The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-09-18 00:00:00

?DIMON PLANTATIONS.
(Concluded from Moodey's Piper )
Whether the Congress, or the several Legislantres
;the American States, will proceed to all extremi-
ties in measures of this nature, it is impossible for the
Committee to say t If they are governed by their
rum interest, they certainly will not, hut will adopt
more temperate councils; for all whom the Com.
nines have examined, (and they have examined
many respeaahk parsons, who are perfealy informed
the state of America, and oldie nature of its com-
merce) agree in opinion, that by prohibiting or ob-
strulting the intercourse between the continent of
America and the West India Islands, the people of
the United States will suffer much more than any
if the subjects of Your Majesty; that they will
such case have no sufficient vent for their lumber
and provisions, both of which must perish on their
hands. That the British West India Islands take
from them infinitely more of their produce than the
French and foreign islands. That the balance of the
commerce between Your Majesty's subjefls in the
West Indies and them (however persons may differ
as to the particular amount) is certainly greatly in
their favour; and that it will be strange therefore if a
peooe so circumstanced, because Great Britain has
laid some restriction on their commerce, should re-
solve to narrow still further their own market, and
should exclude from their ports the best cucromer
they have. Per them miens. many think, that
though they may thmer out meows, as they have
done before, in hopes of attaining their end, they
will not persist, or attempt to carry their menaces
into *661 or, if they do attempt it, that the nature
of their country, full of ports and creeks, the feeble-
ness of their Government, the interest of indivieltialS,l
and the contradictory views, in this respell, of their
planters and merchants, will not allow them to en-
force the execution of any restriaive measures they
may adopt : Mel the Committee are led to think,
that at all events this will be the case, by the ac-
counts they have received of the great number of ,1
British vessels which, according to the last advicehi
as before stated. have arrived at the ports of Jamaica,
from different parts of the United States, laden with
their produce; all which must have sailed horn
thence long atter Your Wjesty's Order in Council
was known there. This is further confirmed by the
accounts they have also received of the great num.
her of British vessels which had sailed from the port
of Kingston, with the produce of the island of Ja-
maica, bound to the countries belonging to the
United States, and of many others that were lading
there ; and by the expeltation there was, that many
more would be employed in this commerce, in con-
sequence of the present great demand of rum, and
other produce. The Committee have also rece.ved
accounts of the trade being in like manner open be-
tween Barbadees and the United Stares, by ships
passing to and from these countries, laden with their
remeafre produce, so that the intercourse between
Your Majesty's Islands, and the countries belong-
ing to the United States, seems by the last accounts
tes be as free and uninterrupted, and to be carried
on with as little difficulty, and as much benefit to
Your Majesty's subjeCts, as in any former period
whatsoever.
As the true interest of the Americans is contrary
to any restriaive measures an their part. so there
doss not appear to be any principle of justice by
which they can vindicate their proceedings on this
°session. By the general law of nations, acknow-
ledged by meets, European State, no nation has a
right to have any trade with the Colonies of ano-
ther. This principle has long been adopted and
enforced by the particular laws of each respeaive
Sovereign, and it has never been departed from, but
in cases where the mother country has, for its own
interest, or that of its other dominions, thought fit
m allow of exceptions. The United States of Ame-
rica are now become. at their own or ion, au inde-
pendent State, and are acknowledged as such by
Great Britain. They have a right to claim and
enjoy every advantage which belongs to this situa-
tion, but they are bound to submit to those rules
and restritions which other countries, as independ-
ent as themselves, have never scrupled to acquiesce
in. They have no right ta say that they will be
independent of Greatitritain, and yet enjoy all those
advantages to which, by virtue of their former de-
Car• and conneainn, they were before entitleY;
e7t. they ought to consider the permission
given them to trade with Your Hi ijesty's Islands in
the West Indies, ander the rules laid down in Your
Majesty's Order in Council, as a favour and indal-
gents to which no other independent country is
admitted. and have no right to complain of it as a
grievance and restnnftiun, because they do not enjoy
this commerce in the manner a.id to the extent they
may wish. With what colour of justice cart they
urge this cinnplaint, who, by their treaties with
France and Holland, have voluntarily pledged
themselves not to grant any commercial preference
to the subjects of Your Majesty ? The French Pro-
clamation allows the people of the United States to
carry to the Trench Islands in the West Indies such
articles only as France cannot supply her Colonies
with; a principle more rigid and confined than
Crest Britain has hitheito adoperd; but it denies
them the liberty of carrying thither arty sort of
corn, becan.e it would interfere with the interest of
the Southern Provinces of France. Your Majesty
has thought fit to allow them to import into your
Islands, for the present, corn and grain, which
France has denied, because the interests of Great
nritain see not so materially affected by this permis-
sion ; hut Your Majesty has denied them the liberty
of importing this or any other part of their produce,
in any but ships belonging to the subjects of Your
Majesty, because it has ever been the first and fa-
vourite objet of Your Royal PrecLeessom as well
as of Your Majesty, to eocourage and augment, as
much as possible. the trade of your subjects in
shipping and navigation. For on this principally
depends not only a considerable share of the wealth,
but the security of all your dominions.
It is not surprising, that after the late war had
produced so great a change in the commercial sys-
tem. the different parties sveuld find some difficulty
in seining their respeßive rights and interests ; but
the Committee have the satislatlion to find, front the
testimony of reap: table merchants, and others well
versed in commerce. that whatever may be the issue
of these disputes' the merchants and m inufacture s
of Great Britain have little to apprehend from the
reitrista.n.s which the United States, ttuough resent-