The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-04-21

; oEall we deliberate upon this subject Will
the spirit of sobricty and cantlour, or will
'hat spirit which has too often characterize.
our alScussions upon occasions like the prc
sent We ought to realise that we arc in
me f,"c@ance of that God who knows eul
thoughts and motives, and to whom VIC mus
lhcreaftcr render an account for the deed,
done in the body. He hoped the spirit o.
party and every improper passion would be
eNorCised, that our hearts might be as pure
ana clean as fall to the lot of human nature
ne was confident in, Declaring that this
was not measure of the exccutive-that i,
was enSendercd by an extensive excitemen,
upon the executive. He agreed with the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Seybert,
'i'a' IL comes to us in questionable Shafe
Jor rather In an anQnestionc6ir &hahe-
w noseever measure it is, the people of the
y. States viii consider it as n subterfiIge for
war; as retreat from the battle. We
some yoars ago resolved that ,pe must'lave
7car, embargo or subnissio7,---yVc have not
mad war or submittcd-we must therefore
nave embargo. 1t appears to be limited to
sixty days; at the expiration of that time.
VIII any one say we shall be prepared for
war; Dir, we are in the situation of debtor
VINO promises to pay his note at the bank in
sixty days-we shall trolong the time so
days' and sixty days after that, until defer
4
ten -he honorable speaker, that at the end Of
SIXTY days we shall not have war, and the
reason is, the executive dare not plunge the
nation INTO 4 warm our unprepared state.
ne mad too much reliance On his wisdom
ana virtue to believe that he would be guilty
OF such gross and unparalleled treason
Mark my word, You will renew your note. if
endorsers can be had, you cannot take itun.
ne honorable. speaker is mistaken, when
ne says the message is for war-lt is the eff
rect OF an excitement occasioned by minis
.erial, ,ederal, and neutral papers, and is not
the wish or meaning of the executive.
he would appeal to the sobriety snd re-
hectlou OF the house, and ask, what nesv
cause OF war for the last12 months What
neg cause OF Embargo within that period
Inc affair OF the Chesapeake is settled
NO new principles of blockade interpolated
into the laws of nations He should spp
pose every man Of candour and sober re
lection would ask why we did not go to
war twelve months ago. Or will it be
sa'd we ought to make up, by our prompt
ness now, for our slowness then? Or Wilt
be said that if the wheat, for which we have
received two dollars per bushel, had been
rotting IN our barns, we should have been
richer or happier?
What would the planter saw, if YOU was
TO ask him which lie would prefer, the hon
ofabie, chNaFrous course advocated by the
speaHer--w'th the consequences which will
attend 1t, the sheriff at his back, and the
laugrf my Dur lace. ----i - II -
III an embargo twelve months ago would
have been folly, and ruinous, he would re
quest any gentleman to say What makes il
wise now?
ty but 1t is wise to profit by experience,
although it may be unpleasant. He felt
much concerned to have the bill OH the table
tor one hour. No one can tell the great in
Jury tothe mill owner or the merchant, by
the mere mention OF AN embargo III this
house. 1t being limited TO only Sixty days,
1T can done possible good TO the publick, or
be the means of bringing our property from
abroad (; but as oCcasIoning great speCula-
tons, 1t will be ruinous to many, and give
great fortunes TO a few.
or. X. declared, to his certain keoryieGge,
that the French minister NJ SeJ'Furisr.
ever since his arrival here, had been pres
sing orr government to prohibit the ezporta-
ton OF our products to the peninsula, which
the government have heretofore eluded
And IS this the way which the honorable
speaker with so much gallantry mas advo-
Gated as honorable war---ro rob our own
people, to crafty the malignant ambition Of
me inperialin tyrant subduing thepoor Span
iards--in starvrg the enemies of France p
Wiil the people of the United Ststes thus
manifest their sense of injuries, in becom-
ing the passive Instruments and tools ct
France He said it was not the puDiCk
sentiment, lie said that as caycat OF q
precautionary measure, there can be no nc
cessity for the last section and the penalties
contained therein, unless, instead Of "a pre-
cursor, 1t is intended as a substitute for war
lie said he had other Considerations to
submit, most OF which are detail Of facts
which occurred in a con ference between
the committee of foreign relations and the
secretary OF stale, which, however, he would
for the present defer.
lie would observe, in the words of the
gentleman from New-York (Mr. Stow tina
warts not to be considered as matter of
pleasure lie hoped we should not act as Il
| thoughtiess young couple sometimes 90, VINO
are IN hurry to marry first, and then look
around to get something to make the pot
boil, He besought the housa 20 act with
t-sobriety and solemn consideration. Whate-
yer his opinion might be about the war, he
said, It he was not in the habiL OF withholding
his pledges, if we should unayodaby plunge
into one, he believed lie should no. be back
ward IN aSorGing his aid to bring it to an
honorable close Bot lie did not believe
war TO be the OBJECT, and his reason was
because there is no preparation for it.
/ Mr.. Gay (the speaker said the gentle
man from Virginia need not have Iemin-
ded It's in the manner he has Of that Being
! vino watches and Surrounds us.
! lie thought from this sentiment we o,crI,t