The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-04


their vulgar medium of initiative opinion caught
byfympathylike yaping,i ditcovered thetwo DIFF
tin6t characters of agricultu Il and commercial
intereits, which feparated the inland from the
maritime population in the northern and fou-
thern tates. ! found thefe inter,6s diRingui.i
the polite body like vice aud virtue in the per-
fonai body of man. Agriculture in the modera-
ton of its temperament formed by content
ment implicitly, liberty and union, demanded
Emple tyiem of internal and external policy
exempted from foreign alliance, taxation and
tyranny.
Commerce on the other hand purifying riches
in bold and extenhve maritime enterprizs and
ipendng them in the luxury and refinement Of
European cuttoms called for the energy of mill
tary power inarmics aud navies, foreign treaties,
| taxes and the energy of internal government.
In this itriling and pa!pable determination of
agricultural and commercial intereft detected
| the Emple caute OF Amcrcan difcord and not
| IN the speculative axioins OF the rights of man,
| formed by cabinet politicians who live among
books and not among men. In detecting the
| cauie of diforderthe phytician is faid to have
performed half the cure ihall now coniider
what remedies are to be uftd to advance to-
wards complete cure of the remaining half of
The diforder ofpoitical diicord.
! The agricultursliit, which name fllali give to
| the bcnhcent and patriot citizen, NUT watch
| over the commercial interef with tie fame ten
der regard the wife man watches paihons, to
| give them every innocent indulgence, but no
noxious privilege or power. The agricultural
| Init having great interet in commerce for the
| iale of his OWN productions, mutt fupport the
commercalit to the full extent ofthat purpofe
aud no farther bccaufe any effort beyond this
would be noxous to both. The carrying trade,
the fmuggling trade, and the fighting or armed
trade are highly inirrioua TO the PROPERTY of
the u. States, and dangerous in the extreme :;
to the feaports themielves whole gaming enter
prize and forbid avaricc mpells their condutt.
The iInugSlinS or carrying trade lisa great check
on agricultural PROPERTY bccaufa it confines
the operation of wealth 10 fcaportS inAead of
promoting the fettlement Of the lands, as the
| ftanlina OF the American contribution. The
smuggling trade has laviGled in fpoliation, more
American property than would have fettled all
the lands on this iide the MiniGippi, and thus
encreafed the population of America, beyond
all danger offcreign conqueh.
I The carrying trade demands for its protec-
ton foreign treaties, which are repugnant and
abhorent to an agricultural people and their
interehs. The lighting trade, which at the cri-
| hs of European warfare, may be advantageous
to the agricultural intereit, in exporting a large
and utual product to the Weh-Indies, will re-
tribute this profit with tremendous lofs. The
injured powers OF Europe, at the epoch of peace
will iend large force againlt the unprotected
lea ports of America, and TdIforn them with
fuch heavy contribution, that half century
OF commerce will not recompenfe. 1t is ufual
with the belt informed of American politicians,
not only to regard the rivality of European pow
erS, as 4 bulwark of iecurity againft conqueft,
but alio TO cxpe6t from it temporary proteeti-
on from reientment.
The fri opinion is correct, that the rivalry
OF European powers, is an indefru6tible bull.
wark againit American fubje6tion, but the lat
ter opinion of protection againft recruitment is
faife, becaufe the rival powers in counting the
tr1endihip of America, will rejoice at the ac-
sreihon of arrival that carries in it refentment
only, and not conqueft. The conduct of the
Pretent administration, is 70 we'll calculated to
reconcile the diiientient interes of the country,
that 1t relieves me totally from the invidious
, talk OF offering speculative remedies, when
practical ones are in full execution. The COM
InerCc of the Mediterranean, more beneficial TO
the iea ports than the farmers, becaute the car
rying trade exceeds the product or export trade,
is now defended BY the administration as con-
ciatory conceiiion Of the agricultural, to the
commercial interef, by confronting with cheer
tulueis TO new indirect taxation levied for that
purpoie. The administration of this country,
pn:ta!aS confident policy with its fIndamen-
tai intereits, think it prudent to rei& the de-
mands oftrbute from the pirdtical itatss of the
Mediterranean, beCaufe A very fInall armament
adequate to the nature and refources of the a.
merican consedeiacy, is competent to effect that
pnrpote, and at the fame time TO appeafe the
dliienfions OF the agricultural and commercial
parties, by identifying their interefs, when no
ferrous injury is threatened thereby to the con-
tederacy, and means of nobility are competent
to their ends peace.
The preceding federal administrations, as they
were called, though think more properly COM
observation-disclosures beenthcirtite, following the
experienceofEu ropeanhi ftory, (thoughthe fngu-
. larcondition ofAmerican policycould have no pa
rallel IN Europe,) fitted out fix frgates, and pre-
pared tx ihiPs of the line to contend with the
great maritime powers of Europe, for the privi-
leSes Of carrying trade /; in which attempt the
agricultural interef, was totally ftcrficed to
the commercial, s. the equipoife of conciliato-
ny ntereft, was loft with the long, popular and
confidential Administration that attempted it.
This unhappy and incongenial policy with the
interefts and circumstances of an AGRICULTURAL
nation, was not certainly the effect of a perfonal
and felfih ambition, but of the common babi-
tude ofhuman prejudice, to follow the bias of
example and opinion without confdering the
vlciiitude of moral an@ phyical circumstances
of different nationG.-fThe laft and mott import
ant meafurc of concilbiion mufl be attended TO
IN the dipofal of public Offices. The pubEc
functionarles are all agents of permanent go
Vernment, and not the feryants of an eVecutiya