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SKETCH HE PROOFED! VOS AT RICH MOND. t was piopolcd to adopt Refolutions firft Mr. John Gamble moved that a separate question he tak en on the preamble, and then on the tefolutions. He went heart and hand with the refohr tions: but he could n"ft tlnnk of voting for that part of the preamble, which attributed the conduct ofcaptain Humphries to his government. On that point he was uninformed. Mr. Fenton Mercer an proved of this diftinftion. He viewed with no less abhorrence than any other perlon. the con duct of the British captain ; hut on fubje&s of such magni'ude, it would be improper to ex press an opinion, which wou'd be founded in ignorance, lie p rote (led ag'iiolt cenfurirvg the Britfth government, for an act which could not be positively aferibed to it. I here had not been a fufficient lime for Ad’ miral Berkley to receive in’ ftru{dions from the present min jftrv—He fliould be complete’ ]y fati fied, if the meeting would but confine theii indig nation to the captain himfelf. Mr. Peyton Randolph said there was a fufficient reason to aferibe this conduct to the Bri tifii government: and there was no necessity for fending a fpe’ cial mifiion to London to de mand explanations. The whole tenor of her conduct had proved the temper of Grcat- Britain. She had interpolat ed new doctrines into the Law of Nations, that were peculi arly unfavourable to neutrals: She had contended for the right to (earcji our merchant vessels, and to take bom them such seamen a* were not Ame rican citizens. If ed on thefc proceedings, (he would at one tim : give mtidi’ ous explaiiafe'ns, and lome times remained jicriefcilv blent. Gan any ma:i doubt, that any officer would have risked ins head hv such an unauihonffid attack? Humphries vuuft have received his orders from llalt fax, where all the orders on t'-e American ltation ace iffi ed; and he had even aliened this fact in his communications with Commodore Barron.— There has been a fnffL-ient time for the conveyance of thefc os ders from London. We have been informed by feverai arri vals from England,that our re jection of tire ldritiih treaty had been announced in that coun try ; and these orders roult have been iffiued at the very moment when the low-minded Canning, who inherited the principles without the talents of Pitt, was toasting the inti mate union between thel'e two countries. —Why cavil at a lit tle chaltr. in the chain of evi dence; .when we behold a luo cession of thcle outrages upon our nation, and when we look at the character of the pielent tni riitry. Some time ago, New York was blockaded by a Briu.it squadron, and one of our countrymen fell a victim to the outrages ot the Leander.— The Briuth miniitry was kind enough to inform us, that iS we would fend on our waned’ fes, they wouid piolecute capt. Whitiiv ; and wiiat has been the conlequer.ee? Prtcifclyf uch as every mmi could have ex pected : for W nit by has been ho: inrabiy acquitted. Mr. K. than cxpuai.ed upo<> the conduct of the Driver, a* nother of that squadron. He contended that war was inevi table ; and that at all events the offer for negociation ought not to go from America. He affected that Great Britain was proceeding upon the prin ciple'of fuppreHing all neutral commerce ; and that it was ac tu-illv on this ground that Howick was displaced, howe ver it might have been under the pretence of laving the con fciencc of a waek, dotard mo natch. One powerful induce’ ment for believing that these inftruftions were from the Bri tish Admiralty, was the cir* cmnftance of the rejection of the British treaty on the ground of impressment. This intelligence in England was fuc cceded by the attack on the Chefapeakc; and there was apparently such a iniiaculous connection between these e* vents, as positively to prove that the one mult have been the cause of the other. (Loud applause) Mr. John Gamble had al. ways supposed, that when a firing of tefolutions was pro poled, every one fliould have the right of expressing their opinions fairly and fully upon them ; he did riot approve of the whole of the preamble : he was for that part of it, which execrates the attack on the Chelapeake ; he was opposed to that part, which aicribes the act to the Biitilh government. Gen lemen and himfelf differ ed upon the quelfion only, whether it was the ait of a lub ordinate officer or of the go’ vernment. Mr. F. Mercer was in fa vor of tins diltinbtion. The on'y difference was as to the fatt : on which it would be ne cefl-try to demand explanati ons from the British govern- i merit. Mr. Watkins Leigh. An explanation demanded by us! Are we to go-across the At lantic to request explanations ? Itaftonilhes me to Dear Amer ican youths (l mean no perso nal dilrelpett, fir) the defeen dams of American patriots, laying, that wamuft now ask for expi .nations of Great Bii tain. Mr. Mercer explained. Mr. Leigh protelied he had not mifundevffood the gentle man what he had dated was a fair corollary from his Uate ments. Shall we then, who are a young and rising p .i'on, and who, though not addicted to the proud pageantry of war, have a character to maintain, ihali we put up wi ll such iu fuiis i (Loud and continued ex’ clama.ious !) Shall we hr,mere ly wait until Great Britain shall / con deice id to give us explana tions. No; ii Great Biitain gives us one jlow, let us return another. ( Loud appiaufss !) The gcn-ieinan who iujiported this preamble,has truly laid that war Wds iiievitaole. I fay, hr, that it is actually begun ! How has war been commenced tn mo dern times ?By blows before it was declared. This is John Bull’s lyflem. We, fir, are the defeendanu of John Bull, and I trutt, that while we inherit his good qualities, we have got rid of .ail his bad ones—We are coo.v hiked to wan, till out rights have been ieUied bv Loeat Britain. Mr. Mercer explained. He pretuaicu that u was therigh of the Captain of the Chdapeakc to retain the tamen. There was no civil authority to de mand them and he British com mander had afttd moft impro perly in taking hem. His on ly doubt was as o the partici pation of the British govern ment. Mr. Leigh lequired tl the queff ion, and tie whole quef uoo.” Mr. Gamble roped that in a republican government every one had a right to express his opinion. Let tie question be divided : he wotld join gentle men on the resolutions ihetn lelves, Mr. Hay alTo hoped, that the question on the preamble wouid be put firl. 1 f the dif tinHion were adopted the sense of the meeting could bed be afeertained Mr. Wm, O. Allen, pro posed anew expedient. I hole who wish to mutilate the pro ceedings, might retire, and take another opportunity ofexprefs iug their opinions. Mr. Hay was for the pream ble as well as for the resolutions: But he was in favour of a divi - Jion , that gentlemen might oe convinced of the fmallnefsof their minority. The question wasthenputup on taking a separate vote on the preamble, and carried. The queff ton was then put upon the preamble, and carried with only three dissenting voices; 6c these three were dif feruient only from a doubt whether the inftruftkms of Berkely had proceeded from his government. The question was then put on the address to the President of*thc United States and una nitnoufly earned. MEETING ATRJCHMONU AT a nunu-r jus meeting of the citizens of Richmond, Man chester,and their Vicinities, & of ni;n\ other persons from dis tant plat rs, held at the Capitol, on the 27 h of June, 1807, for the put pose of taking under their consideration the lawless outrage committed on the fri gate Chesapeake, by a British squadron.- The Hon. Spencer Koane Judge of the court of appeals, was unanimously cho sen Chairman, and Thomas Kitchie, Esq. unanimously e“ lected Secretary. A commit tee wa3 then appointed, consist ing ol the following members: Kae, Lieutenant Governor; the lion. Creed Baylor, Chancel lor ; John Page, George Hear William Fouchee, William Wirt, Sc Peyton Randolph, K qrs. to la > before the meet ing such resolutions as they might deem proper to propose in the prescent crisis. ihe committee having retired, re turned and reported to the meeting the following resolu tions and address : The pre amble to the resolutions was a dopted with only three dissent ing voices ; the resolutions aud the address were unanimously adopted. The Chairman of the meeting was unanimously re quested to sign the resolutions and address on behalf of the meeting, and to t-ansniit the address to the Pre ident of the United States.—The mem bers of the committee foi mcily appointed ere then elected a corresponding committee, by virtue ot the tourih resolution, lor the pm poses therein speci fied. VVe the citizens now conven ed, have read with horror and m digiiuUou, tne tiari auve of the at tack made by the British ship Leo parJ, on the United States frigate Chesapeake. The demand w hich preceded the attack was lawless m its nature, aud most insolent in its manner. The attack itself not only lawless* and insolent, but base and cntvardlv; because it “-as made bv a ship of 50 guns,prepar ed for action, and supported by a British squadron, in a time if pio found peace, on an unsuspecting and therefore unprepared Iriend, a single American Frigate of six and thirty gun* —such are the glorious triumphs of the. British navy ! We observe that this attack Hewed from a deliberate order given by the ..British Admiral Berkley, at Halifax; We believe that he would not have dared to compromit Ins nation by so bold and flagrant a breach of national law, without the previous sanction and order of his government: We consider it therefore as an act ®f the British government. We compare this monstrous outrage (committed in the nv’ nent of treaty) with other acts of usurpation and aggression, practised upon us by the same na tion—their impressment of cur seamen so long continued, and their gross and perpetualviolations of our commerce, which they have the effrontery to advocate even from their tribunals of law the review confirms us in the belief, that the attack on tire Chesapeake is not the act either of Commodore Douglas or Admiral Berkley, any more than the act of the oriental slave, who licks the dust, from the foot of despotism, is the act of the slave and not of the despot : but that this attack is the act of-he Bri tish government ; and simply ano ther effusion of the samre spirit which producedtheir impressments and commercial spoliations. This act is of the same stamp and color w ith the rest. We behold in it all, a con fident picture; a nation iulo lent in the conlcioufnefs other naval (trengih—totally regaid less of the rights of others —to- tally regardlels of ail law, rea son, and humanity—destitute of every motive, feeling, and principle, which binds civilized nations together—and having no title of afction whatever, but felf aggrandizement, & the gratification of her own ca r prices by brutal force. We compare this bloody violence with the caresses and attentions which they are even now View ing to our Miniiters at their fealts in London ; and we be* ! hold a nation, which to the piflure of black and lavage pi | racy, adds the features of I‘mtl j mg treachery and mean hy r pocrify ! A nation which by I her actions proclaims the opin’ I ion, that we are not only lo j feeble as to be in fulled and out ; raged with impunity, but so ; weak and fooisih as to be a muled for ever with the per’ fidious ietsbiancc of negocia j tion for the redress of our wrongs, while Ihe takes me ihorter cut of blood and battle for the atiainment of her eur’ POKES. j With atiationbf fuchprinciples and such pratticej, we wish no fricndfhip, no iritercourle : to such complicated arid incef* fant wrongs, continually ag’ | gravated in proportion to our j patience, we arc disposed to j submit no longer. Where’’ j fore. fievolved unanimously , That the ; thanks of the citizens of Rich mond, be communicated to our fellow-citizens of Norfolk, for the exemplary promptitude and energy which they have display cd on this occasion ; and that they be assured that we unite with them, heart and hand, in all their feelings aud resolutions. 2. lit solved Unanimously , That while we deprecate ti;e horrors of war and approve all honorable means of averting them, we pos sess the firm hope that the go vernment of the United iS.ates wilt avenge this unparalleled out rage with the spirit which be come* the nation, and which the nations feels—bclievina; as wc do 3 i that however unequal vj strength, our enemies hv/ yertheless vulnerable m ou ;- read*, through which > 3. hcsolved Unanimously IT in the support of all directed to that end, “ We p , ~ our lives and fortunes, tm'dT sacred honor,” hailing with and jovous hearts, the auspiciZ omen connected with this v.T remembered holv pl ec j Se . ‘ What we aid in the weaknessTf infancy, it will be strung; jf cannot repeat in the vi 2or J marikood ! 4. R efolvtd unanimovdyfl l, at a committee be appointed i 0 coi respond with such other committees as may be appoint, ed in the feverai towns and counties ir. this Commonweal for the purpose of coliefib the national fentimer.t on thi, important occasion. sth. R efolvcd unar.imnj\ Fhat the Ghairtitaii q[ Committee be requeued to communicate a copy of thefc Re so Ives to the l*refident of the United States, one ( 0 the Executive of each State, ooe to the Chairman of the Cora, tnittee at Norfolk, and oi.e connected with a printed copy of the narrative of the outiage, to every General Officer and Commandant of a kegimentin this State, to be communicated by litm in lurh manner as lie may approve, to thole under hi* command. 6th. R efolvtd unanimouh I hat the thanks cf this meeting be returned to the Chairman, for the able and impartial mar. ner in which he has dilcharged the duties of his office. Signed on behalf of thrmttlm, SPENCER ROANf, Chittoj^ (Ted) THOMAS RITCHIE, Sct’ij. LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OP THE UNITED STATE*. CtVtring the RtJbfocsoJ the Citium of t.nonJ, Afanobcjicr and their ■vkiaitin, *Tu tho PreJiJent of the Uni tod Slof/t, SIR, WE, the citizens cf Siclmmi, Af ebefitr and their vich\itin, and Ban] other persons from diflant places, vc have aflembled to taka under conClei tion, tile late hoftite attack upon thefri gate Chefapeakc, bv aßritilhfliipof n and the murder of a number of Aaiffic* seamen in a time of peace, arc impels by the strongest motive! to express tba sentiments of indignation, which the cation mud naturally iafpire. When * reflect upon the uniform course of pin: conduct which has been observed by tin government of the United States toward all foreign nationi;when we recoiled, other hand, the innumerable intuits aggreflaons which Great-Rriuiii haJin.ua ed on our just and lawful commerce; 5 can oulv difeover in this recent aft of ui lence, the confumnjation of fy"? wliich has for its objeil the prolV/.i of ncutral rights, at thefset of a twigs and ambitions power. The door ot gociation is finally closed; ihe tirft .dowt war has been (truck; anu the people'l l mcrica are ca led upon to decide, w : “ they Will rat y around the Handrd ofF confti u’ion, or retign at once that gloo ous independence, wliich was pardW by the valour oftheir fahtrs, and ce l3 " l, ed with their blood. At a period magnitude as the present, ii is F c ‘j Jl neceiTiry that the ftnfh of Amp” :I, J display to the world the devotion they feel to the free, mild and b:nc— I <■ government under which they ‘hr.. *• their invincible determination to rCll ’ the utmost extremity, every outrage < their rights from whatever quarter it . procead, The perfous wdio co'.v a you, speak not only for thcmlelvei, lor their country; they feel that they m. ▼er the sentiments of the nation; am are confident that they will find a w ponding emotion in the bofoin of Magistrate of the union. . , When an ad of uuequivoca! holh i‘s been perpetrated; when our ar.r.t. ;s are r.otpennitted to leaveourown P r ’ rf impunity: when a iiritiih the signal from ourve-y harbour-, o capture of our lhip.; it become* ou not of reason, but of fisStS- . ‘ l "; may be the grounds of the coined in , wc are engaged, we are comp K in that appeal to arms **hsdt_ made by our adversary. It y r ‘ ~? !J to pursue a temporifing conduct, * encraving an imJelililc Itain on ‘J ‘ al character. The reputation o country is at ftakc; and it mm* -j cidt-d whether wc dial! al.umethe - a attitude of an independent • crouch under the lafiiof M if 13 ‘ No nation upon earth _h gent reafon* for inaintanung a *■’ ;. tercourle with t!ie rest of the wrf. & ■ United Stares. Far removed. bloody feenc of ambition,