Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1805-08-02

To the right OF obtainfpg necessary sup
plies from America, md Of employing
the necessary means Of eHectnally OBJ
tanning those supplies under 4 limited
and duly registered intercourse, stated
and yindicated, in an answer ID Lord
Shef6.ld,s Suictures.-By CIV.
Jordan, Esq. F. r. 5. colonial agent
for Barbados.
POLITICAL economy, itseems,
like religion, has It's bigo.ed Is well as
its irrational professors; and examples OF
each kind are afforded BY the parties who
now demand our consideration. So
closely attached Is Lord Sheffield to the
navigation laws that he win allow no de-
Walton from them, however imperious-
u required by circumstances and the
dictates Of policy, or the calls Of hama-
nifty, Or the pressure Of famine, are IN
his mind scarcely adequate excuses for
any departure fromthe rigid enactments
Of our marine regulations. His lordship
had censured the Dutch property act,
the repeal Of the American couateryail-
ina duties, and theadmission Of Ameri-
can shipping into our West India Islands,
under licenses seyerally granted by the
priyy council here, and BY the respective
governments ofth islands abroad. Mr..
Jordan, however, triumPhantls combats
the views Of the noble lord on III these
points. The first two, indeed, are now
merely events of past history; bat il
should seem that Mr.. Jordan Wzs ofopi-
Mon tina, Il would facilitate his success
in debating the latter point, ifhe shewed
that, in matters Of like import, lord s.
was not entitled to the credit which pre-
vious reputation had . tendency 70 se-
cure to him, but that on the contrary his
ideas were confined, and that he labour-
ed under prejudiees which materially
misled him. y.
Inorder to comprehend the third point
in dispute We must take brief historical
view Of It. Mr.. Jordan informs Us that
various articles, Of which the colonies
are in want, cannot be supplied by Great
Britain, among which are those Of the
firstnecessity ; and the Americanstates,
when subject to Great Britain, were ac-
customed TO furnish these commodities
TO the West India islands |; that they
were principally conveyed in American
bottoms; that the purchasers paid for
them ia produce; and thar, when the
American war broke out, the colonies,
debarred Of this important traffic, were
reduced to extreme hardshiPs. When
peace became re-esablishcd, the neces-
sity Of 4 renewal Of this, intercourse be-
tween the islands and the American
main land was universally felt and admit
ted and accordingly it was allowed and
reguIafsd by the asth Of the King. In
passing this statute, the legislature took
L for granted that the eircuitous voyages
Of British ships vessels furnished by
the colonies which still remained IN Ems
gland, and such as the islands themselves
would build-would be fully adequate to
the transport ofthe American supplies j;
and Il therefore enacts that these goods
shairbe imported solely in British bot.
tome. The expectation has completely
lalhc0, DO Thai, rum LIZ OAsS " IIG 0Sae
tute TO the present time, licenses sancti-
oned byparliament have beer. issued by
the priyy council here, and by the seye.
raj goyernments Of the islands, dispens-
Ing with lis provisions, and allowing the
admission Of American vessels, in order
% Ipreyent die inhabitants from starving,
and to supply them with materials to en-
close the produce which was 70 be con-
yeyed 70 the mother country. The le-
rislature, in passing the before mentions
ed act, recognized the necessity Of the
Intercourse between the islands and A.
merica, and had no idea Of Stacking !,
By directing an inadequate mode Of car
Rage; but that the mode which il did
establish was wholly inadequate, the ex.
perience Of more than ten years demon.
strates. Nothing can more strongly
pro.e this fact, thin the regular issue d
licenses dispensing with the provision.
-r.1. .satuf. during the vholp If tha,