The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-04

4 igreat strength 10 the na.isn. The enouir
can easily be made at head quarters. l be
he.e 1t would not only be sanctioned, bu
with great prop'iety may be made mea
sLre oi that government. 1t would be oni
DONG Tor the other states What il is said i
to be done for New York. 1t being don,
there makes the oblig alton the stronger ts
do as mach every where else. fit should
De the objection OH the score Of eXpense
to the state, would he removed.
| Ii is very desirable TO drub the British in
to good behavior, but it is much more in-
portant TO be sale at home. IL would be a
hard exchange to give the smallest of the
states old or new for Canada or l.. Florida
WITH the force have proposed the legion
TO be Immediately raised and stationed AT
Richmond, Virginia Gould take care of
herself: such decision & energy on the part
OF the State, would probably prevent ,nvA-
sion, or il it did not, it would give certain *
effectusl means of rep-ling it at once and
would chow 10 all (whoever they may bel
that count upon the weakness of this state
now much we are uni cr-rated * that we not
only have great resources but the energy
and wisdom properly To use them This
Impression once made, and the good effects
would be long felt. il would save the stat.
from insult, the lives of thousands of our
best citizens and millions of money aud pro
petty.
10 what are our misfortunes tobe asscrib
ell Is 1t owing TO any defect, in the 90
vernment or the administration of it Our
noble tars have proved it is not to be charp-
Ell to the people. fear yru will think, have
presumed too much upon my privileges
AS one OF the sovereign people and one of
your constituents. will there fore only add
that hope you will never adjourn without
some provision for the defence of the state,
unless you have some reason not known TO
me for AN entire dependence upon the 60
vernment of the u. States"
APOLOGY.
We crave pardon of Jacob Wagner for
having dared to dissent from him ON the
question OF impreAsment. Had we known
how deeply he had set his mind ON the i'm
maeuiafe project Of giving up his coun,ry-
men to the grippe of British press gangs,
we might have hesi;ated a little longer m
wounding his sensiOility aud disturbing his
ire.
We assure HIM, that we feel his censsres
most acuteiy for censure is ALWAYS mos,
deeply felt from those whom we rest,ect fbe
mosf. And we defy any man, who is ac-
quatnfed with Mr.. Wagner's unbounced We
racity, and love of country, not to hold him
in unbounded reverence. Had any other
per On than Mr.. W.takeni it upon him self to
abuse US for supporting the cause of the sea-
man or ,lied the Enquirer "a factious
print, which supports the cause of Nspoie.
on we should have met his censures with
contempt. But when such a man as Jacob
Wagner, when a man of his unbounded
learning, inficXible integrity and thrilling
patriotism, undertakes the duties of the
Censor, we bow before him as we would
before Cato, and promise never "to sin
again."
We thought it no harm, to say that the
Federalists had evaded committing them
selves on the point of Inpressment, be-
cause they had been guilty of a studied
equivocation on the floor of Congress-We
should have thought the assertion still more
correct, since we have seen in the Debates
| that Mr.. Grundy attempted in vain by 4.
personal appeal to Mr. Pearson to eIici
his opinions and draw him from his shell
but as Mr.. Wagner has now undertake,
to speak openly for his party, and in thei
name to declare that they are friends O
British 1mprcssment, we must bow to hi
oracular declarations and confess our mis-.
take, Whether they will profit more by
this unblushing avowal or by their politi-
cal equivocation, the public will decide.
We had supposed that one word nigh
be said in favor of the rights our coun
try; bu. Mr.. Wagner has taught MS better
I'VE had supposed, that in expatiatin,
upon the injury IL Great Britain from ceas
: ing the imPressmept of seamen, Mr.. w
had accidentally forgotten the injury to oui
f own seamen from it's continuance; and wa
therefore thoughtit right to remind him O
its abuses.-We had conceived that in stat
ing the frauds wich might arise from ON
undertaking to judge in regular way VIII,
were or were not British seameD, the afro
cious injuries actually accruing to our sea
men from every petty British officer under
taking to judge Of American seamen hat
accidentally shffied his o.emory. Asw
ind however that Mr.. w. has most hero
ically made up his mind to bear all thes
epormities we cannot but respect his philip
sophical tranquility and promise never t
sin again.
. Jacob Wagner, in his last Federal Re
publican, reminds us that " doubtful point
are usually composed by mutural concessio
and arrangement" Now we should hay
supposed that the bill which is at Dresen
before Congress was one of this descripti
on, if he mad not told us the contrary. l
would seem to lay down an arrangemen
founded ton upon concession on the side
OF the ". States We offer to give I'D the
use of British seamen and to naturaliz.
chem no longcrfor the sea. We are willin
to go thus far but no farther"
Mr. w says &" thr rr1,;s ~ 81 J. "a, ,.,i