The Enquirer

ENQUIRER-OFFICE.
Richmond, May 24, 1815.
EUROPE.

The advices, we have received, leave us no room to doubt, that England has declared War against France, for the purpose of dictating to the Nation the choice of a Ruler. How far the allied Sovereigns, & particularly Austria, will accede to this proceeding, time will shortly disclose to us. But if the statements, which we have heard, are to be relied on, Bonaparte will be able to withstand the gathering storms of all their vengeance.-- We learn for instance, from the most respectable source, that Bonaparte has the enthusiastic hearts of all his soldiers-- That. as far as the Americans could ascertain it at Paris. he will scarcely have less than 350,000 troops to support him-- That Prince Murat leans towards him--as he is long since satisfied, that the legitimate Sovereigns, as soon as they durst, would oust him. as well as all those who were not of the royal blood. from power-- And that the inhabitants of Belgium are with him--as they fear, that if they were annexed to Holland, the Scheldt would be closed and the commerce of Antwerp extinguished through the jealousy of Amsterdam.

The People of France, too, if they retain any of their high-minded rivalry, will rally around him--because the Allies have dared to interfere with the internal government of their own country, to declare who shall be their King, and who shall not, and to threaten, if they do not kiss the rod with a good grace, to make France the theatre of a desolating war-and because if she be conquered again, her troops will be reduced, her establishments diminished, and herself cut down to the rank of a comparatively contemptible power.

For our own part, we do not hesitate to wish Bonaparte success-Because it is in part the contest of legitimate sovereigns with the rights of self-government-because. Bonaparte is, we believe, the choice of the People, for how could he arrive at the throne without the sword being drawn or one stone levelled at his head ?—because innovation on the established prejudices of Europe has more to expect from his success, than from the triumph of hereditary sovereigns—and because we have more to expect from him, and his attachment to revolutionary principles, than a miserable Bourbon protege, and the tool of the English government.

There is no doubt, that he has past an Ordeal, which will purify him from some of his defects-that adversity has chastised him- & dissipated many of those ambitious dreams of influence and conquest, which his fancy has once indulged.
In dictating to France, England must look well to herself. Clouds thicken around her, and the murmurs of her own people begin to escape. The Corn-Law is obnoxious. The Income tax whose exit has been so pleasing to the loyal Britons, must again be dug up ; for as John Bull pays all and subsidizes the troops which are to bleed ; as he is so kind as to furnish all the oil which is to lubricate the military machine, he must again contribute additional taxes for the pleasure of giving laws to his neighbors. Will his sons be quiet under these impositions ? Will they freely consent to pay them for the pleasure of a tilt at Bonaparte?

But whether he falls or succeeds. we shall preserve our rights and independence, without the aid of France. When Bonaparte was exiled to Elba, we were left to contend single handed against the gathering resources of G. B. -We fought and we conquered--we gained more, and more splendid victories against her augmented forces. We proved, that we could defend our rights against any assailant; against England or against France. And we learn with the highest satisfaction, from the most respectable sources, that the American Character now stands higher in the eyes of all Europe, than it has done since our Revolution ; and that nations who once wondered at our political felicity, are now astonished by our military achievements.

The next Great News from Europe must be deeply interesting. The next breeze may waft us the sighs of thousands. We wait with anxious solicitude for the issue.