Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-21

publican principles and doctrines. This is surely
an imposing picture of benevolence, and hope TO
bs pardoned for questioning ITS rraciicabity, out
%! the materials wti. n is TO compose the new colo
~. Already have il former communication
emnded the votaries OF this scheme, of the fate OF
the French nation IN their late a5orlve attempts at
liberty, founded upon the periectibiiity of mar;
and in addition TO the Suggestions then made, will
nov respectfully ask, II tie history OF the world,
and all fresgovernments does not unquestionably
prove that political freedom will only abide in COM
manities composed OF an enlightened and virtuous
population, and that too, after lons, acquaintance
and habtude with the principles OF self government
What, then. must be thought of the attempt to
Fund republic which is TO be composed OF Tree
negroes and inuattues: Can any reasonable man
doubt, b,u the Colony shall have sweled
to any considerable extent. that any thing but the
presence Of strong nilitary force, would be ade-
vuate TO curb and restrain its dissoute inhabitants!
This no private association would be able TO main
Tain, and should The federal government be seduced
iato this wild enterprise, (which dare not allow
uyself 10 believe,) oar country will present the
singular spectacle oil nation whose constitution
and politics. policy, forbid large standing armies in
time OF peace, az dangerous TO liberty. Yet for
the sake, and for the necessity too Of preserving
Liberty, in remote and distant colony, supporting
at an enormous expense upon dangerous and sick
" coast, an extensive military establishment. Let
the politician who " Guild for moment think oil
such state OF things, remember the fate Of the
distant provinces of the Roman Empire under the
military government OF her Generals and Pro-Con-
sus, and the facility with which popular leade,
always assumed the imperial people, and gave the
whole strength Of the colony the direction of his
own ambition. Let him remember the overW helm
'ng debt OF England, contracted by sustaining hen
military in our country during the Of the Re
voiution. Remove this force, and what at once,
would become of the political condition of the
r.,l> mi. 4
distracted by the immortality OF it, inhabitants, i,
would either degenerate into the worst species ot
. scli-creae Ell and barbarous Tyranny, or fall an
easy prey to the Savage tribes by which it was
surrounded. Hence, then, strong military go
vernment emana,ing from the United States, so
long as we had the power OF continuing it, or a
miserable despo,ism Of their own, must be the lot
of oil those miserable beings who hal been scd iced
from their homes, to 20 in quest of higher con-
dition of politica! freedom in this land of their
Fathers.
Bat it is further proposed to carry civilization
and religion TO those who have hitherto ,ecev ed at
our hands .othing but stripes, and chains, and
DEATH This is, indeed, the most dsin,erested
and sublime part of the whole eu;erprize.-
Communicated too, in such strains Of Rhapsody {;
as almost to drive reason from her throne, and to
make even our Judgments tributary to passions
But, hope 10 be paTdoned, at least by the practi-
cal and thinking part OF the community, while
presume to Offer some of The on which
have doubted its practicability in the way propos-
Cd. Let Opimius consult the pages of authentic
history. a.l learn from them the sad but n,oni,ory
lesson, that civilized rarely, il ever, yet
made successful settlement in a barbarous coun-
try, that savage man did not recede before him
aud while civilization and refinement obtained in
thelr plan, 1t was always at the expense OF the
lives, the homes and the religion OF the native in
habants OF the country. have already called
the public attention upon this subject, 10 the fate OF
the abotigines of North and South America.
VIII now remind Opinlius OF Tie Burmese and
Ashantee wars which at this moment waging,
between the wretched inhabitants OF those coun-
uIes, and the settlements OF the Lnglish in Africa
and the last Indies. The English profess the same
religion with ourselves, and are doubtless, as a
people equally charitable and humane; and certain
ly much more SO, than would be the coloured in
habitants of this new colony Yet the cruel;ics
and eXactionS Of her Governors in the East Indies,
upon the natives Of the country familiar 10
all; and so long the prosecution of Hastings,
and the sublime eloquence Of Sheridan is remem-
DeTed, humanity must weep over the sulierlngs and
i1tustIce which The history OF that trial discloscs
y nd this, although aggravated case, and render
ed notorious only, because OF The prosecution
which 1t gave rise TO, Is sufficient egince the
general character NJ me Intercourse between those
obtrlsiye settlers and The native inhabitants Of the
country, and To fix this melancholy truth in our
minds that power and ayarce when opposed TO
weakness, never yet failed to feed their own Gu
pility. Let me not he told by the admirers OF this
Quiyoiic scheme, that the history OF the world
presents no example OF colony planted with
the same benevolent views as the new settle
ment al Liberia, and that in the cases alluded to-
commerce and ambition have been the leading in
centivcs. This might with safety, and perhaps
ruth be admitted; and yet unit! its advocates
could shew, that the population which is to com
pose the colony would be exempt from all the
iraities and passions, which inseparaby attach
I'd TO the human character, and fill up the
OF mans inirmty, the reasoning from past expe-
rience must still obtain. II is man, poor frail, and
infrm man, who must at last people this colony.
And, unfortunately for this part of the scheme the
colonists themselves are to be drawn from the
most corrupt and dissoute part of species.
Having thus exposed some of the most proni-
ilent OF the wild fantasies of Opimius and his as
sociatcs, shall designedly besow but little no
tee, on that very lgdsicrous notion of his, which
would invoke the aid of the g national govern
Iueat' for this enterprise, the ground Of the
Improvement of navigation, by the annual
transportation of 10000 souls to the coast of A
i,ica for the period of few years; because until
his lite matter oFc0nSent the part OF the free
blacks thus to be shipped TO Africa Tor the want Of
a better cargo, is fully settled, any argument on
this point would be premature and useless.
cannot refrain, however, from reminding him
that the navigating interest of the United States,
IS eyes destined to be prosperous and gainfuI
without the aid Of such helps, long as our COM
,Gerce remains unshaclled by foreign wars, or do
nesic restrictions. With sea border tina, stretch
itself along the whole of our Eastern and South
ein boundary, with numerous majestic rivers pene-
haling tie country in all directions, and the pro-
ductions o! continent at our Command, already
does the American canvass, spread itself TO every.
wind, and our hardy tars are to be found in every