny OF War (Mr. McHenry) approves also
Of Mr.. Pickeriug's project. The Secretary
of the Navy (Mr. Stoddert) is " clearly OF
opinion, that 1t is better to have no article
and to meet all eonse9 uences, than not to e.
numerate merchant vessels on the high seas,
among the things nor 70 be foroibly catered
in search of deserters."
Mr.. John Marshall, who succeeds Mr..
Pickering in the Department of State, adj
dressesa most forcible and formal letter on
this very subject to Mr.. King, then in
London-he reminds him that &c the i'm
/ M Of sea &c ini,,, ,,S
very serious magnitude, which deeply aft
fects. the feelings and the honour OF the 4; a.
ton that the contin9:::n:cce 0f this practice
must inevitably produce d,seord between
the two ma tons that the article which ap.
pears to have been transmitted by his pre-
decessor, will probably restore to the naval
service OF Britain, a greater number of sea-
men than will be lost by it, &c. 6ec.'
Should we even be mistaken in this cal
culat on (says he,) yet the difference cannot
be put in competition with the mischief
| which may result from the irritation justly
excl 4 by this practice, throughout the u
| nited States" He then asks, how long G.
Britain herself would submit to such an
| outragef How long would that govern
ment be content with unsuccessful remon
strance and unavailing memorials ? Is il
not more advisable Concludes Mr.. Mar
shalD to desist from, and to take effectual
measures to prevent, an acknowledged
| zvronS, than by perseverance in that wrong
to exsite against themselves the well foun
ded resentments of America, and force our
government into measures which may
very possibly terminate in ALI open rup-
| ture :
Yet who would be surprised at the ter
giversation of these gentlemen, after seeing
that a. in one month, in one little month or
ere these shoes we're old" their public
prints have actually fallen into the gross
est and most indecent Inconsistency OF
| which any politicians could be guilty -
Four weeks since they told us Why,
what foolsare III for going to war 1t you
will give up the use of her seamen, this is
the very thing which Great Britain has so
long desired. you had told her so before,
why she would have saved you the trouble
of going WARRIOR she would most cheerful
ly have given over the ilpressment o.
seamen." And now what are these same
prints doing They are whsking around
all at once, and saying, why, what fools
are you for continuing the war, when you
know that Great Britain will never give up
this right and that she has exercised il
from time immemoriai Are you to wal
with her for ever?" 1t is thus that these
prints, like the Satyr in the fable, blow hot
and cold with the same bresth.*s
And 1t is thus that the spirits of our enc
mics are maintained snd the war is pro,ong
ed. q. b. calculates upon our diyi ions -
she sees that let the administration steeI
what course 1t will, there is always par
y among us TO take sides with her & she
| is taught to trust, that this party by the ait
of glamour and misrepresentation, MAJ