The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-04-26
ENQURER-OFFI
RICHMOND, Wal April 90, 1915.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
No. ".

character. among the nations ofhe earth i?
1t has hitherto been my painful task to
present to the public, dark but faithful pie
ture of the humiliation OF America it now
remains to exhibit the pleasing reverse of the
medal, in the restoration of her dignity to its
primitive lustre.
This revolution is the more precious as
1t has been effected by the heroic exertions
OF her native sons, under circumstances the
most diseouraging. Had any man predicted
three years ago that at the end of that peri
cd, our little navy would not only survive
contest with power which might have look
ed down with contempt on the combined
feets OF The world. but would pluck many
laurel from her brow that our raw and I'M
disciplined troops would defeat the renowned
conquerors of Spain that our pirate
cruzers would perform acts of gallantry
which should astonish the world, and alarm
the very coasts of England herself, whilst
they brought home in safety the rich booty
OF her piundereH commerce that all our sea-
ports would prove iuvulnerable to her at
tacks that large and weli-apponted army
sent against the most distant and weakest
corner ot the union. commanded by the most
experienced generals, would be annihilated
by the untutored sons of the wilderness had
any man, say, predicted these things, he
would have been thought worthy of bedlam
no youth, whose imagination has been fed
with the legends of romance, ever ventured
on speculation apparently so wild and the
grave ser may distinctly tree, in these e.
vents, the guiding hand of Providence.
1t gre tly enhances the value of these tri-
umphs, if W. say with the opp sition, that du-
ring TINS period the energies of the country,
have been directed by weak and incapable
men. Tito these draw backs, we add the no.
torious fact, that the measures of government
were steadily opposed by numerous e pow
ertul party IN the country, who threatened to
involve us in civil war, while the enemy was
ravaSing and burning every accessible place
on our coasts if under these disadvantages
me eT,enta!.ees.s eScTtti5iis OF the Country,
were adequate to such brilliant achievements,
what may we not reasonably expect under
more favorable circumstances cannot con-
template the prospect of glory, which opens
to my country, without sensations which al
most deny me utter rance. But yesterday, and
we were quaking for our FIRE sides Now We
walk erect In the conscious dignity of free
men, proud # the past, and elevated with
s were on the hes ivy 81 d R Fs4efsS and
we feel well-founded conviction, that our
union has gained strength by the discontinue
of all its enemies, foreign and domestic. But
Yesterday, and we looked with dread on the
power of Britain Now we have the best
assuran that our naval prov IS will carry
us triumphant through the fearful contest.
Foreign nations know well how to appre-
ciate these events. Already do we perceive
the striking change which has taken place
in theirlanguage concerning us. Our cause
is regart,d as the cause of the civilized world,
and our victories scarcely produce more eX-
sltation in the streets of Richmond, than in
those of Paris and Client. They begin to fear
that they have only exchanged one despotism
for another /; and hail with joy the appear
ance of power which has the boldness to be-
come the champion of neutral rights, and to
resist tyranny on that element, which was
formed for the Benefit of the whole human
race
1t is a matter of great importance that we
should forma correct estimate of the conse-
quences of the war-and think every atten-
tive observer, will agree to tie following con-
illusions
1. We have proved that our government
possesses sufficient stability TO withstand the
hostile attempts of any external foe. The
opinion that the government was too weak to
bear this fiery trial, produced the double eff
feet, of exposing our country to the insults of
foreign powers, and of epfeebling the mea-
sures Of any administration who might con-
duct its affairs. No statesman would have
the boldness to meet the aggressions of for
eign power with flrmness and decision, IL he
dreaded that the first blast Of war would de-
molsh all the ramparts of the constitution.
T e patriots arm is unnerved when he is left
in do BIT whether, after all his struggles, he
will We ny country to reward his labors.
The war, by dispelling all these fears, has
therefore given re al strength to the union
We have moreover completely tested the
attachment of the people to the confederacy
of the states. 1t was perfectly well known
that a spirit of scord existed in the coun-
try, winch would burst forth on the first sig
nal OF foreign war but il was not known
how far this spirit has extended, nor to what
lengths it would go. A storm was brewing
in the East which filed every American bo-
som with alarm. The angry cloud which
| lowered over our heads, has at length burst
and discharged its black contents but the
| solid fabric Of our union stands unsha-
ken, while the EVIL spirits who rode on
| the whrlwind, stand confessed to the
world, stripped OF their power, and marked
| the object Of scorn and execration. On
| the West, larger territory had been newly
added to cur country, containing a mixed po-
| pulation, native and exotic, of whose attach
meHt to the union we were doubtful The
last splendid achievement of. tic war, has
| taught the enemy dreadful lesson, how
0asclcss are his hopes Of making an impress
sion in that quarter. In short, when we
compare the insignificant results Of the 6pe-
rations Of the enemy with his vast means o