The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-07-18
PROTEST.

The following is the Protect of Lord Shee-
neid on the pafiine what is generally termed the
American intercourfe Bill
HOUSE OF LORDS, Nay II, 1906.
A bill Untitled, An act for enabling his Ma
le'tyin Council to permit the importation and
EXPECTATION into and from his. Msiefy's rrrri.
tories IN the Weit-Indies, aud continent of South
America, or certain Goods and ComInod;tiesin
Neutral ihips in time of War.
DIssENT.-1ft. Becaufe no proof whatever
has been adduced to thew either the exoed;cpcv
or neeefhty OF A meafure which facilitates and
automatically eltahliihes the fufoepfiop or orr
navigation and colonial laws and thereby "a.
cr'ilceS to foreigners, the fupply trade of the
oritiih Weit-lndia fet:iemerts, 10 which III.
United Kingdom and its depsnlcncies are r;sbt-
fully entitled in return for the mononolv tbev
aHori at their own market to the Produce os
thofe fettlements "
2d'y. Becauie the Bill will transfer refponG
bliIty from the Wef-lnda Governors TO his
Majetty's Minifters at home that is. i, will
take Responsibility from thofe who alone can h.
Judges OF the neceiiity, and will give il to his
MaJeity's Minifers at agreat ti'ft?nce, who
cannot politely have any information in due
time to enable them to af on emergency
therefore the power of fuiPending the laws mat
be ultimately delegated to the perfons fror,
whom the responsibility will! be removed, TO
Per'ons who actually derive great enolument
from the frequency Of the ahufe.
3dly. Becauie 1t will ultimately r-nd.r our
Wet-lndIa Settlements dependent OH the Am--
rican States.
4thy. Became the Britiff, colonies in NORTH
america VIII be ruined or greatly preiudiced in
consequence of the admiffon Of foreign Ame-
ih WeR-Tndies. - ~
5thIy Becaufe Ireland in particular will H..
dependent on the dfcretion or caprice of MiniC.
ters or Governors for the provifion trade TO the
Wet Indies. " VIZ
6thly Becaufe, fince the relaxat;ons and f1f,
penhOns OF orr navigation laws. orr carrvin,
trade and commerce is transferred 70 foreionera'
the value OF Britiflr ihippng greatly deprecated,
and the quantity Of foreign fIipping employed
IN the Brtiih trade has increafcd, within late
period, in the proportion of l2 to l over Rritin,
ihipPlng, and thereby fhip-buildine is 70 alarm
ingy discouraged in this kingdom, that only two
lh'ps for the merchants frrvice have been bult
IN me river Thames fnce December 1909. n
period OF nearly l2 years, and only two
more are now building there and fhip.buildinq
IN general IN the feveral ports of England, has
decreafed nearly in the fame proportion.
7thy. Bccaufe, If the United KINGDOM and
itsdependencies cannot at all times fnrnil, tb,.
neceiiary articles to the Bri;iIh Wef.Indies (tne
W NhiSNB however,, may be DTOyedl
the intercourse with the American States for
iuPPlies, may and can be NOT flrely and ffea.
Oily carried on, az heretofore, in Britih min.
ping, nav'gated according 10 law, Of which
tncrc Is and has been large number nnernplov-
ed iince neutral vef1els have been permitted TO
enter the ports of the Briti(h WeG.Inda Cst,le-
meuts.
sthly. Becaufe, If the Fiips of the American
states are permitted to enter the ports of III,
Buuih Veh Indies, they will at the fame time
Introduce, as they do at prefcnt, all EaIt-India
ard European goods, to the detriment of the
Britilh Eaf-India Company, and to thu Ehic.
ping, the Manufactures, and Commerce of the
United Kingdom and it's dependencies.
IahIy. Becaufe the Petitioners aeainft this
Bill, who prayed that they might he allowed 70
tate how they fhsil be aggrieved thereby, have
| been retuied to be heard, notwithstanding tine
ltrong allegations hated in their petitions, whc,
they offered to prove by the mot refpcdahle e.
violence at the Bar of this Houfe.
(Signed) SHEFFIELD.