The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-15
The Maryland Office
Baltimore Office
Che(apeake office
Union Office
Marine Office
492,555

Making in all nearly 100000 dollars, belides
confdersble property not injured, nearly all of
which has been fold without any form of trial.
and leaves our merchants without any hone of
redreis.
If this bill paf1es into law, we ihall in fat
be deprived of the trade to all the leeward il.
iauds, and even that to New Orleans will not be
fafe. One velfel lately bound from Alexandria
70 Jamaica has been carried into Cuba, where
her cargo was landed and fent il frnall vefIels
70 Jamaica, by thefe picaroons. Another from
Baltimore TO st. Jago de Cuba, was, on her
homeward pafiage with cargo worth 10000
dollars, takenby one of them, who had no com
milton, and was carrying his prize into Barra-
Goa, when it was re-taken by Britifh cruifer
and tentto Jamaica; and no later than laft
month, the vefiel Of Baltimore merchant.
==7iio never armed veiIei, and Who, We
rily believe, was never concerned in any H.
hcit trade, was obliged to put into the port of
Savannah in diftreis, on her return from St. Do
mingo. On going up that river flle was met by
one of thoie freebooters, that had chafed her on
her voyage out. The captain of which declared
he would make prize of this fchooner, and wait
cd off the river for that purpofc.
I will not detain the committee by readino
documents to prove thefe hatements but will
leave them on the clerks table for the perufal
of any gentleman of the committee who NAV
choofe to iatiSfy himfelf / have been alto in
formed, but have no documents to prove il.
that one Of our vafiels bound from Liverpool to
N Orleans, has beer taken by one ofthefe CRITTERS.
-Onthe whole, fir, as confidcr our entire trade.
to the Wet Indies and to New Orleans impli-
Gated in this motion, lhall decidedly vote
againft il.
MIR. EbAe5 faid, that notwithstanding the OBJ
Jeetions made to his propelled amendment, he
fncerely believed the beh interets of the nation
required that it ihould prevail. 1t appeared TO
him that neither Of the gentlemen who had op-
poted IT, had taken a correct view of the ouehi-
on. We are not, faid he, paffing law for the
protection of American commerce but we are
making provilion againft the improper ule of
arms for it feems to be the intention of thefe
gentlemen TO ALLOW Our yef1els to arm. Thev
tell you that their veffels cannot do without
arms they cannot effect the Object oftheir vow
ages without being prepared with flfficient
armament. Why, this is precifely the argu-
Inent of highwayman for the ufe of his pifols.
But ought the United States to protect their
commerce in this way He thought they ought
not. Do tbefe gentlemen poifefs information
that We cannot carry on our commerce without
armed yeiicls iffo, it will bring up the whole
principles upon which the right OF armament is
Founded, and he trufed it would be m,ujfeffed
enattcd for the purpofe, would be Gich AZ TO
fecure the United States from colhlon with
foreign powers. He did not think it comported
with the dignity of the union to arm their mer.
chant veiiels, and turn them loofe upon the
ocean, TO a6t as whim or caprice, or a Thrift of
lucre lhould dictate. It would be nothing more
OF lefs than covering the ocean with an armed
banditti, that would bring down upon the Uni
ted States the, foycreign contempt and Jun in
digration Of all the powers of Europe. lie bo
ped the navigating and commercial character of
Americans would be formed upon their ftiperi-
81 i.ill and induary it in the exercife of thcfe,
they we're oppoled, he was willing to extend
&c p1bifc protection 10 them he would not
only pfotett their rights in this way, but he
would alto a9enge their wrongs. The arms of
the Unicn can reach TIE Caribbean feas, as well
~ the MEDITERRANEAN and this he preflmed
vas the courie proper to be purified. He felt 4
s3femeiy aytric to tie principle of the bill be |