Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-12-04

may be collected aud turned against Great
Britain. The most vlolent, the most IN.
moral, and We do think the most iaapollus
measures arc recommended. Ia some OF
those which we have seen recommended,
more zeal than discretion is dlscoverable.
Among the measures which claim atten-
ton Is that of sequestration. Without ex-
pressing the abhorencc which the bare men,
ton of such measure excltes, II would
be wei! to examine, how far il could be
justified as measure of policy, aud to as
certain what would be the probable result
of such policy. 1t is presumed that ne
one is so chim.rical, as to suppose that such
a measure would not be retaliated, by all
the means which Great Britain could use.
] hose who talk of seques,rarlou appear to
consider things as they were and not as
they are. The time has been when a Sc.
-questration of debts, would have been
measure operating against that country on
Nv. This was at a time when we depended
upon British capitals only Since that
time, the United States have become opu.
Leaf, her citizens do not depend upon brl.
tlsh' capital, the numerous banking estab-
lishments, the Increased and increasing IN.
dus,ry and enterprise of our citizens, ia
voured by the late and present war, have
changed the relative situation of Great Bril-
tain and the United States. We are no:
less independent Of her commercially, than
We are politically. Il is very true tina. our
merchants do derive great facilities from
British capitals, but those facilities cannot
be considered as debts, for they are made
on property placed under the Immediate
orders aAd subject to the eohsroul of the
British merchant. II ID we'll worth q cal-
culstion to ascertain the amount Of proper.
ty which Ia daily passing to Europe ander
these circumstances, and then to consider
the result. if Great Britain was to retaliateo
The result would be that the property
would fall! into the hands of the British
merchant and the facilities be denied, or
in mercantile language the bills drawn open
the property would be returned. We
think every man must perceive the evident
distinction between advances made on pro-
perty, and debts contracted upon the per-
sonal responsibility Of the debtor; it is
chiefly 10 the former way that the citizens
of the United States are aided by British
capitals.
Extensive credits for goods imported di.
rectiy from Britain are not so commen as
heretofore, add it is not unusual for the
dry good merchan. 10 remit for the half and
sometimes for the whole of his goods be-
fore they are shipped. Those who are in
depsndent, find their aceoun, in this mode,
as the very large discounts which they are
allowed for prompt payment, form hand
Asone profit.
Again from the great increase Of capital
10 the United States, and from Britain be-
lag at war and they at peace, we have at
all times IN their ports, and On the way to
the@, many hundred sail of vessels, all of
which would be lost. Again we have at
all time an immense property aaoat and
unprotected 10 the East and West ladies,
and in Europe, one third or the half of
which would be Io:t.
What then can we promise ourselves by
a sequestration, when we have mere to Lose
taau to gain? We can see nothing which
such measure would preduss, except ma
tisnal disgrace aud indiyidaalEuin.
Another favoutise measure is non.infer-
tsurss, By which means, We are 20 starve
the manufacturers in Europe aud the coll
onios In the West.Indie.. IF men will re.
iecs ,he experience of the past, and the
probability Of ,hc future, it is II vain TO
csRtsnd. Were we not seven years at war
with Britain? her colonies were not starved
aor her manufacturers ruined. This like
The o,her MEASURE would do the greatest
i1jury TO US. 6ar produce would find its
way 10 neutral islands, frotn whence It
would be carried to British islands, ant, tbs
British manufacturers, sud the productions
of the isands, would aad their way here
hy the same means. The efrecs would be