Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-09-08
FROM THE AURORA.
On tie BEST means QJrcteuing British aqgre


say, thar " nothing is more idle than for
u nation To think If obtaining respect when
she has no f0"ce TO command it," And
t''at IL fe7r vessels Of war, which the Unit
cd States can easily furnish, would insure
protection to their trade"
Another wiier, under the signature of
HUBBY in the AURORA, rejects this mode
OF defence as being so expensive, as 20 be
mpracticable, says :" ! see no other re-
" source but non importation or non-con
" sumption agreement, or law by con-
= gress which may operate 10 the same cf-
F" lect."
II appears To me of very little import
auce whe;her we are espected by the
British ysOI'S r'i8'ont or not We ought to
respect ourselves, and the government
ought to respccl and defend the rights of
The citizens and their property on the high
seas as we'll as within the jurisdiction OF
the United States
John Adams's cheap defence oC natl
ons," navy, is ridiculous; impyacticable !;
and imagined il had been given up by
all the republicans at least. If England
could only send two ships TO harraSs our
trade PoLITICUs would be right; but as
size could send on our coast as many ships
as We could build in so years, no pro ecti-
on TO our trade can be ensured by these
means. 30 far HUBBY and myself are
perfectly agreed. Dut see very serious
objections also TO non-in,pnrtation agree
ment, and am convinced there is still
better mode of defence, and hope shall
be excused for laying it before the public
with my objections to prohibition Of En-
gi'sh goods exclusively.
IT has been the cotton manufacture that
has enriched England and enabled her
10 carry on the wars against time, lea and
Frame, and now enables her to an
noy the commerce and Insult the in
dependence Of this country and of the
whole world beside. The United King
doms have been in the exclusive pos
session Of spinning machinery for thirty
years, which has enabled hem TO sell cot
ton goods fifty per cent. cheaper than
tier nations during that period. The in
science and pride of that nation have shut
them out of great part OF Europe
americans whom they are daily insulting,
continue to be their best customers, where.
by we supply them with the means Of do
ing mischief.
The cotton manufacture is like Samp
sons locks the strength of that nation {:
because no other nation has yet been able
to rival her---and whoever would humble
England must assail her in that quarter.
There only is she vulnerable But this
is not To be done by an immediate total
prohibition Of English cotton. Ii is only
to be accomplished by beginning to ma.
nuia6ture that article for ourselves.
IF duty Of fifty per cent. were laid on
all cotton goods, imported, from qvqifcuer
nation, with the avowed intention Of pro
noting spirit Of industry among our ciii
zens no individual nation would have rea-
son TO take offence. ii would bring the
prices OF goods TO the standard they were
at, previous TO the revolution, and give
sufficient encouragement to men of capital
iocmbark int the business. Ten thousand Of
'hcir manu-. cturers would soon come
yer, who by living in the interior of the
country would enhance the value Of the
back lards, and bring market to the door
"i the Ia mcr. The cOas.ing trade and
internal commerce would encrease with
uncTamPled rapidly. and our numerous
r1iil seats and waters brought iuto Use
This policy would indeed be very CALLING
to England and make her repent in dust
and ashes for the irsuts she has offered
US. As our strength INCREASED, hers
would decay--her oppressed citizens
wo"ld seek an asylum here and in few
years ,he would be no longer tho bully Of
the ocean. Itis Illus that llourishiug ma
tons, have, by the folly Of their rulers,
fallen TO decay.
But if non importation agreement
should be entered into, and English cot.
ton goods only prohibited, how easy would
IT be TO bring English goods by another
route, and enter them as the goods Of
some other nation. We should be ob,ig-
ed TO pay something more for them and
the Enell'h would los nothing.
Il is probable however that those goods
being somewhat dearcr, ON account orthe
change which would take place in the
manner Of doing business, some people
might be induced 10 embark extensively