The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-01-25
FROM MONTREAL.

commercial friend has favored the Editors of thc
Mercantile Advertiser with the Montreal Herald of
Dec. Sis, from which copy the following give 10
our readers the sentiments OF Canada respecting thu,
affairs OF the u. States -
We have been favored with files of New-yort pa
Pers to the 10th uit. They contain nothing later
from Europe than was received the week before
last.
hany confidence can be placed in the Federal Jour-
mails, the period is fast approaching when civil will
De reso'ted TO IN deance OF the general government of
The United States The oious conscription law has
passed. Shd the NewEngand states say il must be re-
sisted Congress is also dustrously en,leayorng to-
make new militia law, by which il is meant to call
out more than eighty thousand men in addition TO the
CONSUMPTION for the defence OF the country. Il
be confessed that all these are very formidable in a-
pearance, but the people OF British America need be
under no alarm, until they the funds raised adc-
qnate to pay such an host for unless these proper
tomato to the national expenditure such large
scale, all that's done amounts to nsthing
Il he war cannot he made popular without an abun-
dsnt treasury; this never will happen, long the
PRESIDENT retains his prssent MINISTER'S but should he
turn them aii1it the tune y2onld be changed. The
hue and cry for equipping navy the driving the
British ont Of America; the right to the fisheries fur
ttsse, &c would be ucessant; anil who knows bat
Madison has an understanding with the delegates al
ready assembled at Hartford to it woui not at all
be surprising. Poweris very fascinating Civil war to
men IN power is the very reverse and il would be no
solecism to suppose Madison capable cf sacrificing his
friends to hrs own personal views, in rherance Of an
Asrelates to the negotiation at Client, men of the
best political information seem 10 entertain opposite
opinions some imagine peace to be ut hand while o.
thers perceive 1t yet at great distance those last
concur with the American Commissioners themselves
ana we feel no compunction in ranging ourselves on
me SIDE OF the latter. The ncession on the part of
the British commissioners, to the Western Boun-
gary or RS relates to the territory OF the Indians we
conceive to have fundamental constructions il an
pears vague. We no fair reason 20 draw positive
conclusion from 1.-THE most 10 be feared is tba,
when the affair at Plattsburg was known in London
ministers would be intimdated and thar ne,y basis
would be proposed by the Other party The mi bossi
dehs or the actual possession of places hen held nv
the British or Americans We shall suppose the Ist
November to be the time fixed and not take into con-
sheraton the enemy at Fort Erie at all The posi-
TONS will stand thus. The British had po,sessoa Of
the country east of Penobscot of immense value Fort
Niagara, Macknac and the distant Post of Prairie ,u
Chen, and Nantucket Island. The Americans had
Detroit and Fort Maiden, which COMPLETELY com
mands the Lakes, above Fort Erie and the i.nmense
regions bordering upon them this would effectualy
set at nought all talk of Indian boundary The
advantages are evidently the side Of the Americans
as to actual possession.
From former precedents there is much reason 70
tear, that the British ministers have no able heads bv
thea who have sufficient local Knowledge OF the in
terror of british North America, Of its interests
notwithstandinga that has been publ she'd in England
on this interesting subject We are far from arrora
tng that all we right, fears are only express
cd and our wsrmest hopes are, that oar specuations
may pr&e without foundation