Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-09-22

RICHMOND. SEPTEMBER D. iS50.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER
have lately perused with no common
interest, the article i'm The last Edinburgh
Review. which Is intended az reply 10
MIR. Nalsh's defence of The United States,
against the attack of certain British wri.
tiers. The Reviewers have made the
dmen6e honorable, in "A very manly, and
candid manner. They have explained
away, many AZ the charges broug'i; "a
galnsi themselves in particular, OF hosii-
liiy. aud an illibrral course as il related
TO us, and have evinced, very fully. that
they are in truth, friendly. and well dis
posed 10 this country. iiihere are any
passages of Their iorner writings, which
they cannot Justify. (and there certainly
are some, which 10 is TO be regretted cx.
isD They have amply aioned for them. aud
as one OF the American people, | am
willing 10 bury my share Of The offence
committed, III oblivion.
| rejoice Al The character Of I!Ie last
| number niihe Edinburgh Review. because
| Iave been ever an admrer 0f The talents
OF lie editors oil HAT Journal. aud in re.
| neral. very much approved The spirit. aud
| principles which hare characterized II
have considered the conductors oiliai
work, as The fast friends oi political free
| dom, though their options a.e modified
to certain extent, by the form of the
government, and the Character Of The
po'iilca! institutions of HE county i'm
| which they reside Now, agree perfect
~ Will The Edinburgh Reviewers. tina,
| 'nis is an awiui crisis in the affairs Of
| mankind, as II regards political priuci-
| pies. great contest is going on, in
! witch Is involved, the Issue Of The FREE
| hom. or slavery OF iiie world. The mos,
important STATES of Europe are under 90.
vcrnmcmiS highly despoiicin their nature
These states combiued for the purposes
al war, have iaund II important 10 unite
also, Tor The maintenance Of high-ionpd
mohafchical and 'icspoiic Institutions
Hence Tic holy alliance, he object OF
which is In be perpei,Ially OH The watch.
aud to s;iAe every germ Of noIi,Ical
change, or revolution. Hence too Is The
'ioctrine Of legitimacy, now the creed al
| monarchs, and their satellites. Tins is
The old d0ctrine of The jas diriila,a reeant,
under different name. In ether coun-
Ines OF Europe, that this political faith
Should be maintained, Is not 10 be won.
| defed al that II should be tolerated and
conn'enanccd III Eng land, is truly SUR
pfis,nS. 1t Is proof. Thai she is retro
grading III poliiica! principles. and iasi
rrlracluS her Steps towards despuiisni.
Dir Robert tIlfnrr, and other advocates
Tor arbitrary governments, had openly, il
Is True, commended for The divine riui,t of
Kings. But IL WAS little TO be expected,
that after the triumphant REPUTATION and
exposure OF The implous aud ElouStrous
abSurdlleS contained in these slaylsh
writer's, by Locke, Sidney, and other en-
llshtcned friends OF freedom. and sfIrr
The revolutions in their own government.
w'ivl turned on he rig!i, OF the nation 10
choose It's rulers, the people of England
Would have permitted the exploded doe
| trine OF Tie JWre diriRO right OF Rings, or
IN either words. OF legitimacy. TO have
become the cant aud fashionable phrases
| OF those who administer the government.
shls. amongst Others, is melancholy
PROOF OF The decline OF correct political
feelings. Those who now WELD the Eu.
ropean governments, including that OF
England, are the strong, indeed avowcd
advocates of these slavisii doctrines
forcP, Is the greatest instrument they
employ, 10 keep down tie spirit of the
people. Hitherto they have had great
success In their measures. Whilst the
contest Was going on with France, The
ninds OF ,ncm were so engaged in whal
lhey considered as struggle for national
independence, that they had not iime 10
consider The acIs, or principles of their
rulers. later d'ma StfeM iceeS, is maxim,
generally verified by experience. BuI
wien peace returned, The rulers apply The
same despoiIc principles, which they had
prdcliSed on, III the prosecution Of their
wars. they retained large military es-
adjustments, aud with these controlled,
and endcavnred 10 exiingush the spirit
oil freedom. The progress Of trnih, is
however, very certain, aud will overcome
great obstacles. Tie light difnsed by
HE French revolution, though somcn hat
obscnrcd by lis eXcesSrs, was too power
Iul no, 10 have uniOIded 10 The people oi
Europe, tic nature and txteui of their
rights, aud the INDUSTRIOUS absurdiiy and
oppression "a nlauy Of their institutions.
Ihat these causes are nOw powerfully o.
peralIns. Ia demonstrated by tie revoln-
nous III Spain, ~ Naples, and lLr strong
indications Of public feeling in many
parts OF Germany. II is with perfect
truth, then. that the Ejinbargh Review
ers say, that the great question Of free.
dom Is involved in the present crisis
Nor Is IL possible TO be an unconcerned
specidlof OF what is going on. II is not
proper Tor one government or nation, TO
interfere III The internal controversies, or
divisions Which exist in another. The
right ofopiDon, is however, free. andiherc
can be no reason why ii should not be
freely exercised. The friends of liberty
throughout The world, are bound unIiesi
failngly 10 espouse lis cause, and TO give
that weight to The side Of correct princi-
pies, which il cannot fail 10 derive, from
tie unequivocal support OF The opinion Of
mankind. II is IN this sense, that il is
important, that Tie friends Of freedom, IN
every country, should make common
cause, iIjal they should unite in exposing
TO the deleSialion Of The world, tyranny
aud oppression, under whatever disguise