The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-03-25
Gbe aisnnnirsr.
RICHMOND, 25fb MARCH.
COMMERCIAL RES TR1crIoNs

COMMERCIAL RES TRICTIONS.
We congratulate our countrymrn unnn the
independent ftand which Congrefs are about &c
max. agM1N the encroachments of G. Britain
Mr.. Nicholfon's refoiution has ALREADY pafI, .,
G'e Houfe of Representatives and we confident.
~ hose that in IT'S mott prominent. features
II will ohtain'Re concurrence of the Senate an,,
the fanetion of the Preident. It is thus that
America will teff and puni!h the ufu,Dations
OF England. She will not fend forth acainft
her 4 proclamation of war. Sac will NOT arrav
againft her the coity and complicated appara.
rus, which IS ofepara5le from the tactics OF
Eihope. She does no. convert her toreits INFO
ihips, her peaceful citizens into difcplincd fol-
diers, her prnning-hooks into fwords bur lte
embraces that mode of defence, which her
5000 miles Of diftapct from Europe and the pc
GUITAR Trade fhe carries an with England, ena-
ne her to refort to. Different animals hav.
peculiar modes of reiiftlnce and attack Tie
Unitea States by refritting the importation OF
Britiih manufactures has pnt on the armour,
which belongs to her as nation.
Objections have, however, appeared to the
sdoption Of this fyffem: the motives of its
friends have been feverely criticized, and its con-
fsluences itrangcly mfaken. LIE, us then take
rapid view OF the mott prominent of thefe OBJ
jsefions.
They fay that it is meafpre punred on by
the tpirit of mercantile ayarice.---Ear be il from
Us to pretend to iindertand or to iuitify th.
motives of its principal Importers in Conprrfs
Where the fcene ia 20 far removed from our OF,
frrvation, it would he apfurd for us to ftand
tT'on!ofs for th:' integrity Of this or that repre-
tentative, whether he comes from the CONNER
Gal clteSof the north, or the agricultural tstes
otthe f''uth. ''What private ends they have,
Alas. we know mol" B.t we do know, that
Whatever rT-, nave been the f.cret motives q;
ITS friends in Congr;ts. ,hsi- policy has been re
eured and Wlli be ratified by the majority of
me nation. For, whence did il happen. that
before the meeting of Congrcfs anof every re-
publican print throughout the union, had out
forth tie i''ea ~ thnf. CONNER. ial rraritions
chat the fame idea Rad heen enforced in the pri-
eate Circles eff,ciety Or whence does it hap
pen, that now the refolution OF MIR. Nicho!fon
haspsfied the Tower houic, it is ~ generally &
loudly applauded' not by merchants. hut by
tho!e who have never mxrd. ia the Gigbtet de-
gree. in the fcuffles Of mercantile speculation.
- They exclain, that it is quar- D,ezfre.
But by what poNbIe contribution can it he
hammered. and beat out into that definition
Had we iffued letters of marque and reprifaI,
fofcIze the Britiih cruifefs who are row fcizi,c
OUR own vef1els, we might have called that a
Saf-n,eature. Had we entitled folders and e.
dnipped hips fjr the otenhhle purpofe Of meet
i'Ig Great Britain either on the land or the O..
tca0, in C,nada or The Atlantic, Gne might well
have called fbat war meafi,re. Had we in
trrditted our merchants trading To Great Ri.
fain. not beraufe we had wrongs of our own
TO punfli, but that VIC might grant the mono.
poly Of our trade to her enemy, fiich direct
Violation Of Our neutrality would have been A
'saf-meaflire. IN fact, fich might every mea-
fure have been denoninated, which WIS intend.
Cd either TO attack the territories, the proper.
fY,tbs perfnns Of Bri,ifl fnbjeefs, or TO violate
our ne,aroiity, 10y granting peculiar privileges
t9her enemy. But does the ref,Iution of Mr.
Flcho'foa come under either of thofc branches
Of the definition Should it 60 into effe6t, we
10 not t'p hottie f,ot upon the territory OF
Great Britain her vegels are till in fafety up.
on the ocean; the perfon of her fubieSfs are
free ar tqer. II istrue that we 1aya reftraint
upon her manufactures, which is not extended
20 thofe of her enemy. But this is no violation
~ orlr neutrality. Iii not peculiar privilege
Conferred upon her enemy, ince it extends Ia
every other nation of the world except G-ea,
Britain alone. I, is not a privilege confer,
red upon her enemy for the fake Of increaf
ing their own rsfoufces, but becaufc we
havs Wrongs of our own to- punilh.---
But If This be called war meaftIre, then (fdjd
Gen. Smith In the fenate) does Great Brit tir
maintain c5aRqH 7var againIt the United
States, for (he at All Gniet prohibits the i'm.
pntatioh into her ports of e1sry article man.
afaffered within our county. She even pro-
hihits our broUifoaJ from being confirmed ia
her Kingdoms, except when her waits eonpe
her To admit them. IF then fhe has fet us the
example, and has by her Ia@s prohibited euer,
article of our manufacture from being admit
fed into her kingdoms. how can our prohibit
ing Part of her manufactures from being i'm
ported into the u. S. be coniidered as a war
fneafure %
And for what, excIain the opponents of thi
frtafite, are we pgngioe into this war-mea
Ire? To fupport an unfair, difhoneh, anc
Illegal trade.-.-But can trade be faid to II,
tI,'air or Illegal, which has the law Of nation
tmpletely on it's fide = That law admits int.
the ls of fair and legal reftrieions noon ne,J. m