The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-03-26

cy in pressing upon Congress- the claims OF
his native state ; n delicacy, which, Re hat
been informed, the Head of the War lie
partment supposed likely 10 restrain him
from calling to this subject, the attention Of
the national legislature while, from th,
same authority, he had learnt. tina. this
officer did not consider it his duty to submit
to the view Oft President, the letter ad
dressed to the Depar uent of war. by the
requests Of the Executive, in support of
those claims So that, while one depart
ment of the Government manned in igno.
rance Of the subject. the other was restrain
ed from acting upon it. by feelings which if
not strictly just in the officer, were at ieas,
honorable in the man.
Mr.. Johnson forcialy and persuasively
appealed to the state of the public trea-
sury !; and the situation Of the Common
wealth. TO shew the necessity Of promptly
acting upon this subject. a treasury which
had been recently drained by an assump,i-
on rf the state quota OF the Direct tax Of
the Federal Government, by the actual ad
vance OF more than four hundred thousand
dollars for the United States,a and which was
iik ly. nay certain to be farther reduced by
an authority given to the Executive TO dis
burse 100000 m re, in satisfaction of out
standing military CLAIMS. besides the yeue
raj ap; reputation Of $500 GOO, a great r,art of
which must be obtaine, by loan, for the
military contingent fund Of the current
year
Commonwealth slrady bnrthencd with
an advance OF 7S pcr cent upon all lis old
taxes, and an addition, TO them, of MANY
new ores (; a common ~ alth whose c~,.ina
ry revenue had not Exceeded $3.50 Ooo, re
uced, in single year. TO the necessity of
| contracting debt of $3.50 GOO and OF paw.
ing, upon that debt, au interest of 2 per
N q f0V =
allowed her own citizens to demand on their
private contracts.
He expressed his utter assonishment at
the doctrine, alike rnobstrous and absurd,
equally disreputabie VI true to the tinted
States, and destructive, it false, to the Com.
| onwcaith that the Government os the
| FOL mer might be embarrassed by being re
CURED topay the mere interest upon it's
deot to the latter that the whole Union
compreheoding the cole tive numbers and
wealth of the United States OF America was
less capable of paving the interes, on a
debt Of half a million OF dollars, than the
people If Virginia alone, OF advancing 70 its
use the principal.
Ii II be true, he added, as commended nv
the member from Amherst (Mr. Cabell)
that the General Govern mept nav be en-
ba rassed by being requested to pay the
interest on this debt, how tould Virginia.
Commanding but a tenth ortweifth part of
ne resources Of that government, e.cape
bankrupt and ruin, when required 10 ad-
! vance the principal of that debt aud to .or-
bear claim for the int est
i do not pretend that have done Justice
TO the argument, or the style of that speech
by whnt the preamble and resolutions a.
the House Of d legates were sustained in
the Senate.
| l have attempted VIII at must Of necessity
prove an imperfect sketch Of the part #
this argument, which has been purpose,y
omi ted or Included in he &c. SC of the
rerort given ofit by your correspondent. T.,
was an argument. acknowledged by all
who heard 1t. to have been ably conceived.
ans eioq emily expressed.
| % destroy IFS salutary effect. and that of
the preamble ana resolutions, in bringing y.
yer the public sentiment of the people of
| virginia 20 sustain her rejected ciaias uD
on the General Government, the measure
which was thus advocated, and Of which
! you have now the entire history. is said 70
! nave had its origin, in unworthy motives
TO embarrass the administrator irritate
| the states; alarm the people and defeat
the loan. How coull the author of this mn
founded imputation. fancy that his i,dui
sence, would ex mpt from lnjuey the On
| acter of the republican members Of both ho,
sts,Who gave to it theic support The real
OBJ ect,weii as he obvious effect of MS publ
can is TO caiumnia,e all who lad the har
dihood to differ in opinion from himself. al
| tho his avowcd purpose is to point the obi
| nm ct the people to the federalists of the
last General Assembly. and under the CO.
YER Ct their imputed sins to CLOAK his own
or the errors Of his friends frcm public
view.-I leave the motives Of other men To
re judgement OF Heaven, except where
hay chuse to strip the veil from the nseives.
Seif-detence, alw avs justi6nble, sometimes
| requires that the war should be pushed info
the territories OF the assailant, but in thj :
controversy, iii which have Reluctantly en-
gagged, mean to re.al;a,e no farther than
my plea will warrant.
An ample refutetion of those nraliynant
insinu 7tious against the federaiists Of Virgi
MIA. wuld be found in faithful history Of
the course pursued by that party in the
Councils OF tine state for several wears past.
and, Tor aught know to the contrary, s,r.ce
IT'S FIRST exiIence. a course, unknown. 1t
is true, in the Commonwealth az large, dis
countenanced by many abroad, and union
ored by few at home. 1t is. neyerthelce7
| charac by principles distinct, n,arke {!
! consistent. honorable & just. They are tbe
| principles avowed. expounded, x most ably
maintained by the companions, friends and
pupils OF Washington, their illustrious foun
der. no federalist has ever introduced into
the Legislature of Virginia. rarty measure
On the other hand, no federAIist has ever
there sbrunk, and, trust in God, none cv