Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-05-23
POLITICAL.
Mr.. COBBETT,S
TAKING LEAVE OF HIS COUNTRY
ktEN

LtceFDOOt, NHOT'cN 20, 1919
Ny BELOVED COUNTRYMEN,
Soon after this reaches your eyes, those
of the writer, will, possibly, have taken
the last glimpse of the land thatgaye him
birth, the land in which his parents lie
buried, the land of which he has always
been SO proud, the land i'll which lie
leaves people, whom he shall to his last
breath, love and esteem beyond all the
rest of mankind.
Every one, if he can doit without wrong
TO another, has rightto pursue the path
TO his own happiness; as my happiness,
however, has long been inseparabie from
the hope of assisting in restoring the
rights and liberties of my country, moth
ing could have induced me TO quit that
country, while there remained the small
est chance OF my being able, by remain
ing, TO continue TO aid her cause. No
such chance is now left. The laws, which
have just been passed, especially If we
take into view the real objects OF those
laws, forbid us to entertain the idea, that
itwouId be possible to write on political
subjects according to the dictates OF
truth and reason, without drawing down
upon our heads certain and swift deStruc-
ton. 1t was well observed by MIR.
Brougham, in late debate, that every
writer, who opposes the present measures
must now feel, that he sits downto write
with halter aboat has neck ;" an obseryati-
on, the Justice of which must be Obvious
to all the world.
Leaving, therefore, all considerations of
personal feeling, and personal safety ; lea
wing, even the peace OF mind of a hume
rous and most affectionate family wholly
out of view, | have reasoned thus with my
self: What is now Jeff TO be done? We
have urged our claims with so much truth
I'VE have established them so clearly on
| the ground of both law and reason, that
| there is no answer TO us 10 be found 9th
er than that of suspension of our per-
sonal safety. III still write in support of
| those claims, must-be blind not 10 see
that dungeon is my doom. Ill write at
all, and do not write IN support of those
claims, notonly degrade myself, but |
do great injury TO the rights Of the nati-
| on by appearing to abandon them. Ill
remain here, must, therefore, cease to
0JIte, either from compulsion or from
sense of duty 10 my countrynen there
| fore, it Is impossible to do any good to the
cause of my country by remaining in it /;
but, If remove to country where can
write wIthperfect freedom, ii is not only
possible, but very probable, that shall, 500
ner or later, be able TO render that cause
important and lasting services.
Upon this conclusion it is, that I have
made my determination for, though life
would be scarcely worth preserving with
the consciousness that | walked about
NV fields or slept in my bed merely at the
mercy ola secretary of state !; though,
under such circumstances, neither the
song of the birds in spring nor the well
strawed homestead in winter could make
me forgett that and my rising family were
slaves, still there is something so power
full in the thought of country, and neigh
borbood, and home, and friends, there is
something so strong in tile numerous and
united ties with which these and endless
| other objects fasten the mind to long
| inhabited spot, that 10 tear ones self a.
| way nearly approaches TO the separating
| The soul from the body. But, then, on fheo-
| ther band, WHEN ask myself: What
shall submit III silence Shall be as
| dumb as one of my horses ? Shall that
| indignation which burns within me he
| quenched Shall | make no effort to
| preserve even the chance of assisting TO
better the LOT OF my unhappy country ?
| Shall that mind, which has communica-
ted its light and warmth 10 millions ofo-
| Their minds, now he extinguished forever
and shall those, who, with thousands of
| pens at their command, still saw the tide
OF opinion rolling more and more heavily
! against them, now be forever secure rom
| that pen, by the efforts ofwhicll they
feared beng overwhelmed Shall truth
never again be uttered Shall her voice
never again be heard, even from distant
| shore o.
Thus was the balance turned and, my
countrymen, be you'well assured, that,
though shall, if live, be at a distance
from YOU; though the ocean will roll be-
tween us, not all The barriers that nature,
| as well as art can raise, shall he sufIici-
ent 10 prevent YOU from reading some
| part, at least, ofwhat write; and. not
withstandinga all the wrongs which Justly
| complain Notwithstanding all The indig-
nation that feel : Notwithstanding the
| prOyocations that have received, or that
| may receive, never shall there drop from
my pen any thing, which, according to
the taV cfthe land, might not safely write
4 and nutalich IN EuorlopH FTho.o Oh.