The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-05-20


respectable means OF lie Fence against the ag-
ress,ons of an unhnged worlI."--Now, how
40 you meet this ertion? Why-in the
LIST place, you cite from that letter one solita-
ry SENTENCE in which you speak of the late
lpar only--but which does not touch, il. the
slightest degree, upon what was so obviously
mn meaning, viz. the Policy which YOU would
observe to meet the future aggressions of an
unsettled world. }ou are pleased to point
out what you said aud cid, during the az
gressions of the late war.--I clearly point to
the general and prospective means Of defence
which you would adopt against future agprcs
sions. Now, sir, tell me plainly, at whose
door does the charge of Misrepresentation
lay! Have misrepresented your letter or
you my paragraph '-Ihc same remark e.
Qually applies to your next proof, the extract
you maize from your speech delivered two
years ago; though would also object to
This, because it travels 6eyord tie REGARD.
VIZ your "t late circular letter."
Butin the second place, YOU hunt I'D so ne
nlusty records of Jour votes, which | will
venture to say, scarce any one but yotrself
thinks it worth his while to vecoilect-to
prove what why, that in 1907, YOU voted
for compensation to the INDECENT oticers and
soldiers of the revolutionary war; for arm
ing and equipPing the whole body of the mi
lita AMI for procuring a formidable train
of field artillcry.-and in 1900, that you yot
ed for a series of resolutions, which went to
RELY on the Militia as ''the great Bulwark of
National Defence. Very well, sir-what ia
this to the purpose point out the "a late
circular letter" as the subject of my animal
ycrsion---and youvery Civilly travel beyond
the record, to brig in p series of papers,
which were framed at a different time and
under different circumstances. Stick TO the
text, sir---to your " late circular letter" and
letus Judge from that OF your policy & means
of defence. IF you say, that ought also to
have had my eye on these papers, Tor the pur-
pose Of doing justice to yoHr principles, and
shat ought to have recollected you had
voted in the Virginia Legislature and in the
Congress of the U. States upon these propo-
sitions. I might indeed urge, sir, that very
common excuse, that ''the- tablets of my''
poor BRAIN" like Hamlet's, are not compe-
tent to hold every thing and that they are,
57erbats, better employed, than in retaining
the 7vhole " Life, History Savings and Whim-
Whams of Mr.. James NJ. Garnet"
But let us give you the whole benefit of your
defence, and add to the record every thing
which you have cited. Do you tell me, that
compensation to the old soldiers, that arms
and equipments for the whole body Of Militia
Git takes long time to obtain then, Sir .
that formidable train of field artillery, that
the Militia, are alone a sufficient, or neor1u
a sufficient (and therefore a reShectQ6ze)
of an unhinged world?" Dear as these things
ought to be to our hearts, yet are they enough
Ought we 90 rely upon them as our Panacea !?
You say, indeed, that in the year 1900, the
Virginia Legislature did rely upon the ME-
tia as the great Bulwark ofNatloiial Defence
But if they did so. has there been no change
Of circumstances since that tinI- Has no
additional species of preparation been found
to be necessary - 'rue--tEere had been
some "specks Of wars oa our political hori-
gen before that period--the French Revo-
luton had burst upon the world and Europe
had been up in arms---0ur own rights had
been infrnged, and e.. Britain, who since the
peace of '83, seems to have induleed the most
unworthy resentment towards this country,
mad disturbed our commerce and our seaEien.
Put what is tbs TO compare with what we
have since seen when France had graspe d
Tie srnpire % the land, and Britain that VI
the waves when every eXpedent that could
be employed to distress each other, has beeu
eagerly caught Ut when the whole continent
has been put nu1er a la wless blockade when
almost c3ery neutral righr~has suffered from
the rude shock of arms when nearly a
Thousand of our vessels, and FIVE thousand of
sheir gallant mariners have been known to
be pirated by G.. Britain When these cir
cumstances have burst upon us, with the full
ness OF experience, are we to rely in every
respect, upon those abstract maxims, which
were deemed sufficient in 1900 l-Is this the
way to profit by the lessons of experience ?
Is it the part of a wise politician, to suit his
measures to circumstances, or to sit ike Ca
mute, steadily upon the sands of the beach,
until the rising tide shall ovcrwfeim him
You will surely not contend, that though
The world has been "unhinged" for the last
half dozen years by the events, which have
s. grown out OF the revolutions of Europe vet
g that these storms are now over, and that the
Old Continent is about to return, from chaos
to state OF order p" Unhinged :" how tru-
~ prophetic was that word How descriD-
tive OF the events which have since burst m
on us Since the Goth of April. (when that
v paragraph SO hastily escaped Inv pen y we
nave heard of revolution which changes
the face OF all Europe, and almost astounds
ths imagination itself If vindictive" and
bloody war 10 again to agitate the east
ern continent, If Britain is again to consult
the spirit of Jealousy, avarice Or resentment
unless we stand ready to repel the blow. are
we to recur to the attitude OF 1900. or to the
new one, which has bean proved to be So
polite and % prudent by the experience OF
1912, '13, IA, and 49,
And are we never to profit by experience
IN any shape !-If the events of the late zpar
nave proven that certain measures are ne
CSsSary TO meet a state of war which u,e