The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-04-23

holihties
What re4fon canbe aGi3ued to make il pro-
babe that We may rely upon an exemption froml
! this general deluge, that our ark VIII aoarf
upon The flrface until the peaceful d5vs rerurn4
with the Olive branch ? Surely their condua III
US does not encourage thele hopcs-B theiI|
DEGREES they have made Prctences for condemn.
Ing our property ID the front Of plain treaty.
andfaaer than we could conform to their ca
PRECIOUS regulations, they have made new de-
crees and new Pretences. Finding at length
with what meeknels we have fuRained thefe
outrages they have now obiured pretences and
made war upon our COMMERCE icarcely deiqn.
ing TO afGgn a colourable reafoO.-Do you not
believe, fir that theie DEGREES which direaly o,
indirectly affect the greater portion Of our com
merce, will be backed By Others that will fweep
of all that lis LIFT Sir, Be not deceived, thew
have already commenced the only war which.
they can prolecuse agana us with fucceiS dur
ing the PTeieat pofure Of affairs in Europe.
The only war which they viii ever attempt, Il
we remain united. Bui they exult in the per-
fIaiiOn. that we cannot continue 10. They
hatter themlelyes that their Agents by foRering
ur local animoGres have completed the mot
arduous pare Of the Enthusiastically their
GeograPhers with the fcale and dividers mark
oct on the Map Of Am1Ica her future circles,
apartments and municipalities. -Already their
BUoNAPARTEs and BARDAsorTs are planning
future triumPhs ! be5e with The army of The.
1l!il5ftPi and Ohio there vi II the army Of the
CbJ6PeaE ana DelaQoaye. Remember, Fl, things
much lets probable have come to pats
1t for thele reafcn5, believing that the ma
vgatioa ard commerce of this country have a
clam 70 protection, and that permifion for 4
private armament if not perfectly adequate to
afford iuch protection, is more eficacous than
any ether, and lrch as individuals have natu-
raj right to climate for themfelves believing
that this meafure cannot accelerate war by
tuTni'bing jun caufe Of complaint, and that
nothing on our part will prevent z war, If the
opinion becomes confirmed that we are divi-
ded people, am content to declare thai ia
my opinion this right lhould not be prohibited
by law repeat that am till ready to CO.
operate 10 iuch restrictions as NAV tend To re-
move the lcruples aud principal objections of its
oPPofers. I lhould be content to Limit il to
Vellals OF certain tonnage, to cargces not con
traband or confRing of the property of any of
tie powers at war, and to require bonds from.
the owners Of veiIaIs for their conformity 70 the
avs OF neutrality, and it is probable that the,
light Of arming will be modified By certain re-
ltrittions Of this nature.
10 divert the public attention from the true
quelton, I has been inGRed that a war with
France VIII deprive us Of our bet caaomer.-
a comparative view OF the exports of the Unised
states 10 The French and Britilh dominions has
o.en mentioned as proof IF this aHertion.--
Ihere IS no doubt, that France may be good
cultomer, upon two conditions; when he re-
leIves only what IS lawfully carried or willingly
pad 10 her, an when Inc pays for what lhe re-
ceRes.-But nL X inference can be adduced
from the companion between our exports "a
Fhoie countries for the lal year.-Of eleven
mil Ions cleared out for the French dominions.
not third part con6lted Of our own mlnufac.
lures or produce; and of that large portion
was defined for o.hcr markets.
The principal part of thefe exports confAed
Of foreign produce; the market for which va
res from year to year. Our exports u the
brtllh dominions for the year preceding the
latt,' amounted to twenty three millions To
france N the fame year, to eleven millions onIv.
In time OF peace, by Mr.. Jeferfon's report.
/ appears that our annual average exports to
Greal0Tl.a am were nine millions, and to France
only halt that amount. SO that if this Randard ,
De aAumed' the relnt for ferries of years is not
the mott favourable to our trade with France.
aad taking into view their feizures, embargoes.
deteAtons and bankruptcies, it will be Oil lefs
lucrative. This fubject would lead 10 verv
ehteni.ve inquiry into the Fate of our CONNER
cal relations, IN which i would be eafy to de-
monurate that cur commerce would not f1fFer
more IN time of open war than it will under
the Preient predatory Gyltem. This INQUIRY
would be luPerAuous, for 10 man of nv ac-
quaintance IS deiir US of referring to an often
live war, and if this dilaArous Gate BE forced
upon us we mutt prepare to meet it and its con-
iequences.