The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-02-01

The Prime Regent processes a desire for
peace, provid, il shall be consistent with
the cSfabkshed maz'tnis Of fu6ic la4, and
,he marit me rights Of Great Britain.
These therefore must evidently constitute
the sine qua non of her adjustment. And
what are they The very sources of all our
insults and grievances Not citizen, nor
cent has been seized or stolen from US but for
which they set forth some justification under
these maxims and principles with
out meaning in British Observation-Disclosures
Bile of being explained and defined from
their conduct, and as far beyond the plain
honest sense of America, as the words
Mere, tekei, atharsin were beyond the un-
Outstanding OF the grandson of y ebuchadna-
Ear. Necessity, and self-preservation under
the vain plea of fighting the battles of the
world, refine and extend thens beyond the
limits of comprehension. Neutral rights are
so many mockeries, and she is Just as will
ling and ready to apply to>us the maxim &
principle which she held forth to the Swiss
Cantons when she was, as now, engaged in
war with Frnnce, I" that IL, such a contest
neutrality was criminal j" Yes, it is crime
not to- take up arms in the Cause OF this
mighty advocate of social order & religion
i hey VINO do not, are guilty of violation of
Public Law and the IN maritime rights of
Great Britain. The one meaning Self-will
the other the updisputed sovereignty of
the seas. The zoords 'hrincijiies ofreci6ro.
cry are entirely exp etives. Take them by
themselves and they might signify some
thing; they might indicate some sense of
returning Justice, but take them in compa.
ny with the maxims and principles lust
mentioned, and they signify notk ng. In re-
gard to the dispositions Of Great Britain, we
have only to refer 10 long series of facts,
fresh in the public memory, and we become
perfectly we'll acquainted with her feelings
and her views tow ards this country, and st
the same time fully convinced that she will
make no treaty except on her own terms,
without some necessitouS and compulsory
cause. In this temper she has obstinately
continued under times of great and alarm
ing pressure and embarrassment, and il is
not to be supposed that as she is recovering
from them-the events of Europe turning
mp in most surprising degree to suit
most sanguine wishes, that she will in the
hosr of prosperity, when victory perches on
her arms in almost every direction, assent o
terms which she has hitherto rudely refus-
ed. 1t is contrary to experience and the
evidence of facts it is contrary &c. reason, it
IS perhaps contrary TO human nature, TO ex-
Pect it.-in word, it is Folly.-if she can
prolopg the contest under the guise of friend
ship, and shew an hypocriticA anxiety for
peace, she will do it to give strength to her
American party, to give them time TO try
their efforts in exciting dsaRection and ci-
vii disturbances, n hich they are now doing
with ciamorous and 1ncessing exertions.
We should be wanting in common sagaci-
~ and political acumen, if we did not know
according to her well known character for
intrigue, tina she will not fail to derive eve
~ advantage from intestine disorders, which
she possibly can. She is we'll aware of the
extent of the mischief she has done, and of |
the number Of her votAries
The 6Ege lights Of the East, shine forth in |
onr public halls &C we'll as upon the shores |
o. the ocean, and are more than sufficient to !
keep alive her hopes and calculations of our
disunion and DOWNFALL She is told in Ian |
guage which must forever fix the most obi |
Gus stigma upon its authors, that the war /
we are carrying on is unjust and unneces- !
sary, and moreover the American people I
are audaciously told by a member of their !
Congress, that no man Of PRINCIPLE zyiH e1-
list az a soldier. With these prospects in
view, in addition to those in Europe, the
policy of Creat-Britain is emphaticalIy de-
Icy. 1t is far from being wild conjecture
that this was her object IN refusing the fair |
opportunity Of negotiating at Petersburg.
Delay gives her momentary strength, while /
on our part it every moment W eakens, dis. |
orders and deranges US II would seem too
that their friends in this country understand |
their policy, and are playing cractu fnto
their hands by throwing every impediment
in the way Of our military operations in the |
spring, and one of them in Congress, has had1
the s,upendous folly to propose a stop to
our movements on Canada, in consequence
OF the mission to G0trenburg!
smother member tells the people thar the
government has con8eEted TO q negotiation,
11aLta6iy ggifH GishoSition 10 sacrifice he
I1oinfs for quhiGh'n has cOntehded, and thar
there is no doubt Of Eeace being the result.
Whether this remark sptung from weak
ness or from wick cdness, or most probably
from both, we will not stop to enquire but It
certainly is the most direct and insulting IL
bel that could well be uttered against the
American people and the American govern
nent. Do not such men 1T the very mo. |
ment that they talk of peace, try every thing
that they can, to prevent the possibility Of !
its taking place What will Great Britain !
and her commissioners think, when they
see This hagitiOus absurdity, without under |
standing the character and The source from
whence it came
Thus 1t is, that those msn who style them
selves the Peace Party, are the real obsts-
ctes to peace 1t is hardly possible char the +
Inan who uttered this remark, could have /
conscienjiously believed it-That the 90
vernment intended to abandon every thing
" ha5 c!aimed--fo sacrifice the hoints for |
7vhich IL had coHleHded--or, in other words.
that the administration had Confessed every
intamy which caIumny mas charged upon it .