Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-08-07
WHAT NIGHT HAVE BEEN -!


There Is none point of view, in wbic h
the evacuation ofihe Spanish Posts ought
20 he considered. Suppose, the presi-
dent 81 tie United Slaics had determined;
10 hold theni-Suppose, he had compl-
ed with The wishes and advice of so ma
ny papers, 10 kecp what he iIad yct-.The
impression would haze gone forth, that
the wi..le scheme was the fruit of a
Yankee policy" and thai, lie had ONLY
masked Ills InClinalionS Ia possess The
EioTidas, under The pretert of Seminole
war. Has not this Very design been AREA
dv ascribed 10 him by an English Jour
nalist and French author With this
lmprc> sion upon The minds Of the Euro
peanS, what woudi!ey have said? What
would the minons Of legitimate pos ar
and The re,ilers Of republican govern
mrni have said upon his suhjccit "Be-
hold the fruits OF this Boosted republic.
She has plmmed herself upon her virtues,
her moderation, and her love Tor Justice.
She has rcproarhtd our princes with an
inordiEate ambition. She has drnounc-
cd The means by which they have ag-
grandized themselves. She has painted
in tn" most infamous colors Ike partition
of POland-and behold tie character Of
this reviler! Size makes war upon the
mGians--purs them into i'lorida--seiZes
the forts OF friend under the prcicxi of
subduIng The savages-but in truth only
10 CRAFTY her own spirit of aggrandize-
ment. She has long looked with visit
ful eve upon Florida, and behold the
means by when she obtains IT,. She dis
guises her ambition uudcr tie most piau-
sible preicnces-but lear off the veil,
and fraud and pertidy present themselves
in the most hidcous colours! The Pre-
sident of this boasled republic is as am
bilious as any ofour Princes-and equal
ly regardless Of the means by which il
is gratifjed. Let us then no longer be
imposed upon by name. Believe us,
there is no more virtue in a Republic than
in monarchy. They have equal ambi-
ton, with less sincerity. What we do by
force, they only accomplish by .fyaud."
How would the friends Of republican
government have met those chargcs?-
How could they have answered them :
The character of The American nation
would have sunk in Europe; aud with il
the character OFall republics. The friends
of the human race, WHO have regarded this
country as The last stake Of prosecuted
man, would have hung down their head,
III despair. How could they have lusi,-
fed people, who had been apparently
so much distinguished by the integrity Of
their conduct and The iDagmauimiiy Of
their actions; The things which most
highly become q man or nation, arc
honor and fardcaliug. NoiIIng so much
tries the force of moral principles, as iiic
temptation OF interest. Let u once be
believed IN Europe that we are Just rs
selfish and unprlncipled, as Indifferent 10
honesty and lionor.aS her legitimate prin-
ccs, and the high character Of America Is
gone forever. The character of repub-
Ilcs suffers with her--for, she is iis unlv
living TcpreseDIaiiye-and her conduct
had until this moment contributed 10 en-
beIIish and recommend il. The case Of
Florida would ctcrnalIy have been flung
into our teeth; and in fact, il is iuipossi-
bic TO calculate the importance of tie
stake, which hung upon The decision Of
The Pr, sidebt.--lIe has met IL, however,
as became the First Magistrate of virtu-
Gus rroulc.
Hhqt UW be! Tile course of tie admit
nisirailon will remove every doubt and
every suspicion upon Ibis subject. Some
gentlemen nav err for a moment, from
the want OF sufficient consideraiiun-and
The enemies of James Monroe u,av deli
brraieiy mlsrepresent lis isteniiOns.-
These may charge him with deceit
iul siratagem. tilmsy and dishonest arr
lIhce, with trick OF dis!iOnoT and dishO-