Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-06-13

vi TIC puoAlS
Certainly upon the ground ofright and
| iuaice alone fhould either hope to have
the demand complied with. And if the
farmer has juf claim againf the govern
mest, no reafon can be advanced why the
merchants lhould receive preference.
But in the prefent ineance what claim OF
the farmers would be affected /? 1t is
not cufomary with that clais OF citizens
TO difpoie of their produce upon contin-
genciess and leaA Of all UPON the
chance Of the adventure OF the merchant
turning out favorable. But this que,e OF
the good citizen Duane is of the fame
complexion with mott others Of his own
remarks, and thoie OF his party. No
more efe6tual way can be taken TO in
gratiate themfclves with the fecluded cul
tivator, who is too apt to take every
thing they fay as gofpel truth, than by
holding the merchants up TO his view as
rich and lordly arif}ocrats, who grafp at
dominion, and lived by fraud ard arti-
Zee. If the paragraph cited has any
meaning, il is that the merchants with by
eaablilhing falfc claim, to defraud the
government and confequently the people.
Even Duane hiiafeIf, by the weak man
ner in which he argues or the iubjed,
ihews he does not not believe word he
fays.
The abfurdity,' continues he, 'is
fill more palpabIe if it is confidered that
the profits of all mercantile adventures go
TO the adventurer only; and that no mel
chant need incur dollar lols, unlefs he
negletis the duty he owes to himfelf and
creditors, that of imuring. The fa6f is,
that nearly the whole of the fpoiations in
quefion have been covered by infurances,
and the amount recovered and that the
defgn is to obtain another payment from
the public"
There is much more ignorance than
craft nthe above quoted paragraph. Mr..
Dusnce has here 'overleapr himlelf and
fallen on t'other fide.' When a man is
detected in paipable falfehood, his argu-
menis or miitatements reckon againf him.
lelf. But / will be ..fq chair able to The
Aurora as TO fup2ofe that il is rather any
thing elfe than deiign to impole falfehood
on It's readers. The profits of mercantile
adventures certainly fhould accrue TO him
who riks the lois which may attend them
in foreign markets; and as the govern
nent is onder no obligation to make good
any portion of that lofs, neither has it
any claim to any portion Of that profit.
But the government is benefited by
every adventure of the merchant, whe-
her in import or export, 70 is it bound
| % extend protection TO his commerce, to
| the utmci limits Of the power it poheGes.
And il is the care of government puniih
h. aggreliions of any foreign nation upon
| he trade under its guardianship. When
any wrong is done to the merchant in his
lawful trade, it is rhe bufnefs of bis
country to obtain redrefs for him, not TO
6ep in between him and his right.
Mr.. Duane fays truly, that the ner-
chant need NOT incur lois, unlefs he ne
elects duty which he owes both to him.
lelf and his creditors, that Of infurjrg !;
this however can apply TO his property
only when on the feas. But when he goes
on to add that The ds6gn il. to attain am
tber PAYMENT from the 1n6Ge, and that,
too, hecaxfe nearly The qUbole of The Ipolt-
afioas in qaseion haze been roveyed ly
infufances, and the amquut rscoVeyed, it
IS hoped thofe not thoroughly acquainted
with the nature. Of commercial policy,
will paufc for information before they ere.
dit an intinuation 70 unfounded and mali
cious; or if not 70, then proceeding from
greater ignorance than Mr.. Duane would
with to be thought pofehrd Of.
If the fpoliation has been committed,
and the property unjufly condemned by
the French government, a lois mutt have