Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-04-10
s lcoNTIsuEp.J

Mn. Williams, rae subjee. now uns
der consideration calls TOR display
Of all ths kaawisdge and expcrieaoe OF
commercial mea and statesmen iaad al. 6
thoagn I do not profess 70 be OF sishsr .,
class, yetif should chance 20 bestow
mite OF Information, upon a subject OF
aaca vast importance TO this coansry, 1t
will no, doubt be fayorabiy received by shis
honorable committee.
The resolution now uader dsscussloc,
has for It's principal object the Protec3tion
of the active scoMmerce OF oar country
1t thersfore bseomes as perhaps before we
enter into tae merits of the measure pro.
posed, 10 iuqaire wlsther commerce IS OF
/ itself SO ia, 2srtaas TO ussas TO demand our
projection.
This first inquiry n'sht seeoa uaaeces-
.sary. and even extraordinary had we not
.wliaessed SO recently upon ms hoaf me
very light aud trivial mAnqer 10 wniea me
Com merce of this couairy has oss.i srea'So
and had we NOT heard the very stangs O.
pinIon, thAis oaght TO be l9ts &c rake care
OF itself.
Hts possible thatthe agricultural class,
which embraces vesy grsa1 and resPe
bic part OF the population, or our eaunIy,
WILCOX for some evidence ottae dement's
TO be derived 70 them from the protected
enierprise of our merchants. Inose eeae-
FITS however are SO obyloas tozan at.eh,
tive observer, thar very ll,tle need De urged
TO render them appasens.-@--lt has been
Justly said that agriculture and CONNER ce'
are handmaids 10 each other. Indeed their
5 Interest arc strongly aud durably .sisser,
woyen--Commerce has darec ;sl tene e ca.
the world the .bestmarks,s for onr arti.
.seles'of export, aud by bringing back and
scattering through the county, that circu.
sAatipg medium, which cherishes Industry
y and sweetens the tolls of the laborer. If we
: nadsnot an active comaasreeamong our own
- Citizens IL is evidentth foreig aamei chants
: and nations only, would os cnriehed ',by
+ tue prah. OF our, agriculture w auil convert
US into mere diggers of the soil for their
and would thereby gain the means
. ct insulting and degrading US nnore
'->abandapily. The price Of oar produce
viii lessen in the proportion that;w
curtail the means of transporting il to the
'ssoess foreign markets, and the means will
assufediyb s cur,aiied if We Withdraw our
projection from the enterprise of oer cHi.
iiszens upon the ocean. Declare 10 foreign
snauons that the active commerce of this
Country meets no longer the fostering care
sof government, and you will soon hear of
Their tentold insolence npon the seas and
eonr vessels forwarded from the enioyn,ent
OF their rights there will fad an asylum
! IN our harbors only, where they will BE lett
TO rot. The produce of our ceuatry must
-tshare a similar fate, unless We conseatto
dispose OF IL to foreign merchants and spe.
scuiators, at any price they may please TO
otfcr for 1t. Bat what is not less import.
ant, five have. aregard for morals and
happi aess, a hnrrid picture here presents
>1tsslf; that momeae you stagnate the vent
or your grain, an extensive ialand couatry
will be inundated with whiskev aad RI. |
destructive vices which flow from the free
use of il. s
Although important, this is far irons be-
ing the most important view which may be !
taken of this subject. II Is conceded I
point, that our government must BY some |
means or other have revenue. The great.
reest statesmen and patriots of this country, |
have united, believe, in considering COM
merce as our most natural and most fruit
ful source OF revenue and riches. 1t pre-.
'sents a mode of fiscal exaciion, the most in
unison with the spirit and feelings as well
as the interests of the American people,
that OF indirect taxation. By this mode
the consumers of articles of foreigu growthss
or manufacture, contribute freely and Co
Piously TO the support of our government.
and 20 that fund which is destined to the
payments of the national debt, and this too
without feeling in grea, degree the weigh,
OF the contribution. BIT the moment SIR 4
we give up this soaree of revenue, or ax. |