The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-03-23
/ @ The immediate discharge ofan Amer
iCap Seamep f,o.n lr,t,>h sbtpS

l. 2. The immediate discharge Of al Amer.
lean seamen from British ships.
3. A stop to Empress nlents from Ameri-
can ships-with an uaderst anding that such
nations should exclude the scamen Of each
other from. their respective ships.
Now, with respect To the first proposal
1t was, already granted. and therefore We
presume could no, stand in the way.
| With respect to the second, we cannot
see any reason why it should not have been
equally conceded, provided a due disti,.>.
tion were made betweea actual and frauu-
uient and procured citizenship. All this
could have been duly regulated & we could
M'sh to see the correspondence OF the
american and British governments upon
TINS pont.-lt is very easy to put this
case OF required concession in all its
possible circumstances, and in such re-
presentation, to find reason to reject it -
But this is not fair in reasoning or nego-
ciation.-,The first question is-has the
proposal an honest and reasonable gen
eral faCes and the second is, can its par
ticular and incidental mischief be so avoid
ed, as to leave the balance in favor OF the
general good?
| we would apply precisely the same rea-
soning to the third arSument-you may take
your demand substantially, oply accompa-
ny 1t with such provisions as will render US
secure OF the fraud Ct private traders. Your
national ships (of force) shall be covered
oy their flag but We will search your pri-
vate traders, and take our own seamen
subject to admiralty jurisdiction, as in the
capture OF goods and ships: if we can SUBJ
stantiate our claim--we will keep them-if
not the captors shall! pay costs Z. make in
demnity. r.
Such would have been our view of this Of
tered negotiation; and with all cur appro-
baton in the general measures of the pres
emit ministry, We shall not think that they
clear themselves upon this occasion, unless
they can Shew some discussion & approach
es of this nature. ~
The internal view ofAmerica, into which
the speech proceeds, is merely that of a
nation under circumstances of long dis
use OF Wharf.-The sword is rusty in the
scaoeard. and in the untried power. of the
country. Money comes very slowly in A.
merica: with such riches in her soil, A
merica cannot be poor country. She may
want money in coin, but she has it in rete-
rated value and her paper will certainly
circulate in her own territory. II is poor
hope therefore that America will be starry
ed into peace. Is that a starving country
where both in new and unbroken land, the
produce is an hundred fold, aud even ami
mails are fed upon the superfuous sheaf.
For ourselves, there is nothing which we
more anxiously wish than peace with Anne
rlca--it is not inc onsistent with our nation
al honor, and is required by every thing
connected with our commercial and manu-
featuring prosperity. 1t would enable us to
throw off those loads of industrious produce,
which crowd the shops and warehouses of
our merchants; it would give new activity
to trade aud tranquilize every part of the
country. Old taxes would then be paid
with cheertulness and new ones might be
imposed with safety.