Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-01-04

meets Lake Esrlc "ilh Lake huron. IT,
spot chosen is at the Spring Wells. th,-
mics below Detroit, "a position viii
completely commands all the adiare,'
country" In addition to this, the Cow
nor of New York has rocei-ed Official i
formation OF it's being the intention Of X.
government to place the American AZ
upon Lake Erie. in an immediate state ~
readiness far service. Fer this purnoSe
part of the armed American yes,oI.
which were ordered to be scuttled AMI s,rL
last Spring, are to be raised and re6t,c,,
Similar eXertions are to b. made ON I az =
Huron ; and, in addition to this, we ora
already in possession OF the copy of n tre,.,
between the American government & ~
Indians of the Seneca Nation, for the mr.
chase from the latter of the Islands on r.
Niagara river. They are small: but a.
of them, Navy Island, is supposed 70
within the boundary of Upper CanaS'y
within our territories As the objects ny
chased we're SO small, the trans lction M
not at first excite much attention in ~
country but, coupled with the inteIr
gence which arrived Yesterday, il assam
an appearance OF much more importsr.s
1t seems to give the Americans the con
mand OF the Niagara river, and of \.
communication between Lakes Onia,io "a
Erie, while the fort near Detroit viii e,V
sure them the command of the commas;
cation between Lake Erie and Lake Hu,c,
Inc Americans, i'll the account from N
YORK which we inserted yesterday, aEsc,
to state, that all these measures and nro
parauons have been the consequence &c
our preparations. They assert, that hn
+" activity OF the British in building s. pro-
curing by purchase considerable aee.
has no doubt excited our government :,
see the necessity of still keeping the snnas
rority on the Lakes. The British are als,
very busiy engaged in building feet IN
Lake Huron; aud, no doubt, on all tbs
Lakes. they VIII, in time of peace, when
they think we are asleep, make every *
ertion to have the ascendency.
Suppose the above statement to be Cor.
rect--Does not every one see that our pr4.
parations can only have a defensive obiect
in view That if we keep naval forre
on the Lakes, it can only be for the purpoSe
OF securing us ON attack, not of enabli,c
us to make an attack ? We have no hos,
tie designs from Canada against the II
States. but the case is very different with
the Americans. If it be true. as is said 4,
the NeM=Sork account, that "the Amer
can government sees the ne cessity of sill
keeping the superiority on the Lakes, :" can
1t be said that that necessity for the sune-
riority arises from any apprehension thew
feel Of aninvasion from us ? 1t cersaioy
cannot. But 1t is not, as we have ALREADY
shown. 10 naval preparations that they are
conilnibg themselves, they are making pre-
paraiions by land, building forts, BE- Are
tney doing this because we have set them
the example ? They 90 not set up anv
such defence, and therefore we cannot. for
our own parts, consider this conduct Of 4
@erca (supposing the York account
70 be ccrrect) to be such as we should have
expected from nation anxious to cultivate
the relations Of peace in the real spirit of
perceive shall be glad, however, to
Ind we are mistaken.
From the same I'afer, .Nov. 10.
We have received, by vessel direct
from Quebec, Quebec papers to the 18th
OF last month. They allnde To the pur-
chase, by the Americans from the Indians,
OF the Niagara Islands. We know not how
this purchase will be viewed in the adjust
ment of the boundaries by the British and
American Commissioners. The treaty did
not contemplate any such purchase, and
indeed one of the Islands, rs we stated the
other day, is within the Canadian terrific
rics.
In touching now uron the subject of cur
relations with America, we must strongly
urge the necessity of a clear and definite
arrangement of some other points, without
which there may indeed be the name OF
pe7cc between the two nations, bit the sub
stance, the reality Of peace We fear Will be
wanting.
The last American official paper stated
that deSertions from our troops in Canada
had taken place, and that we had in scve-
raj instances seized The dcsertcrs upon the
American territory. Unless expressly sa-
puated between nations, the re ceivine and
harboring deserters are not accounted alb
solute breaches of 4 treaty OF peace, tho
they do not evince any friendly disposition
ON the part OF the government so harboring
them. There is no doubt that America
encourages desertion by the promise of ci-
tizensh'p and grant oflands. Unhappy is
the man that takes advantage Of this pro-
mise, he Is sent up to tue back settlements,
and placed on some uncultivated Spot
Nothing more is done for him, he must II
trees, he must dig, he must build, he mast
do every thing himself-and THIS is his
grant. A prey to disappointment and sor-
row, his strength b comes soon Inadequate
to the laborious task Of cH ring the ground.
sickness ensues, and he falls a miserable
victim in his desertion of his duty 70 his
country, and rash credit to the decisive
promise OF another. II is a fact, we M
derstand, that of those deserters, so racei-
we'd and so settled, no accounts are receiV-
ed, after their dessrtion. by their relatives
or friends Did they thrive, did they find
promises held ont 70 them fuI6lled-did