Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-08-26

1
passing an grandeur, the hreniion Of he mari
ner's compass, or The discovery ofietters With
| The same openness he reprObated the princi
'.les of the French revolution Aud France
thought that she saw in the measures of the
Government, the practical fruits of this political
preferences for her enemy. She had expected
the sympathy and even the cooperation of
Tue u. >. IN the great cause oflibrrty in which
she was engaged But she had been disap-
pointed, most painfully disappointed. Instead
OF this sympathy from her elder republican
sister, She had found her cold and selfish ;
nay worse, she thought that she found her,
lending passive aid at least. 10 her enenries
She complained that we suffered England To
recruit her navies from the impressment of
our seamrn and to reinforce her own natural
strength and means oi annoyance by the unre.
sisted spoiia'ion of our commerce.. She com
planned, in effect, that this was war in Disguise
and determined Ia indemnify herself hy depre-
dating upon us lnst Io the same xtent that I'VE
suffered The British To do il with mpuntv.
She carried this determination into effect, and
between Tie two natiuns our commerce was
cut Ia pieces without mercy. Mr. Adams
singled out France tor punishment and the
ost'gorOus preparations for war were, forth
with, commenced. Fleets and armies were
raised anu direct taxes were laid.
The republicans Mir. Jefferson at their
head opposed these measures most strenuous
ly. They considered this selection of France
Tor "tr enemy rs unjust, unsrateful, and CON
Steering the circumstances in which she vas
placed, AS inhuIuan. They considered and
proclaimed II as gross proof of the federal
Partlaiity Tor our Inv eterate enemy. England :;
as calculated Ia throw us Immediately into
her arms, by treaty of alliance offensive and
defensive, and thus Ia make us parties in Il
most unnatural and barbarons crusade upon
the liberties OF that France who had helped
us to achieve ot'r own. They considered the
laying lakes and raising fleets and armies
Tor such purpose, as indicative of settled
hostility to the cause ef liberty at large. and
consequently rs menaoing the liberties of our
own country. They openly denounced these
measures a. calculated To burthen and Cypress
the people for purposes revolving to their
hearts, 10 swell the patronage of the President,
To increase To a dangerous extent The strength
OF Tue executive arm, and Ia raise around him
haDd OF myrmdons prepared 10 do his
pleasure, even at the expense ofthcir country's
dearest rights. Mr.. Adams, on the contrary,
with the federal party AT his back, insisted that
the finger Of HeaUen pointed 10 ,oar and on
this theme (the alien and solution lars entirely
ont 9fhe question: the parties were placed in
direct and unrrlenting opposition. The re
puhhcans of the Jefferson school, 10 q man,
denounced the war and the measures which
were leading Oit. The federalists as resoIuiely
declared that they were ready to support
both. Political meetings we're every where
held, ard addresses aud resolutions pour
ed in from every quarter. These were
very much OF the same character. The
tederallsts uniformly addressed the Prcs-
dent. declared their appreciation of his mea-
sures and pledged themselves 10 support them.
The republicans, as uniformy, addressed their
resolutions and letters 10 their members of
Congress, condemning in the strongest terms
these war measures against France. The admi-
nlstratiun cOurted these addresses from their
supporters. In IA republican newspaper of
May 10, '98, il is said " The heads of Tie federal
" purity have been extremely ANXIOUS la induce
" the citizens of the u. S. tn address the Presi
"dent upon his late extraordinary ,onr measures,
10 insure him erery support heir Tires or for
tunes can render" In another paper of the
2lst May, il is said numerous addresses,
petitions and rrmonstrances have been pre-
=" scented Ia the President, Senate and House
" OF Representatives, ON the present alarming
" cTlsIs IN The affairs of our country TIE mer-
" chants tories refugees s. EngiiShmen are pretty
"unanfmeuS an approving the proceedings ofMe
" ETecutire. The turner's and mechanics, the
support 9the country, are for pacific measures"
The federal young men of all The principal
towns We're forward with these addresses 10
the President There was such an address
from the federal young men of Richmond
which Will be found in the papers of the day !;
and it will be found to be substantially coun
terpart of the address from the young men
of Augusta of whom Mr. Crawford was the
chairman, except Utai IL is notSo strong. The
parties were thus as distinctly separated as if
gull of fire had rolled between them And
as no Iedrralist could then have been brought
To condemn the war with France or the mea-
sures preparatory TO it, so aver, without the
fear of contradiction, that no republican of the
JeBeTSon school could hare been induced bY nnu
earthly consideration, TO hare giUen has sanction
! 10 an address approving offhoSe measures. The
iederalIsts might have preached To them till
doumsday about cancellation, compromise, and
unGnimity They would as soon have given
up their religion as Il hat devotion to the cause
OF thurman liberty, in which they believed their
opposition To those measures to be founded
cannot better illustrate the truth of this
position than by laying before the reader an
account OF the proceedings of meeting at
Fredericksburg on the l1th May, 100. He
will be pleased toobserye that this meriing
was called by the federal party, that the fede.
raj address there rejected by so large MAORI
ty was comparatively of a mild character,
and that tbesubject Of this meeting was excIu
sively the measures against France. | copy
it, word.cor word, from the papers of the day.
Meeting AT Fredericksburg on the lfih MAY,
fIy8. Yesterday tie citizens Of this corporation met,
agrceahy TO notifications IN The public papers, to ex-
press their sentiments on the present important and
critical situation Of this country. This meeting tcds
called by he friends Of NE Executive tchose affect
lrcs 10 odrsss The President Of The Uaed States and
10 express heirere opprobriion IF his conduct Nth
respect 10 foreign reiatiOus An address TO tbs
effect w.s prepared and presented Ivy Thomas
Ruofes, Esq. supporcdby very lengthy arguments
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