The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-09

lie interefs.
TIL: JEFFERSON.
| Dcrember %, 1906.
| II. Rep. US, Dee. 4.
-. Mr.. 7. Randolph, from the committee to
whom was referred the meiIage of the Preiident
of yeherday, aflsed leave to report by bill 1;
which having been given, Mr.. J. RandaIph re-
ported the following bill.
| An act to fufpend the operation of an aa, cr-
TITLED, Gan aet to prohibit the importation OF
certain goods, wares and merchandise" and
to remit the penalties incurred under the fame.
BE enacted by the Senate and Houfc of Re-
preientatves of the United States of America
in Congrefs Attended: That the operation
ct the aa, pafied on the 18th day ofApr Ian,
entitued An ae TO prohibit the importation
OF certain goods, wares and merchandise -
be, and the fame hereby is fufpended until the
day of next.
And be It further enacted, That all penalties,
fincs, and forfeitures, which may have been in
CURED by virtue of the provifons of the afore-
laid act be, and the fame hereby are reflective
" RENTED. This act Hiall take effect from
and after the pafIing thereof.
Read twice, and referred to committee OF
the whole Houie tomorrow.
The Prefidents ncfagc contains the impor-
tant declaration, that d" many arrangements are
neceiiary to place our future harmony on fable
grounds" 1t is tben faet, that the pending
negotiations with Great Britain arc not con-
ined TO mere reparaton Of the injuries which,
we have received, but that they extend to the
formation Of a treaty providing againft fmilar
inluitice. jays celebrated treaty contained no
fuch arrangements. 1t erected no barrier a
gainft the Brtii1, practice of inpreTment
nor the 1ghtet fafeguard for orr colonial
trade, with countries at war with Great Bri-
tain. Mr.. Jefferfou's will therefore be the frf
administration. under which thefe important
rights are no longer made TO depend upon the
ttuctuating orders of a Britih council, but are
fXed and guaranteed by the folcmn POPULATIONS
Of 4 treaty.
Ifthe Britifh minifry have exprefed fir
cefe dupohtion to do us isfice If they have
gone 10 Far to express appreciation of the
manner in which we think that iuaice ought TO
be awarded if they have prat9iJfa upon their
projections /; if they have ordered any of our inn
prefled feamen TO be berated if their
itiPs OF war manifef refpe6tful regard for
the rights of our commerce if their courts OF
admiralty no longer prefs thofe principles of
colonial trade which are 70 obnoxious to our
rights and to our interc6s: it certainly becomes
us to offer them fome satisfactory mark of
| iP'rit of Cancellation on our part, and to re-
move every fuipicion which they may entertain
of our having entertained an invdous PARTIAL
ty towards France 1t becomes us to thew
them that the non-importation aa, was dictated
by the fpirit OF peace that it was the only me-
thod which we were willing to adopt for arreR-
ing the grievances which they themfeves had
inflicted upon our commerce F; and that we
were diipofed to fufpendits operation, the We
ry moment when they had given us satisfactory
aiiurances that theie grievances would no lon
ger he inflicted, and that it was perfectly unne-
| ceflary for the accomplishment of its original
and only Object. Let us then Gxl6end the execu-
| ton OF the non. importation law let us allow
then longer time to do US iuitce.
1t may be our interef to E1lpend this law
but to repeal it would be the weakeit policy
that could be adopted. why fhould we fuf.
pend it? To allow the fuIleft opportunity to
| Great Britain of doing us juftice. But ihe may
at Taft refufe us the PREPARATION, which fhe
owcs tc ia. Her commilioners may attempt to
hull us into inactivity by exhibiting promifcs,
which they never intended to perform, or the
change of miniitry may Introduce new felt of
! principles into this complicated negotiation.
| What then is our duty Not to dilarm our
| ielves ofthe weapon which we have aiiumed ::
Not by precipitate repealto throw ourfeIves
| again upon the mercy of Great Britain But
to preierve ourfeIves in an attitude, in whic h
we may be ever ready to frike; to convince
G. 3. that if we fufpend our non-importation
law, it is not becauie cannot exit without
her manufactures, but TO allow her longer
time TO reader us juAicc but that if fhe does
ditaPpoint our juft expectations, our arm is al
ready up-lifted to llrike the blow.