Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-06-25

tner the planter nor the merchant can afford IL.
ms exi,edent will therefore speedily be aban-
doned. Ii the English traders are allowed to
purchase and carry the proiuse. 1t may be re.
n'arSed' ,ast such proceeding. such an inter
course with the enemy, would be CONTRARY TO all
Inc general rules Of war. ani would be compro.
H.se OF our chataeter tor the gam of trade Bis,
after eli. what great national end you'd be gain
ed by sucn commerce i'he French would paw
somewhat higher for the produce than if neu,ras
carried it; and few English. me, chants would
gain i certain commission upon the sale of il
The capital required tn carry this new and
suddenly created branch of trade. would leave
o.her branches, in which it had formerly been
employed; and those branches would be 6ied by
the capital OF neutral nations AT peace. a new
Change would be necessary, the capital must part.
~ shift back again. and must in pare be thrown
out OF employment altogether. Sucn changes are
| rarer upon The whole hur,ful than beneficial in
! general view Lastly. If the produce OF the
French colonies is prevented from being export
ed. II must rot there, and the colonies be
ind; the supplies of provision must fail tile
work OF the plantations be suspended; the ne.
gross revolt, and the whole be involved in ruin.
Besides the cruelty of such plan. besides It's to
tai repugnance to the practice OF civilized war
fave, which never attacks priva:e properly, ex
cept at sea; the evils OF this system would be
shared by ourselves not only from the loss of Gus.
; toners, which should feel when so much
wealth and industry was destroy ed in the country
OF our nearest neighbors. but also from the meal.
Gu abe danger of h. ving scenes of rebellion and
confusion in the immediate vicinity of our finest
colonies The plan therefore of preventing all
expectation of French colonial produce, though
! the only consistent TO those who attack neu-
trail rights and the point 20 wiich all their sup,
port of the rule of the war or 1855. necessarily
! leads them, is clearly Objectionable the most
! Established principles both of pocy and justice
There is. moreover. : very esse n,ial distinction
( to be made. between the ordisary branches Of
] trade and that commerce Which is employed in
! Transporting the produce of the colonies the
mother country; which is rather the remittance
OF their rents tie great body of non. resident
| propretors than the exchange of colonial for Eu-
| ropean commodities IF Guaiaioupe or Cuba
were countries uncoaneaed with France and
Spain. except by the intercourse of traffic; if no
further relation sub sisted between al EN- th an that
the w. Indian territories produced commodities,
which the European nations required, and must
either purchase directly, or procure Nv round.
about commeice--then It nigh, be of some i'm.
'portance, according 20 the We've with which ma
rhine war is now carried Oh fer England 10 har-
rass this branch of Spanish and Frcnch trade
Il TO profit by taking i; into her own hands. The
! people OF Cuba and Cuadaiou,Je would ,ilen be
! paid For their produce by English ne.shanls and
France and Spain would be obliged ' bYy them
circul,ousy from England. But this il by no
means the nature Of the navigation between
! those islands and Europe The proprie,o-s of
the Colonies reside almost entirely in the mother
Countries. The carriage of West iadan produce
| Is not on account cf merchants, who are TO sell
I IL again after having boughli; In the colony bur
on acconnr of absent landholders who have no
o'lier way OF receiving their but By having
the produce OF ther estates brough; over 10 Them
Z, They live not AT .he. farm. bur at the market
I and their * cd
they there dispose of.
Now, by inte.cePing this communication, what
woad England edeGt? She cannot intend TO sion
1t Altogether TO prevent the colonial agents from
sending any OF their revcuue TO the proorietors
or intercept 1t on the way Thi, would BE kind
OF warfare quite contrary to the spirit OF modern
Customs; i, woa,d be IRE hur full 10 individuals
than the entire captu.e Of the colonies whsre
their estates lie, for in that case conauero,s
interfere with private property. and only carry
the rents or the planter round for them by a
Channel somewhat mere circuitous. England.
then. by interfering in The remittance Of those
rents, without capturing the enemy's colonies,
can only mean TO trade witt, the u.ters to pur.
chase ,he produce, and bring it home, where il,
VIII be sold AGAIN and reach at last the consumer
III the enemy's country, ~hie ias agents Of the
Propretors remit their rents. not III kind, bu. in
money or bills. The same efe6t will be p0nd,,c
cd, instead OF buying the produce we oni, cause
IL to be consigned TO English merchants Who
tor certain commission. sell ia. and accom-, 10
the planter or his agents. In either case. the RI.
ionial proprietor loses absolutely no,hing. I;s
produce is carried by the English, instead &C
French or American merchants the fre;ybt cam
not be much; the commission will probably he
less he is paid by bills mon London or I.;vrr.
pool, instead of Dordes.ax, or Nantz. or Nov
York and few meIcantile houses in Enpl. nd
gam profit urcn The consignment instead
or the sanN number of French or American
houses surely it is neither for the eain Of ,hsse
individuals. nor fer rhe sake OF !sSing such a
change as this upon the wealth of French colonial
propTietors, that we are insist on the exclusion
OF neutfals from the colony trade of our enemies
we 'nJure the enemy sufficiently BY forcing those
neulTai 30 carry the rrohuce round by their own
ports, instead of allowing it 10 be transported
di eelJ from the colony 10 tire mother counlrv.
as during peace This may raise the price of The
goods 70 the consumer in the eneny's COUNTRY ::
TO the planter, who is most interested in the t,af
fc, we can do no injury whatever, unless we can
take the colonies where mis- estate lies and there
choose to violate the rights of individual pYopr
etors or until we discover measure of comoej.
ling people 20 ship cavgoes in vessels which are
absolutely certain of being captured.
70 be eontr7iHed)
FROM THE AURORA.