The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-02-08


Fer Two DAYS iass, and Yesterday IN par
,ic,;ar, n considerable quan;,ty of Ice has
been floating down the river. Several boats,
TWO dashed Icgether With Sc
verai men OH beard, have been carried over
the Fails with it. What, las been their
,atc, NC are not able to say.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.
The bill for classifying and arming the
militia Of the United S:tctes il yet before the
House OF Representatives.
The ordinary appropriation bill has pas
sed the House Of Representatives, and has
The policy observed by MIR. jefferson to-
ward 5 the abcrigines Of our country, not
only reflects the highest honor. upon. the
head and hcart of that truly great man, but
from its beDehcia!! effects, so evident to OBJ
servation, has !cft to future ages an exam
pie worthy OF Imitation. After q long phi
iosophlcd study of their disposition and pro-
lensites, he became acquainted with their
wants, and adapted his measures to smeet
and alleviate them. Knowing well the in
fuence obtained over their minds, by their
connection with and dependence upon the
traders, and how little they were disposed
to reason upon the nature and causes of our
ed luxury or necessary prompted them to
: mplain and threaten, and even to resist
without enquiry ; and how powerful wea.i
pom such privation would be in the hands
OF the traders whether British or French
whenever measures of restrictive nature
have been considered necessary, an eXcep-
tionary clause was introduced in favor of the
Indians.
The Northern and Western indians have,
during a course of many years, been accus-
Toned 20 receive goods for their convenience
and comfort, in exchange for their pcltries.
These goods are Of a peculiar kind, and ma
nniactured IN Europe for their special use,
imported year in advance, owing to the
difficulty OF transportation in the frozen re-
gions through WHICH they have to pass, ard
relied on BY them as Indispensable neces-
ssrics of life.
When the embargo was laid, foreseeing
that these supplies would be cut off, that the
consequences would be distressing to the In
dams, and that it would be natural for the
British traders totake advantage of this OPP
portuDity to infiame their minds against the
United states, by representing this as an
act OF hostility against them q remedy was
sought tor, and amplyprovided in the 18th
section of the act of 25th April, 1903, which
follows:
- ~
in an act laying an embargo on all ships &
vessels in the ports orharbors of the United
States, or in the several acts supplementary
thereto, or in the act to prohibit the impor-
tatlon OF sundry goods, wares and merchap-
disc, shall be construed to prevent the eX-
p6rtation by land, or inland navigation, from
the territories of the United States into thme
OF Great Britain, of furs and peltrics, the
property of the subjects of Great Britain,
and by them purchased from the Indians, or
10 prevent the Importation by land or inland
navigation, from che territories of Great
Britain into those of the United States, of
merchandise. the property of British sub
Jects, and by them. imported solely for the
use of the Indians aforesaid"
This section makes certainly most lbe-
raj and ample provision for their wants 8,
I it were necessary then, when they were
generally quiet and satisfied, how much more
% must it be now, when they are restless
and turbulent, and even in one instance
laSe raised. the tomahawk, though it is eX-
,pccted that the terrible & timely chastjse-
nent which they received, will prevent any
Immediate recurrence to like extreme
1t is probable, had the subject subsequent
ly received from Congress the same atten-
tion as in 1S0S-had they considered it in its
practical peration--the evil which might
result from a neglect, and the good which
might follow a proper attention to concilia-
tory measures, that they would have pursu-
ed a similar course and havSx adopted, un-
der the non-importation act, measures SINH
lar to those inthe Act of April, 18O8 which
were then adopted, altho' at that time Bri-
fish subjects were SO extensively benefited
by those provisions. Now, as II is well
known that Americans have purchased a
greater part Of the MackiDaw Company, it
would be two fold benefit to ourselves,
procuring supplies for the Indians ut the
same time that it lessons the influence of the
British traders. a measure so apparently
polite and liberal, and so consistent With
the policy of that great man, who may be
called the father of civilization, could not
have escaped attention. and we have acr
cordingly observed, that the Secretary of
War, To whom the Jaws have cobndcd the
5uperintendance of This branch of our publ
lie concerns, and who may be supposed to
be most familiar with its details, in letter
to committee of Congress, makes mention
IF the subject, and invites to it, IS was his
duty, their consideration.
Some idea may be formed of the value OF
these goods, ami Of their necessity to :he
Indians, from fhe circumstance of their ha-
wing producedfat the custom house at Michi-
limackinac in(duties in one year upwards Of
forty THOUSAND dollars.
Frosi an /entire misapprehension Of the
subject, 30 Houbt, have arisen some com
nents on the letter from the Secretary al
War, aboye mentioned, in which it's objec.
mas in so9he cases been totally perverted, (