The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-06-11 00:00:00

ORDERS IN COUNCIL. TO THE EDITOR OF Till.: sTATESMAN. S c a m —I reed MERC ‘TOR'A letter in the Courier, under date of Liverpool, May 4. This letter, even before its appearance, wat announced with great pomp and ceremony, and was, in fact, given to the country as possessing a sort of charm which was sure :o reconcile us to all the evils of the system which it professes to advocate. As a work of skill it is more likely to invite attention, than to produce effect. I, &all dissemble no ignorance of the author. Upon man y questions of detailed commercial calculation I respect his judgment; and, upon all occasions, I ad mire his integrity. Having, as he conceives, project. e d a " dispassionate view," he leaves the political discussion of the question to the wisdom of Parlia. I nput, with as much gravity as if the interest of the ; measure could be separated from its policy ! I, how. 'ter m should take great blame to myself were I to urge this consideration too far, arising, as it evidently does, out of a chaste estimate of his ewe talents; or, at worst, only put on like a lady's mo desty.piece, to give, if possible, additional force to the irresistible powers of nature. lie can hardly be supposed even to enter upon the subject—clearly he enters into no rigorous ezansination of it—all he says, is oa the surface—it is mere covering, which, even for the purpose of having a peep at the 'abject itself, it would be necessary to pull away. Stilt I shall ellallafeer to treat him with respect, certainly with desetans—with more decorum than he, un willingly I am sure, treats the suffering poor, when he talks of " the severe season of the year being put," as if hunger would not pinch in August as well as November; or as if it was the period of the year, rather than the circumstances of public afflic tion, which constituted limes of distress. Upon this subject all doubt must vanish in the sad and me lancholy reflection, that the country is nom in a worse situation than it was be/ore the fine meather eel in, • and that it will continue to have this dismal and downward tendency jest as long as we persevere in that restrictive system by which the evil itself was produced. If MERCATOR bad said, that the discontinuance of the Orders in Council would not remove all the evils which the Orders themselves produced, such language would have been very intelligible :--or, even if be had cha racterised as unjust, the promulgation of the enemy's Decrees, no fault would have been" imputed to him : —or, if he had wasted his ingenuity in an endeavour to prove that very act of the enemy must be follow► ed by a corresponding action on the part of Britain : —or if, in charity to our enemies, we were to inter pose an eleal force to prevent the weight of their own injutice from fatting and breaking their own lieode—oll abismosele, at least, have bee , . intelligible —good Intelligible history of facts, for this recipro. cal movement has actually taken place! Clearly, if measures of bilis:ties, am the port of the enemy, are to derive their force from measures of irritation on onr part, it proves that the enemy has obtained 1 the result of his calculation upon oar folly, by oh.' tainiug the Gods of his own injustice. Mr. Cexamo, who is a very nice, if net a very sound, rs.viewer, may give a new position to this mode of reasoning ; but I am quite sure, looking at the commercial state of England sod of France—equal weight press.' ing upon unequal nlne,—it will, epee all fair and " dispassionate views" of 'the case, must distinctly appear that the Orders in Council are less calculated to retort upon the enemy the evils of his own in- justice, than to bring them upon ourselves. MER ciao& asks—" who can take upon him to say, that if our Orders in Council were repealed to-morrow, the Non-importation Act would, in consequence, be cancelled ? Has not the American Government told us that our system of blockade, and our right of search, must also be abandoned (abandon a arcser ! Oh, be ! MEacsToa!), before she can consent to a renewed intercourse ?" A compliance with these de mands is more, I think, than even those who urge most vehemently the repeal of our Orders would recommend. Here we have political prediction as well as political statement—here we have political evidence upon an assumed preponderation of the argument, arising out of a course of policy which must be conceded to America, before she consents to renewed intercourse with this country. All this we have from the modest Mlecvros, who professes to take " 1 dispassionate view wittiest ealeriagistopohtieel considerations t" To do instills to the subject, it will be necessary to give a &tied recital; of the principal Pcillislisib "Hued or ergud by Meocetoo, *ming out, es I they succiseeively smear, net only the delttntifi I tendency of his adminitions, bat time/fors of his ! statclwats, and the unjust views which be has exhibited la a series of dednedoes s ' absdlitfq and emeatially fah*. lie tells u s tbat IF ni t is deprived of &boot an her ottani' asatooros; except what is permitted by , litwars—dist for raw materials sad fereips poises thielly colly-', peUed to pay high prices, and that te P•clisei these articles she mast nowt to drained , dowels, i ' or receive them, in Mare for shipmeale WW I di nct from this ceentry, predating to us a eimaidera. Me revenge; and inekly, that this tisessioi bode is likely to increase, ender the pressor* if the Oadall iu Coosa. I might here pause, to say, *tide right or practice which we wish to establish ifilloilif hating a trade with ear enotojoi i whilst antrale are to be d prised of a simir si ggence wish *ell fqencis I This abominable . hubris to often aud so seriously urged, distill An Nab :hi a kaas- r . pnE STATESMAN. dred have decency enough to startle at it. That the than to pay specie to oar enemies or their dependen- edge in payment produce of saansofectures," 4c. — operation of the Orders In Council has stripped cies.. Jit, certainly is supposed that licences are ii- To all this, as applies to colonial produce, I would France of external commerce, is very true; bat the 'tilled to neutrals owned by British suujects, but this say, increase, by all means, • k : universal consamp other effects to be deduced, are very different in- surely does not apply to the Balti c , an d in all cases tion of it, and yours, in the 7 ni e r al mass, will fi nd deed from those which are assumed by MERCATOR. its way, and will replace, f, - consumption, the. fo there is a good deal of t r ick, where the exhibition of Rather than toffee America to catty sugar to France, a bill of sale secures a Brit ish i licence !— But in reign produce exported tr. the Continent to make when we cannot carry it thither ours e l ves , we h ave Russia and the Mediterranean , we have to compete room for y ours. Some where or a , sther it is teed ; been the grand agent in reducing th e genera l can - with American shipping in a much greater degree and the effect of your Orders 11115 been to tenant. sumption of the article itself, the obvious and con- than we should experience were oth er c h an nels open late in your own count , ~ a n i na p r li ai ble s t o ck o f tinued effect of which is, to accumulate in this coon- . . . , foreign as well as British phiotation prvitiece. Even try such a stock , as must materially interfere even to them. In truth, by limiting them to these com . paratively insignificant channels, not only the ship- ,if America, in the first instance, was forced to re with the benefits resulting from a. change of system. ; ping interests ere injured, but the markets are so mire French manufaetures, this must cease whenever But, it is said, that America would have taken to . overstocked, that Belligerent England and neutral , the amount of lose on the exports from France exceeded the pro fi ts on the shipments thither; the Continent the produce of the Spanish, and not . America . ar both materially damaged, to the great of our Colonies. Indeed '. Is MERCATOR then i s .' • pressure ! nd our manufactures are so cheap, that added o of continental Euro where the to the twenty per cent. by ti,e exchange, there norant that the Spanish produce is now chiefly ans " lj oi r the Orders in Council p l e uls truly effected won- . fumed in America, and that the articles thus con. ', ders. Last year the Mediterranean was overstocked; , ; could be no competition. Their cotton goods nbe le' aml the Baltic was so notorious ) overstocked med passing into export, could o n ly I cannot be brought into competition with ours; ' y placed by the produce of our own Col on i es; an d as ! America as to preclude all importation from this by ' and their silks, ceder any circumstance, monist be tills writer triumphantly says, be it remembered, this ;country. It is a fine thingt admirable e made so low as to c o mpete i n th e f ore i gn mar k e t, w ith produce would be carried to America on Britishdient,•to exclude neutrals from ports , where our flag our calicoes, &C. MER CATOR ., I sc ppose, imagines bottoms. Here you would have an nerve trade, con• that, over the vast continent o f America, we should is not received; for it secures us a supplied market in tinually extending itself, under the force and impres- ;those places to which, by one contrivance or an- : see nothing but silk wi n d ow cur t a i ns an d F renc h den of the wants of many countries to which you are cottons ! Bless ust How gu ll ible other, we can obtain admission ; and, like other cottons. French cottons sa law denied access, aided too by all the su gge sti ons ' places of AMUSEMENT, for they are not places of we are g rowin g 1 I omit and impulses which interest could add, o n the iniquity o f th e s y s te m i n this ying any thing about the Part-- ITaans, we pay for our admittance. A vent in Frince viebc of the question— of neutral America, to which you would hare had , for shipments from A mer ica would net only leave us ' indeed, in a n y vi ew o f it, I f ear our mora li ty i s f o ll ow . excess. Here was it safe and open trade in British I our wisdom, for the modern plan is to improveour a better market in Russia, but procure us, through i ing /shipping, instead of &limited and precedes' one L s ' ) Kuisia whilst the high duties are continued in i eustomers by beggaring, and t o multiply Our customers i isentral bottoms ; and the English Ship-owner thinks, i France, a great portion of the German consume- iby shooting them ! Oar Ship-owners, who are near or rather is taught to think, that the Orders in : tion. T b is, perhaps, is too complicated a view for I IY scared out of the little sense th e y ever h a d, oug ht Council have operated wonders for him ! As to our 1 the situj.k elegance of MERCATOR'S mind, or the I now to know that the re p eal of the Orders in Coun colonial Proprietors and Mortgagees, MERCATOR w -L. 5, 2 nterested nature o f m EaCtTOR'S efforts. In taking i ell would not take from them any p or ti on o f th e would prove to them, to say nothing of the export 1 too direct a way to his own object, and cherishing Itrade they now have, but to this would be added a merchants, or the security of the mortgagors, that ; too much indifferunce to the objects of others, he I trade from the British Colonies to America, and the by cramming coffee and sugar down the throats ! has e.cioqed himself to the complicated charge of an I carriage of cotton from America to this country, of the whole people of the Continent, however impedinceit of heart as well as head ; but I will d o i where the duty would improve the freight. But all punctually paid for, " we should he laying the corn- I him the justice to say, that though he manifests more (• &Is, I fear, will not avail against the jealous a n d ' merce of our country at the feet of her enemies !" earnestness than some of his friends, he is not in- unfriendly dispositions cherished towards our bre ; Bat in France and her dependencies we have not we iONATHAN go where odor. thren in America. Shall - re fluenced by a keener desire than they a only effected ,an alarming reduction in the con- • tunately for society the disappointments and deprea cannot? No ! no 1 Mr. Dv f.a, in other respects sumption of sugar, &c. but forced such an advance ' 'ions of neighbouring worth, too frequently gin a good-natured fellow enough, cannot bear the Arn ie the prices, that the cultivation of the beet-rnht, . vigour and elevation to the unmutilated, and even to Anus to go into cospiny where he Is net to be of ' which, under the circumstances of common warfa r e, t the wounded !—My advice to MERCATOR is, that if , the party. The Orders in Council have reducod the would have been justly derided as wild and lin. from twenty to eight price of cotton in America ' an unpalatable, but a sincere friend—do not alas, practicable, has actually taken place. Unless this i 1 Sir, too di, edly or rapaciously at your object—the cents. Is this enc.:raging the growth of cotton la scheme affords a fair prospect. of success, your own islands . Does not say man of sound we must i also; test road, upon sky measurement , has often the mind that in an article which forms a third conclude that the French Ruler, who has some de-1 greatest obstructions. What MERCATOR. says about know, mantis upon his Exchequer, has foolishly thrown ' of the whole exports, the ,Imports mast have a timber is rather specious than correct. The first cost away millions of money,• and devoted thousands of cor respondent reduction . Is this encouraging your is trifling, and, of course, the state of exchange can- I acres of land in visionary and fruitless experinfents. manufactures ? As to Nee xports from the neigh. I net be very sensibly felt. It is the duty and the ex ottling Continent to ACetics, their proportion However, it is very well ascertained that the esperi• ' pence of the transit, which gives it value. Still more to ours was, as one to twenty, and this it is, went succeeds, and that the refuse of the plant is vain and empty are his terrors of competition in South good food for cattle. Under protecting duties, it is which, under a ridiculous and an impracticable America. Double commissions, freights, insurance modification (selling them for whatever they milt quite clear that France may become independent of charges, &c. present obstacles much more powerful b ~.., . ) sto plans and terrify the intelligent and . her distant possessions, and thus fake from our con - than MERCATOR'S arguments; and the trade to South r ''' S •-.' I . enterprising spirit of the British merchant Of the ' quests their chief value as a means of negotia•ioo and of America, the Mediterranean, and of our American great advantage we are to derive from an extension peace. With respect to our imports from France, Mee- colonies would remain wholly unimpaired by the { of the evil of the license system, the following scale, 1 CATOR'S view betrays such palpable ignorance of the ten! of the Orders in Council. The Malta trade temper, as well as the policy, of the French Rulers would evidently increase, as the opening of the Its- . taken from a letter, dated Mints, May 11, 1812, will afford some expication, and may convince that nothing short of personal esteem could save him , Him ports to American shipping would in effect open MERCATOR himself, that the balance is decidedly from a little rough handling. It is not, as he says, them to British merchandise. MERCATOR is unpar e. from the desire of having sugar or coffee, that NA- against us, were even the chief artictes we import of I donably erroneous iu referring the bulk of American any real value to us. i potcox tolerates the introduction of these ret i cles I bankruptcies to the effect of the Non-importation For eieryloolbs. s , I eexe. in value 140fraocs, or 61. 1 bat as a means whereby a vent is procured for his Act, for their bankruptcies occurred before the 100 Coffee, di o 100 5 I own wines, brandies, silks, laces, &c.; and this cause, enactment of that Bill. lie is eternally confound- 10U Pepper, litto 76 3 16e. It.) Indigo, ditto 1000 50 leo far from a ff ording, as he conjectures, " the best ing things, and tracing the causes of events the wrong - 100 Ifid , 4, ditto 50 1 oq. I reasons that it will be greatly extended," is a proof way. As to the origuum intention of the Orders ) in fhes.• calamities were caused-by inconside- i • ...1 that it will be a very limited trade, and that, like rate shipments to the Baltic in the year 1810, the ; M ! Council, or r. Caestna's patent purpose, it is the famous " Westminster Manifesto" of that great ! t eff•cts of stitch, he must know, were very fatally felt 1 clear, that that begins to fail in the issue. To sti- Statesman, Mr. PERCEVALL, now no more, it Place* •in Liverpool, °will to similar transactions, and the ! mutat e neutrals by oppression, or to force their a most important branch of our commerce in coin. I ridiculous polky he recom tends of meeting ou rfrientls 1 friendship and alliance, is somewhat like a project plete dependance upon the will and wisdom, not of in the same market seit h the same articles. He is wise, ' .to aid Naeoccos in extending the liberties of the our own Government, but of the enemy !!! Be- i aide ise only in leaving the political discussion to the wor ld ; sides, so far from wanting many of the articles we + wisdom of Parliament; forwhatenrfigurehemightcat 9 / and even this is more feasible than the views of MERCATOR. In the counting-house MEAL get from France, or their paying heavy duties, or or whatever fiddle he might play, in a self-constituted CATOR is every thin *u, the state, not' ing. A producing any considerable revenue, it is well known , that they are chiefly admitted for export, some I Common Council, like that of Liverpool (Common large horse in a little compass. 46 If lam not Halls have given place to soup-shops), it is quite ;ashamed of my antagonist, I'm a soused garnet; he wholly prohibited, leaving of course no alternative i clear he would make but a sorry Statesman. He hen abased t h e K ING ' S press most damnably." 1( Boats visit these skips) but to destroy or to ; speaks of the Non-importation Act as a measure A. B. Ismuggle; an alternative, methinks, a little too tempt- that could be enforced without producing any great I Jag for the moderation or mora l i t y of MaacAvna I injury to this country ; and generally of commercial ! himself ; or even for the morbid loyalty and the j restrictions as if they were not, or must not, be slavish subjection of a Church and King Club, or l i chiefly injurious to States that are most commercial. j the sarcastic anniversary veuerators of the prieciples , The Non-importation Act surely is to this country lof Mr. Pixr — Mr, Pm, who sank the pr inciple t what the old Embargo was to America; and the fall Imithout satibg the State—the drunken pilot who ow. l o f e xc h ange i n A mer i ca mus t a d vance th e p r ice of countered the storm, which it was his duty to avoid, ! ....., .c. precious metals with us; but what will MERCATOR and found his apotheosis in brandy and compunc- say to the complicated effects of Embargo and Non tion 1 I importation as to the supply of provisions, in what- NAVAL INTE L LIG 8 NCR. PORTSMOUTH. Jown 10. Arrived the Ulysses, bOgrins, from Jersey, with the Doe to Bouillon on board. The Count de Lille (lank XVIII.), and ►isaepbew, the Duke of Berri. this day embarked from the George laa, in this town, for the Isle of Wlgut. PLYMOUTH, Juvs 9. Arrival the Hotsper frigite from Portsmouth ; and the Mn. tine and Helicon sloops of war. Sailed tbe Abundance store,ship for Portsmouth. Moedama says, 4 ‘ since the intermediate ports, ! ever quarter they may be wanted by us. Is he ig- " such as Heligoland, have been shut, other char- norent of the fact, that if the Orders in Council ; Mr. CANNING'! notice 011 the Catholic Question, $ 4 nets of *circuitous nature have been . found, which ", were withdrawn, even the increasing expences of stands for this day se'imight ; and Mr. Bouttcamis ;gave notice for Tuesday, for the Motion on the sub- " have taken off considerable quantities of West WzrzzeLir Campaigns on the Peninsula would i ject of the Orders in Council. " India molted, British manufactures, &c. On ; lead to an increased demand for our manufac- i The amount of the Loan fu: the service of the 6 ' the other side the Atlantic, the United States have tares, by which the war would be supported. I 1 year is not yet known. It will be aniiciehned whoa 44 deprived themselves ofthe means of assorting their . think Mr. Pracivat. would rather have starved us 1 the Gentlemen inclined to bid for it wait on the Vast 46 cargoes for the South American markets ; in 0 00..1 than the war ; but here you may feed both for a: Lord of the Treasury on Friday. " sequence our trade with them increases whilst' certain time. Mr. Penceva.z. and all such men con- The gross amoun t of the tax u p on hackee y coaches ,I and chairs for last year i , , 30,9091. —the ci.arges of .",America deprives herself of a market for her tissue war to secure their own continuance. One evil , management, 3,1821.15. 3d.—and the net produce, 1. mhos and timber in this country, by refusiug to 1 is necessary to prop the other; but , if w e are to have 27,7261. 18s. 9d. , ts.take goods in return ; and be it remembered, that war, let us have it on a scale which may establish our 1 The expeoces of the establishment of the horse il " thh trade with the Mediterranean, South America, ',ability in the prosecution, and our happine . s in the' patrol*, for the be tter security of the public roads and oar Americsan colonies, is carried on in Bri- termination of it. If it cannot he done in this way, leading to the metropolis, for three-quarters of a 44 fish bottoms." The circuitous channels alluded and I verily believe it cannot, let us pull up in time, year, amount to 4,6401. 11s. A Commission will be appointed immedialely, to must be the parts of Russia and Malta, w h en ce and not be led on toe far by the gradual abolition of empowering three of the Lords of the Admiralty to goods go to Salonica its _Greece, and are thence for- : our comforts, disappearing, like the lineal ghosts investigate the cause of the late fire at Plymouth .warded, by horses, to Vienna, B te. and pretty gene.' of Banquo, one by one. MIRCATOR says, of some flock -yard. "The private letters express an *inier& lath distributed. The Russia trade cannot of the evils resulting from the repeal orthe Orders that it was the work of some incendiary, but it would be carried be in British bottoms ; and I would in Councjl, 64 hi the fi rst igstance the produce of . apPear, by the a, comets received at the Admiralty, ; that it was merely accideteal: ask Meneatoe, whether it would not be more I Ms Spanish colonies, South America, and the East Sir Fermis MeivrestA Gcntleniau ll•her of the the interest of England to allow America—a I Indies, would, to the exclusion of that of our cola- Biackitod, died on Tamely morning; and Sir Tao. , country which, in common times , never took specie Sits, be carried in neutral bottoms to the t d ontinevt, p us T iew , wrr has beeerappoluted to that Of fi ce by from us, bat owsired largely of our manufactures-- the Frenth-Gooemnent obliging the importers to re.' the I-- 4 Chamberlain {tote Marquis of kIZIATIIOILD). . ..•~ .~. " ..~ • . - rm4o++ , MM ' t I f • 11 • ff. - Pi ) ' • 1. A 4. I . • • '•• ; 1 ' f• 1 • I l • 14 . . !.• louillon oa board. The imam de Line (Immo x r sas.h aim isaepbew. the D uked Berri. this day embarked tram the Worse laa, in this town, for the Isle of NY %la. PLYMOUTH, Ju vs 9. Arrived the Hobper fel/cite from Portsmouth ; and the Mu- i ne and %diem; sloops of war. 1 galled tbe Abundance storeol , ip for Portsmouth. . - Mr. CANNtriv's notice on the Catholic Question, Lands for this day se'imight ; and Mr. BROUGiIAM are node(' for Tuesday, for the Motion on the sub- I. 1 ?ct of the Orders iis Council. The amount of the Loan ft): the service of the ear is not yet known. It will be annout.ced %,, host tie Gentlemen inclined to bid for it wait on the Vast i ' ' .ord of the Treasury on Friday. • The gross amount of the tax upon hackney coaches l i nd chairs for last year i , , 30,9091.—the charges of isnagement, 3,1821. Is. 3d.—and the net produce, ii 'll 7,7261. 18s. 9d. The expeoces of the establishment of the hot.** I • i atrole, for the better security of the public roods ading to the metropolis, for three-quarters of a I ear, amount to 4,6401. 11s. A Commission will be appointed immediately, t , vpowering three of the Lords of the Admiralty to ivestigate the cause of the tate fire at Plymouth • . q:' 1 . lock-yard. 'The private leltters express an opinion . t, t y nit it was the work of some incendiary, but it would ' 1 , ppear, by the a, coasts received at the Admiralty, tat it was merely accidental: Sir Fannon; Moreneva, Q•ntlentau IJ•her of the lack:god, died on Tuesday morning; and Sir 'f no. . : MS TTIRWNITI has beets appointed to that Office by I t le Lord Chamberlain tate Idasiptis of kizaTiroab). ' 1 ' , 1 - _ . ~...i.re..-..;.‘iii.,..'..-.Aetrinliivir".• •-;6 - - • t 4 I I 1 N ~ J