Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-05-05

e.
,,i,hb.J bv her upon the same principles, mat we
have never ;n,efered with hers; and that, IL she
should utefere as she may, by measures VINO"
NAV have great and dangerous recon- upon our
selves we night be called, In defence Oh oui oW
aItars and fIesides, TO take an attitude whcn
o,Id c.use our neutrality TO be respected, ana
peace or war, as our interest, guided by JUSTICE
should counsel" ,,;,
growth OF the United States in wealth anu popu1a-
tion since the date of General Washingiohs az,
,j,..s. asks. "must we not say that the pertod
,rb;ch IYasi;ng,on predicted then not Jar
of has arriued!" WHAT period is this! ne Tie-
silent woes on TO describe il as the period when
America shall have her set OF primary in'eies,s'
with which Europe should notinteriere' ana Il s''0
should so interfere, might be called upon 10
take an attitude for their defence-at tins point
Lin, ,n araiu the language of General Washing
ton's address. I, would seem, from the use mere
made of General Wasbingtom's predictions tiia' ne
had anticipated the period when America "o"4'
have her set of peculiar Interests, ana hau' III eU
temptation of that state OF things, Wdtcots@ 10 i'S
coun,rynen the course OF policy which 1t Is no"
prouose, to pursue But, Sir, there is nothing OF
ali his in The Farewell Address. Tie PERIOD
spoken of by General Washington as not lar OIL
was the period when, by our advancement !"
wealth and power, &c under an eihcieht sose'"
n,en., we might defy material INJURY from external
,nnovaucen &C. General Washington evidently
,o,al argument in favour of the policy he had ie-
commented inasmuch the ability to DEFY eNter-
nal ANNOYANCE which he had looked forward 10 d
the result OF our remaining People under an Ell
fcient Government, would place US ABOVE Inc ne
cessi:y OF seeking foreign conneNifls, Tor the p'r
nose of strengthening ourselves. hut THIS very
authorizations which General Washington had INTRO
duced as strong motive for aahering'o the pohcy
of ay oidng (" political connexions WIN Iofe'S"
nations the President. by singular mcta'nof-
plosis has converted into an instrument iof us'iiS
;no and enforcing departure from that po!icy. -
-: Ia no, the hear, and the head equally revolt at
this nerversioh of the language and reasoning oil
General Washington? At the time when his h are
well Address was given TO the woIiu, we were
vet an infan, People; our numbers thnly scatter
Ell owe, an extensive teuiioryi our finances emoaf-
-,ssed and. our resources, OF every sort impaired
nv tho effects of our recent struggle Tor indepen-
depcc. In this situation, there were inducements
m court foreign alliances, to aid and support US III
the even, of collisions with the rest OF the world
II under these circumstances, when the assistance
M powerfil friends might have been not only oeh-
e,icial but necessary to us, W a-hins'oh YET aoVi-
sell us to steer clear of foreign alliances ana con-
neyious with how much more force does MS ad-
,,re ,pplv to our present condition-when MS
oniicina,ions of our national growth, have been
most amply realized; when we have already TAKEN
such IN attitude to ensure the respect OF othef
nations. when we have proved ourselves compe-
tent TO he our O,rn champions ana the SUCCESS" '
defenders of our otcn rtShtS.
The President has, therefore, n my OPINION,
wholly failed only in his attempt TO prove ~
;iructirely that the advice OF Washington isd"S
to and aPpreues the formation OF the poi''ic"
connections in question, but IN his endeavonr 10
maintain the inferior negative pToposinon, tha' tn'
Injunction to avoid such connections In general
ioee met naply 10 the particular circumstances o
our p-essnt condition. Onthe contrary, 1t is man
ri afxe ms ust fsSS y as
to European politics, but the advice itself is no
confined to our relations with Europe. liz its spi
rit and its principles, il is universal and mmuiable
acknowledging no distinction oil time place. Ii
the comprehensive words used by him in a suhse
Iaeat part OF his address, &c IT'S our true policy q
steer CLEAR OF permare n alliances trh Gny portion
.ofHe foreign lc0rid.'' The parting Injunction
of the Father Of his Country, then, can neither b.
Construed nor reasoned away. Il still continue
20 admonish US, in iis deep and impressive tones
against the fatal policy OF enians!ing ourselves ~
political connexions with foreign naions;' whe
ther young old, whether this, tie othe
side Of the Atlantic.
Other arguments must be- and have been invent
ell TO sustain this modern american policy.
beg leave, briefly, to notice few OF them. w
are told, in the first instance, that own safety
otSr rery eristence, indeed. requires that w
should make common cause with the States o
Spanish America The idea entertained ty thos
who employ this argument, IL, presume, this
that il The Powers of Europe assail the indepen
Gence of Spanish America for the purpose of redu
cling il 10 its former colonial condition, they mus
do so with views, and upon principles, which viii
carry them forward to attempt the conquest o
ti.s country. The conques, of the States Of Nortl
America Sir, however lightly may deem Of tn
wisdom Of the crowned heads OF Europe, canno
suppose that any Of them much under tn
influence OF disordered imagination, to hav
INDUCED such thought, even in their nightly vi
sions. How differently, sir; do the new States o
Spanish America, and these United States stand
in relation to Europe. The former are infant ma
ti5ns Of yesterday, scarcely yet freed from ,hei
swadjling bands; the mother country still assert
her dominion over them, and is now wagns war ~
them TO establish that dominion i,lrore p ana
recognized by only one ACKNOWLEDGED BY those
their independence III the event supposed co
Poye-e.',tn Spain, in bringing them again ppIer
s1tJcction. We conquered the ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
OF or independence, now nearly halfa cenirrv n
80, and have since soriously maintained thar in
dependence, and the rights we derived. from :,
in second war the parent state in which 700
costended with her, on the footing of her eo,,oJ
N political rank, and proved ourselves her s,,,eyo
~ naval and military prowess. During all iii
period, we Rave maintained diplomatic and corn.
nercial relations with all the nations of the 18th
not as 40 independent Power merely, but az ore
OF the first grade, who had The means of nahino
1er friendship courted, and her resentment feared
In short, sir we are as thoroughly INCORPORATED in.
10 the political system Of the world, as any of The
older nations OF the other hemisphere, and If ,-o
lad no other right 20 orr independence we roieb,
plead tile by prescription. The allied sovc
reigns OF Europe then however wicked such an on
terpise would be might well assist Spain to Gov
GIer Spanish America upon pri,cit,Ies L...;s !