The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-07-04
5inrfign anteiIi9rnre.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT OF GREAT.
BRITAIN.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Nav 6.
Trade brtzpetn the Wen. L,lir5 and Am

Trade betzpeen tie Vch- IsIies and du,,ite.
Lord Sheffield moved to diGharse TN. orb.
for the fecond reading of the American m,
Weh-india Trade Bill, this day, with the vi. y
or poitponing it to the 10TH NAV, in order I,
give time Tor the confederation of the fubiea
as numerous petit MS would be preien.cd a
ga,n't 1t. The motion WIS negstiyed.
LORD Grenville moved that the Bill be no.
read fecond time.
Inc Duke of MontroGe called the attention
OF tne nouie to the alarm which had been ex
cited by the manner in which this fubie6t hac
oeen itated by the noble lord who original,
meafures might follow the prefept. which
might have ferrous effect upon The (hippine in
I teret or this country. The effect which the
o''l might have upon the fhipping iutereft WAS
IN TINS inftancc. no light confederation. az .hr
trade to the Wef-Indics employed from ia
1000 fesmen, aud formed one ofthof. uurC.ries
Tor our feamen, which ought to be cherished
AID encouraged, infead of being drpreIed or
checked; In his view of the fubjeGt, the bill!
was ne'ther Po'itIc nor necef1ary. 1t was i'm
Po'.ic' Ina'much AS it went to authorize the fnf.
Pennou OF our navigation laws, thofe laws to
wh'ch we were originally indebted for our ma.
nsime fuperiorty; it was unneceiiary. inafmuch
| as 1t only protected to do that which had been
| already done and might be again in manner
'eis objectionable, by leaving it to the w. In
oia Governors to ACT upon their own refponli
oiiitY IN cafes ofneceiiity. IF on the contrary,
tne Governors were to be respectively autho.
rhed to iuipend the navigation laws, it O,ould
De recoNeeted that it might frequently be to
.hcir lntereit to direct fuch fufpeniion where no
immediate neceiiity required it. He did not
ueipa'r' although he did not mean TO affert il,
that with our prcfent maritime fuperiority. the
Wet-india iflands might, even in time Of war.
be fuPphed in Brtifh bottoms by means of con
voys. In time of peace there could be no
doubt about it, and he denied that the calami-
Ties which noble Lord (Holland) on former
occaiion ftated to have refuIted to the yVea.
indies from not Impending the navigation laws,
10 have proceeded from that fosrce, as they
were the natural consequences of EARTHQUAKES
ana hurricanes. He was inimca 70 the prefent
PHI NOT only on account OF the poGtive evil re-
luN'ne 20 the ihlpPng interet of the country,
from the fuipenhon of the navigation laws, but
on account of thoft meatires fill more iniuri-
Gus TO that interet to which this bill might af
forwards ferve as bias.
--Ihe Earle of Eauderdale thounkt .h. ,,aI,,A
culative creatures, which he aoprehended might,
At fome future time be brought forward. than
agaiOf the prefent bill. He conceived the bill
to be founded upon the foundeft principles of
leg'ilation. What could more forcibly demon
itrate its neceiiiy than the Indemnity Bill which
Parliament had pailrd year after year, for the
Pnrpoie OF indemn'fyiDg the Governors of our
Weft-lndia Hands for fufpenfions of the Nav-
cation act, which were found TO be abEolutr,v
uecefary for the fupport and weli.bsing Of our
colonies And was it not more confti,utional.
and more becoming the dignity of Parliament.
that what was 70 found to be necenary. I,ould
he Authorized, in certsin cafes, according TO-
the dbcretion and under the refponiibility Of
the executive government, than that violations
OF the law fhonld continually take place, and
the perions who infringed the law be as con-
family Unidentified IT, according to the arpr-
ment OF the noble duke, OUR WeR-India COLO
MES, could be fupplied by the mother country
in time Of war, how would fuch a mode of fin.
ply operate There NUT neceharily be a hea-
Wy expence for iDfurance, belides other expen-
ces, WINCH the merchant exporting mutt paw
out OF his pocket, and which, by rendering the
commodity dearer, would ultimately raiE. the
price OF the produce of the colonies, to which
iuch commodities were thus carried. On the
contrary, by importing directly from America
70 the Weft-indies thofe articles which were ne.
ceifary For the food of the inhabitants and the
cultivation OF the foil, none G: thefe extra ex.
peuces enfiIed they can he obtained at a
cheaper rate, and were paid for in the manu-
faciures of this country, thus equally nroduc.
ing the fale of our manufactures add the com.
tort OF cultivation of our Weft-India po(Tec
hons, and encrealing the produce of thoE. iC
lands. He did not believe that any nurfery for
our ieamen would be rejected by the bill but
II any ieaWen were thrown out Of employ, there
was fure reIource for them in the rovaI navv.
and at peace this trade would be again Omen
to them for employment.
Lord Mulgrave deprecated that mode of or.
rangement which went TO itate, that if any DOR.
ton ct our ieamen were thrown out of employ
by the effect of any meafure upon any branch of
our trade, they might be employed to man orr
lhips oft war. The fame argument might be en-.
p'oysd to defend any encroachment on orr
trade, to whatever extent bnt when any part
OF our commerce was fufpended for conGder
able tpace OF time, it was not 70 eaGy tai, IN
reitore 1t to its old channel. He conceived that
THIS country was clearly entitled 20 an excloiiye
trade with her colonies, and he was therefore
loimical tc any meafure which went TO iniure mr.
impede that trade. The colonies ought To be
made the inftruments oflupporting and uphold
ing our Tripping and our navigation, and not
rendered the means of decreaiing the one and
inluring the other. He did not think that anv
necehuy had been (hown for the prefent bill, or
for altering that mode Of conduit which had
been hitherto adopted with refped to the fuppIy
Of our colonies.
The Lord Chancellor conceived he nuf have
totally miirofergooI che bill, if any of the ar.
guments uled zsdntt it were at ali applicable
The bill merely went IN VET that ,ov,er an