Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-16

that othersare on highly respectable foot
ing, having tie sentiment and force of
The country with them, l think not inl-
probabie-l5ut let us be correctly inform
ed which are IN the latter and which ia
the former condition. Those of The lat
ter. would be eutitled to recognition of
Their md pendence, and of course would
receive II AZ our hand, unless indeed IL
were iofbli by strong considerations of
po'icy-But suppose from The interest
which the holy alliance takesin The affairs
at Spain, the latter should be spirited uD
10 make war, DO YOU think it prudent Ia
lnvoivr this nation in war on that aceouni?
To unroil the black le,tered list of taxes,
armies, tretS, suspended commerce, aud
tie desoiation oi our Atlantic frontier
You say II Is ridlcuipu, 10 apprehend
these things ina war with Spai,l-true, II
Spain alone were 10 be comcerued-but
remember war ~ game AT which a good
many may playful suppose Spain we're
anaded by Great Britain, what results
you cant march armies 10 Spaln-your
war would be rathera paper one on
your part, whilst every buccaneer and
the fecuiency fall Europe undera Span
ish ha2, would maraud your coasts and
plumber Your commerce-wh Great
Britain, entirely exempt and standing a.
ioot from the controversy except so far
as she might secretly aid and centjnu
the quarrel, would run away with the
carry ing trade, 10 the ruin of our navy
and shipping interest. But weigh the All
vantageS TO the provinces from our recor-
milton, with the disadvantage which MAJ
ARISE ourselves, and think we should
pause before we commit ourselves 10 a
course whose issue, 10 say The least Of ii.
Is uncertain. We know that The law of
nations is only cobweb-ihe strong
break Ii as easily as Sampson did his fet-
tiers. Hence altlo' the recognition of the
independence Oft the patriois is mt cause
oi war, according to the principles OF the
national code, vet in practice i, is canse
OF war: Illustrated in our own revoluti.
onary struggle, when Britain declared
y ar successfully against France, Spain
and Holland. 1t is at least, therefore,
possible, that war will be The result. II
so. should not wise and forcsccing Gov
eminent provide for the worst instead Of
diminishing the taxes, they shogld he in
creased, and instead of disbandiny ar
mics, their scale should be enlarged
Areyou and the people of America ready
for such state Of things! Again, if the
interest OF the patriots were alone con
suited, IT Is doubtful whether we had bet
ter not abStain-Left TO contend alone
with Spain, their success is probable
should general war he lighted up, they
viii probably be crushed-provided the
alliance should entertle lists in favor of
Spain-a premature struggle with us
might throw us back for years. Twenty
years peace will enable us to dictate to
aggregated Europe"
REMARKS.
we take pleasure in publishing the foregoing
ietter; because the subject which it discusses
1907 so important character that we wish the
people to see it i'm every paSsible light in which
II may be presented to them
we Know the writer the foregoing letter we
listen to every suggestion that comes from such
source with respect, II not conviction. We ~
gree with him, that we ought not to recognize
any of the South American States as ''sove-
reign ana independent" until the President
has ndubitable proofs that they are So As
we asserted in September g all that the Presi
dent wants TO guide him is the light Of tacts-
The contending parties are struggling for the
sovereignty-lt is not for us TO decide between
them-but 1t il he trne that Bueuos Avtes is
actnaily sovereign and independent that she
has had government of her own for the last
seven years-if it be true that Chill is rid of
neE IyrantS--we are bonnd to recognize the in
dependence of Buenos Ayres and perhaps of
CHiii-Dnt TO see whether these facts he cor
rect, our overnment has sent Commissioners
to Sonth Amerira." We have chalked oui the
same course varions other occasiOns-we
never meant by our remarks oil the Presidents
Message that zoe should recognize their indie
pendsnce, unless they were Independent de
tacto-this was the principle which we assign
ed TO the Administration. We abide by this
principle, and so far agree with the writer :;
but we dissent from many of his arguments
and conclusions. We object 10 the general
tone of them
We dread no with Spain-though we
cannntinvade her,we can sweep her provinces
florida would soon be ruts-MeXcu would be
emancipated-We shall sweep her commerce
from the seas. The wounds we shall give her
VIII be deep and incurable-Those we shall
receive, but skin deep.
She WILL therefore, scarcely be so infatuated.
As TO plunge into war with ns-But would she
have right TO consider it a cause of war; No:
We do not, as we said before 9 decide the con-
te5t,we but abide it's iSsue"-We do not make
have made themselves so.
Neither Spain. nos England, nor Russia, nor
the heads OF the Holy Alliance, can consider
this as cause of war. The case of France in
~ is ont OF all parallel; for she not only re-
cOgnlZed tile United States in the very outset
OF their struggles but gave them assistance.
whereas we should play much humber
acknowledging those only who hare
achieved their Observation-Disclosures the
morm force of our example to such as are vet
struggling for ii.
We are sorry that we cannot do more for
them-O hearts are with the Patriots-Dut
TO do less would be disgrace to the American
name. 1t would indicate an indifference to-
wards men, who are following in the track we
nave marked out to them. which would prove
uS torsetful OF the sutferings we have cndnr-
cd, aud the glores we ahve achieved in a SINH.
Tar cause. 1t wauld prove moreover afraid
10 observe those principles of pnhliG law
"n,ch bInd one sovereign state TO another.
Neregard Inc ideas of a Spafisb Var Of
war with the Holy Alliance, &c. sc. as a bug
IN n III 20