The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-28
II Z p o Il =
Cftbe Secretary Of State, on tie Privileges and
RefridionS tie Commerce Of tie United
States liz Foreign Countries.
coNCLUDED.1
| CoNcLUDED.1

With orr nsieboM5, an order of things much
harder prefents itfslf.
SPAIN and PORTUGAL refufe, to thofe
parts of America which they govern, all direct
in,erc ourle with any people but themf Ives.
The commodities in mutual demand, between
them and their neighbours, muit be carried to
be exchanged in fome port of the dominant
country; and the transportation between that
and the fubjed-fa,e mutt be in domehic bot
tom.
FRANCE by a Handing law, permits her w.
India poGeiiions to receive directly our vegeta-
bles, live proviions, horfes, wood, tar, pitch,
and turpentine, rice, aud maize, and prohibits
our other bread-ftuff: Int iufpeniion oe this
prohibition having been left to the colonial .e-
gifatures. in times of fcarcity, i. was formerly
fufpended occaionally, but lattcrly without in
terruption.
Our 6ih and falted provifions (except pork)
are received in their i(lancis under dutv Of
three colonial livres the Rental, and our vetir.s
arc as free as their own to carry commodities
thither, and to bring away rum and rnolaiies.
GREAT-DRlTAIN admits in her illands,
our vegetables, live provifons, horfes, wood.
tar, pitch, and turpentre, rice, and bread fluff,
by proclamation of her executive, limited al
WAYS to the term of year, bat hitherto renew
ed from year to year. She prohibits our f;.lted
hin, and other h.tcd proviiions. She does not
duce. Her vefitls alone, may take it from us,
and bring IN exchange, rum, moaiies, figar,
coffee, cocoa-nuts, ginger, and pimento. There
are, indeed, fome freedoms in the ifland OF Do.
E';nica, but, under fuch circumstances, AS to be
little uied by US. In the Brtiih continental CO.
lonies, and in Newfoundland, all our produSli-
ons are prohibited, and our veilels forbidden TO
enter their ports. Their governors, however,
IL times of diitreis, have power to permit tenn
porary importation of certain articles, in their,
own bottoms, but not in ours.
Our citizens cannot refide as merchants or
factors within any OF the Brtilh plantations.
this being exprefsy prohibited by the fame fla
tute or -. Car. 9. {. Is, commonly called the
navigation act
In the DANISH-AMERICANp ofIsfion,. A
duty of five per cent. is levied on our corn, corn
meal, rice, tobacco, wood, fated fin, indigo.
hories, mules, and live flock; and of ten per
cent. on our flour, failed pork, and beef, tar,
pitch, and tHrpentine.
In the AMERICAN inands of the UNITED
NETHERLANDS and SWEDEN, our veiiels
and produce received, fubie6t to duties, not
TO heavy as to have been complained Of: but
they are heavier in the Dutch poneiiions on the
continent.
To fun up thefe REsTR1cr1oNs, 70 far as
they are important:
LIT. II EUROPE
Our bread-huffis at moi times under prohi-
btory duties in England, and comfortably du-
tied on re-exportation from Spain to her colo
mics.
Our tobaccoes are heavily iutied in England,
Sweden and France, and prohibited in Spain,
and Portugal.
Our rice is heavily du.ied in England and
Sweden, and prohibited in Portugal
Our fih and falted proviiions are prohibited
in England, and under prohibitory duties in
France.
Our whale-ols are prohibited in England and
Portugal.
And our vef1els are denied naturalization in
England, and of late in France.
Cd. In THE WEsr-INDIEs.
All intercourie is prohibited with the poiIef-
Gons of Spain, and Portugal.
Our failed proyilions and filll are prohibited
by England.
Our fated pork, and bread-fuff (except
maize are received under temporary laws only,
in the dominions Of France, and our failed fih
pays there Il weighty duty.
Sd. IN THE ARTICLE OF NAVIGATION.
Our own carriage of our own tobacco, is hea-
Willy dutied in Sweden, and lately in France.
We can carry no article, not of our own pro-
duction, to the Brltiih ports in Europe.
Nor even our own produce TO her American
poficflions. ,
Such being the restrictions on the commerce
and navigation of the United States, the queti-
on is, in what way they may ben be removed,
modified, or counteraSted?
As TO commerce, two methods occur. l. By
friendly arrangements with the feveral nations
with whom thefe restrictions exit: Or, Q. BY
the feparate act of our own legislatures for coun-
tervailing their effects.
There can be no doubt, but that ofthefe two,
friendly arrangement is the mott eligible. In
head Of embarrafiing commerce under piles of
regulating laws, duties, and prohibitions, could
it he relieved from all its fbackes in all parts of
the worid-could every country be empIoJed
in producing that which nature has bet fitted
it to produce, and each be free TO exchange with
Others mutual furpluiIes, for mutual wants, the
greaten riafs p0fIible would then be produced
of thefe things which contribute TO human life.
and human happiness; the numbers of mankind
would be increafed, and their condition better.
ed.
Would even Jingle nation begin with The u
nted States this fyitem of free commerce, it
would be advifable to begin it with that nation :
Gncc it is one by one only, that it can be extend
ell to ali. Where the circumstances Of either
party render it expedient to levy Il revenue, by
way Of impcf, on commerce, its freedom might
be modified, in that particular, by mutual ard
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