The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-22
MEMORIAL.
TO THIS SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPREsE,
TATIvES OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE STATES.
TIE PHILADELPHIA chamber eff commerce., RE-
sPEcTEuLLY REPRESENT
That the bill to regulate the clearance of
Merchant veiIels now before the Houic of Re
, prcfentatives if pai1ed into law, will be very
injurious TO the Merchants of the United States
as we'll asst its general commerce.
By this bill it is provided that $40 Merchant
veilel armed, or provided with the means of be-
ing armed 1t fea, ihall receive clearance or be
permitted TO leave the Port where Che NAV be
70 armed or provided" This claufe excludes
from arning not only all vehels employed to
and from the Wet Indies, but alto thofc ira
ding to the South Pacific, North Wet Coat.
and along the Wet Coat of Africa, where ar
,n1mcnt are as ufilal and neceiiary asin any o.
ther trade in which we arc engaged. By ano-
Their ciaufe, armed Merchant veiIels of the Uni
.ed States are prohibited from going TO the
Wet Iudies from any other country, under the
penalty of forfeiture of the vcic and her eolip-
rncnt.
On thcie claufes your memorialias beg leave
10 remark. that the number of veficIs cruizing
IL th- Welt Indies, having or pretending TO
have French cornifions, and which capture or
pinuder unsrmed Americans without regard to
their definition, renders It absolutely neceiIary
either to give public protection to that part of
our commerce, or to iutier our Merchants 70 to
equip their ihips as to be able to depr,fs thotc
dcpredations. And that the trade along the
WEI Coat of Africa, in the Pacific Ocean and
OF the north wet Coat of America, cannot be
carried on with any degree of fafety without
fomc armament.
The prohibiting Of vef!eis ,rIuediu the Unit, Il
States from going 70 the Wet Indies from any
other country, will, as yonr memorialiitc be-
Grvs, deprive the merchants Of the Urrtd States
OF forne cery valuable branches of commerce,
which they at prefsnt enjoy Voyages from
the Mediterranean to the Weft Indies are fire.
qient and valuable, and yrilcls from India often
fnd there market for part of th-ir cargoes !;
AL ofwhich are nterdltted by the bill in its pre-
f-nt form.
BY the fame feGtioni il is provided, That If a.
nv ve!fel, clearing out for port IN the Medi-
terranean or beyond the Cape of Good Hope,
liall make or commit any depreciation, out
11Se, unlawful afaut or violence, fuch vciTcl,
with her arms, tackle, and furniture, or the
value thereof ihal be forfeited to the ufe of the
United States. This penalty your mcmorisiiits
conider asunnecenarilievere,i nafmuch, as non-
Rance of the mifcondud of vefiels thus trading
has hitherto occurred TO render it neceifary,
and 1t leaves the property of the innocent
swner fubiee to the indifcrction or mifcondut
OF commander or his crew, while the nature
Of the trefpafs by which the penalty may be in
curred is entirely underlined.
Bythe third fection power is given to the
Collectors to detain yeficls on fufpcion until
the opinion &C the Proficient in br obtained
To this part ofthe bill your memoriaifts have
objections that appear to them weighty.
BY the Bill, velels intended for certain trades
are permitted to arm, and if afterwards they
proceeded 10 the Wet Indies, penalty is in
CURED. 1t Ippears therefore fuperliuous, to
leave it tn the power of collector to detain
fnch veilt. upon furfnifc or fufpicion; and it
Vets hi.:. with dlcrction which may be exerci-
fed TO tbs opprehion of the Merchants, to
whom no remedy is pointed out, by which an
aDute OF iuch power can be corrected
Our memoriafs, having thus briefly ftated
iheir obie6ions to the bill in it's prefcnt form,
aes cave 10 add fome obfcrvations which they
il5Uit with difference to- the confederation of
tbe Legislature.
5.nce the Establishment of the prefent govern
t7e'it, and particularly during the wars which
haze taken place between the nations of Eu-
roy, the commerce Of the United States, has
AT yarions times been fubictfed to depredat-
ons Of the armed vet!els of thole nations, and
the lodes which have been filitaincd, though
compensated in part, are yet great, beyond all
computation. Without intending to cenfyrc
thc government for the want of protection
which 20 extenhYe 7 commerce as that of the
United States appears to call for, it is proper
10 rStndrk, tEGl Inc DcCeiilty OF the Gale and the
peculiar fate Of things at this time, require on
our part precautions which in common cafes
would not b. deemed necedary. On the eva
cuation of the French par: of The Hand of St.
Domingo, great number Of irla venels were
equipped as priyateers from the Spanifh part
OF tIlland, and from Ca5a, by which ont
ihips have been continually Narrated and even
captured although employed in their ordinary
aud lawful commerce and the NOT wanton A.
buie Of po".r Is now daily exercifed, on the
periona aud property Of our fellow citizens,
bya Iawlels banditi who arc not under the con-
trout of the government Whole Eln6tiou thev
claim. flo American veIels is denied the
means OF defending themfelyes it cannot he
doubted but tie number of thof. Marauders,
will be multiplied 90 TIE further ANNOYANCE of
Our commerce, and a very alarming, change in
orr relations with the Indigenous innabtants Of
s.. Domingo, may be the coniequence. With
ous arnanlen,, their ports will b. inacceGihe
t. the Americans, which will inpofe on them
Che neceliiy Of fupplyng themfrves b. means
OF armed ho1ts ard veifels. They willmake
prize OF all u"armsd yeiIelsaud thus becomc.the
AgcrincS of the Wetern Hcmifphere.
How tar propOted rearittion may be ofreai
unity to the mother country is very doubtful
1t IS however certain, that the prefent inability
To iupP>it proper authority o,er this impor-
taut colony, may eventually proFIce an order