The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-04-30

OF American Seanien IN our feet When
the American government. however, Sc,
forward in sucd strong colors the uumbe,
of American seameu impressed in our YES
sells, it was remarkable thit al. the mari
time states OF America from which those
seamen must be supposed To be taken, de-
med the ev,i 60 nave existed al any mate
rial degree, and disapproVed of the War
that was undertaken on that pretence. II
was the agricultural states II the south,
and the provinces OH the Mississippi, who
joined the President in this gcound of war
but the public feeling of the maritime and
commercial states of America was very
evident from their not having given u single
vote Tor that President who made the i'm
prssSSns.r or their seamen the great pre-
text of war. Renr, Hear He believed
that. it would be very evident, on .he pcrusal
OF the papers, that this government had &C
ted throughout i'll the spiris Of cancellation &
forbearance, but that no such dispositions
were manifested on the part of the Ameri-
can government.
There were some who thought that since
the commencement OF the war the govern
ment had not acted with sufficient vigor.--
This was a question that he was prepared
to discuss wheneveri it should regularly be
brought forward. He would confess that
ministers did feel spirit of Cancellation
rather than OF irritation, and that they had
hoped, even after the declaration of war.
that the American government might be
brought to something like a spirit Of concil-
alton on hearing of the repeal of our o
in Council. He should, however, be pre-
pared to show, that if ministers did MT
send as great 4 force as many
thought should have Immediately been sent
against America, it was because such
force could not then be spared from other
services. AS to defensive measures. it was
evident that they had adopted sufficient
measures for the defence of Canada, and
our possessions in that part of the world.
Neither had any OF our valuable fleets been
captured, as might have beeu expected
IN the first eruption OF the war, when
the assailants might choose their own
time for commencing it, An tina. they
could be charged with on this head, vas
not having Immediately sent force strong
enough to act Extensively. Some mee ex-
pected that this country was to be equally
strong by land and by sea, At ali points OF
the world where war might break out
lhis. was, however, not a rational suppose
.ioA, and he trusted that he could
prove that ministers had used every rea
'nable diligence to meet this VAR
when it could no longer be avoided. There
we're some who thought that the Order If
Blockade had been too long delayed but
I must be recolleCted, that many of the
american vessels were chen bringing sup
p,es either 10 This country or 70 its allies s.
hat therefore we might have Leen the
'nferers by such measure. He thought
would appear upon the whole of the pa
'ers submitted to the House, that alth aueh
spirit OF Cancellation governed the coun- |
Ills OF this country, yet no one could Law |
heir hnger upon any part where they had |
acrlhced or compromised the riehts and
interests of the nation.
Mr.. A. BARITG did not believe thai the
assertions of the noble lord were Correct
Is to the hostile dispositions of the Amerj- |
AN government, whose conduct was little |
influenced ty the European system of poll |
les. He commended, that the Orders in |
ionncil were, in fact, With them the !
rounds of the declaration of war; because |
he noble lord, in one of his very last dis !
catches to Mr.. Foster, which was to be |
communicated in eXtenso to the American
,overnmen had directed him not to encou-
age the most distant expectation that
hese Orders were to be given up, while in
act they were REPEALED before the dispatch
rrived at its destination. He would an
zeal to that honorable gentleman (Mr.
'oster) WHO had fulfilled with so much abb
ity the instructions he had received, and
lad now seat in that House, whether il
vas not his opinion, from his knowledge of
he sentiments of the American Executive.
hat an earlier sacrifice of these Or
ers would have prevented hostilities -
'ut the noble lord talked some what
90 lightly Of one thousand six hundred A
nericans. being in ournavy He would ask.
What would be the indignant feelings OF the
'eople OF THE country, if they knew that so
many of their fellow citizens were farci
y compelled to serve in the navy of ano |
her power! Putting the case home 70
urselves was, after all, the true way Of
icwing the question, and should induce us
o make some allowance for the hostile
selngs OF America. The hon gentleman
hen condemned the conduct of the war
ie said that the American cnast q ffnrded |
,reat facilities for enforcing a blOckade.--
n the Chesapeake, ships might lie at all |
lines IN perfect security the same might
re said OF the Delaware, and nearly the
anne at II. York.
Mr.. A. J. FOSTER said, thar as he had !
'een particularly called upon by the hon.
Gentleman who spoke last, he would beg
he Indulgence of the House til tie as brief /
y As possible delivered his sentiments ON !
hose particular points to which his ,tten- !
ion had been called. as wen as such other /
Is might occur to- him as 'iEely TO give any ,
Information to the House. The honorable /
gentleman had asked his opinion on ope
POINT, viz. whether if the revocation of the !
orders IN Council had been Known in : I
nerica before the declaration If war, such /
knowledge would not have preyen,ed Chat !