The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-04-24

iemn position is now taken, which must b.
maintained. W G cannot retrace ON steps
and abandon, perhaps forever, our most i'm
portant rights. Nor can VIC rest longer q,
the point at which VIC now cause We
trust, without redress Of wrongs, advance,
ana war IS the next step. Ii would be folly
IN the extreme 70 attempt to disguise from
ourselves the true character of the present
embargo.
1t is not IN engine to be welded in nego-
citation. From the privations to which it
may expose the be!ligerents, nothing ought
to DC expected. IL relied OH III that scnsu
only, 1t is known that it would fail 1t is a
measure OF precaution, intended principally
as warning to our own people, of the ma
ture OF the crisis which has arrived, and of
the consequences into which it may Lead
Ii 1t produces any salutary effect with the
oelhGGicnts, or with either, it must be by
announcing to them, that the u. s. disdain-
ms longer to submit to dishonor, have resol-
we'd to accept the other alternative which
they, by so many acts OF injustice, have fore
ed on them.
Great Britain took the lead in the career
oil Violence and I'M ustice. Every stage OF
the present war has been marked by some
act which evinccd the distinguished hostii-
~ OF her government to this country. she
our own vessels, and held them in long and
oppressive bondage. She has Intercepted
our lawful trade with nations with whom
we were at peace. She has violated our
jurisdiction insulted us on our coast and
IN our harbors, and finally usurpetl the abso-
lutte dominion OF the sea, forbidding our
commerce with all nations with whom it
does not suit her to allow it, and allowing it
10 none with whom she is not herself per-
r,,N Il
hittea to trade. She has even set up the
eXtravagant and unheard of pretension that
we should become the fraudulent vehicles
OF her commerce, the carriers of her manu-
features to the ports of her enemies, as the
conaltlen en- which we should trade there
at all. Had We submitted to these oppres-
slohS, we should have sunk into mere de-
gradec- state than that of her colonies De-
Prlved Of the profits which belong to depen-
cent possessions. our sovereignty would have
served only to expose in more striking
light our humiliation and weakness.
France has exhibited, in her con9nct 10
yards neural f,ozverS, the counterylart 10
this disgusting Picture: size hes been cmm-
lous, in misdeedS, offAe re1iorvn If her great
Political comheer. II she has done less
harm at sea, 1t was because her means were
inferior to those of her rival. She declared
the British islands and all the British domi-
mons IN state of blockade, when she had
not single ship on the ocean: and when
ever her cruisers could escape from her
ports, their course has been marked with
the desclaten of cur unprotected commerce.
But Tor the want of powev- on the ocean.
and the failure OF that full measure of waste
OF neutral trade which has characterised
the conduct of Great Britain on that ele-
.ment, France has supplied the deficiency by
her deeds on land. By her RambouiIlet,
her Bayonne and other DEGREES, she has
Sel2ea and cnnhscated all the vessels of the
United states and tlIeIr cargoes mat were
In port. Nor has her desoiatine polio, been
confined to the limits of France only /; it has
been felt wherever her influence extended.
Ot this truth, Spain, Holland, Italy, &c.
afford but TOO many examples.
If we look back to past events, we must
be sensible that this crisis has been unayo;d-
able. We should be blind 90 the evidence
of the most striking and important facts if
we did not perceive and acknowledge this
great truth. 1t has been forced on us by
the wrongs of the belligerents. 1t has been
forced on us by the voice of the whole a
merican people, who, deeply imcensed at
these wrongs, have called on their govern
ment for redress. When it is considered.
that the sole alternative presented TO us has
been, between a base submission TO these
wrongs, and manly assertion of their
rights, there is much cause for surprlzc tn
This issue was not sooner made up.