The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-11

IL would be remembered that the bill had been
recommitted, amended, aud mo-
dihed with the utmott labor and nill. Be6des
the talents which the Senare afforded, all the
tources OF executive information had been drain
ed, to asl their refearches. And the letters of
the Britiih and French minifers, complaining
of the conduct of our merchants in forcing this
trade, were opened to Our view. The crude
masertai'of the bill had been hammered at and
worked upon 10 deliberately, as TO have at laft
received the complete burnifh of law. With
a'fthe knowledge that could be derived from 70
many Quarters, the hill was at length paaed 10
check the violence of Our riavigators. and to re-
itra'n tie adventurous zeal of orr merchants.
!! he provifons Of this law, were iuch as it was
seemed Just and proper that neutral nation
thould take. And this was liberal coudcrcen-
fion to the WHITES Of the two great naritirne and
be'ligerenr powers without forgetting t!ie ref.
peet that we owed 70 our own. With both
theie he wiihedto cultivate peace and good un-
oertsnding; but TO neither OF them would he
content to yield any portion of our neutral aud
national rights.
The difficulties exhibited ia the miniferiaI
correipondence, Dr. III. Erid were thus rernov-
ed. With aptomptitUde that Cieirrved to be
admired, Congrefs interpreted its authority, for
me purpoie At once of doing iufire to our
'e,snoors' regulating our commerce. and trau-
'"( NfN@iSdbtrdS. WIN the Ia ilta-
~ provlhons, he believed the two complaining
nations, had been fitissed. At leaf we had
aone 10 much that they ought in all reaf;>n tn he
content. Conerefs had already ,naaifeftcd
due regard to ali that France aud Great Britain
mad offered upon the branch of Wett-Ind.,n
commerce, and in the true iprit of good ueich-
oornood, and correct principle, had modified
the n!ercourfe with Hayti. And
10 FULLY did the Europea IS tecm to acouier.e in
our conduct, that he had not heard auv further
made by either OF them about it.
ttt thought the obfervations of the gentleman
from Niahachutrtts Mr.. Adams) very much in
Po'",. Under a conviction that We had done as
much as public faith and national honor reouir-
ed, he had given his vote againft the iatrodnc-
tion of imilar bin duriH;, the lad FELTON,. No
thing had occurred from that time 10 this dav.
10 a!'er the circumstances of the cafe, or 10
MAKE II ncce1tary tor him to change his conduit
nc 'hought now, as he did then, that there
was danger of overatting our part and oedoing
700 much; of being good to our neiahbors, to
'uch degree, and IN fuch 4 manner as To be
very cruel To ourfelves.
AFTER all this confederation on our part, after
lnquirIng into the alIedsed mifcouducf OF our
people, and taking immediate me tfures to pre-
veht the repetItion, and after having done all
mat we politically could or that we honorabIy
ought, the fubjett is one more introduced to
the Senate. 1t comes now, rot froru the exc
'u'iVe department, not from the cabinets of the
naoons concerned, nor from he recommen-
nat,on of Senatorial committee, but from
Inc fuegeftions of an individual member OF our
own body. -a
The commerce Of the United States be faid,
vas Nh attoaiihing fpettacle. 1t reached from
Attic TO Antarctic and was co-extenfve with
he circu nsference ofthe globe. Mod of the
ma 'ited countries of the ear,s we're sifited by
'nr navigators, and the ftriped As, of the uni
ID nuttered IN the remoteh harbors. Our
;ountrymen have made material additions to
ne icIence If Geography. They have found
markets uns1o%o to commercial men before
ney have derived cargoes from the depths OF
ne ocean, and laid the cod, the zeal aud the
vhale xnder contribution. They have export
a ths Productions of their own happv coua-
ry, 10 fertile in the articles which fuifain and
,heriih life, toall places wherethcy were wanted
md brought home the crude msteriais or the
manufactures of thofe regions in return. B.
IN energy and enterprize unexnmplied in the
i'tory OF the human fpecies, they have excl.
ed the jeaoufy of foreigners, who are not on
y behind them in mercantile exerton, bu, who
'annot weigh an anchor or reef top-,al e.
lual to them.
Such was our fituation, peaceful, indutr
.N'' any uSh' Jus WI Hlcdtuflng ont liberal lui-
ice to all 'oar neighbors. But this was no pro
eetioD againft commercial rivafhip. EsraLa-
ion and competition exijRel in all 1aLiag5 ami
'roflDfon5. Mercantile iealoufy had been a.
armed by it. Experience had fhewu 10 the
noa active ofthem that they were uufucceG.
nj competitors. What was the confeouencr (?
They had endeayored to interrupt by force or
tratagem, that predominant trade which they
could not Guido or equal by fair means. In
me Ravens of Britain the port-charges were of
the mott exorbtant kind. The money paid bv
Us for paiiiDg their light-houfes was executive.
Thefeesfor performance ofquarantne, were out
Of all proportion TO the good expected or fer.
vice done. Convey-dutics were alfo frequent
ly exacted. And the cuaom houles collected
A higher rate of charge upon merchandise ex-
ported to the United States than to any part
of Europe. In addition to all this the CRITTERS
OF that nation had made the mott ungenerous
dbuie oi the puwer vi fearefiiiig our vriIsis.
They had taken ont and impreGed into their
iervice, enigrants coming To our country. They
had violently drawn into their f.ryice, our iea-
men, natives of our land. Naturalifsd foreign-
ers had not been fpared. Our neutrality had
been violated by their forcing our impreHcd ci-
tizens TO fight againa the political friends of
their country. Our hips had been frequently
detained and fpoed on the high fcas and their
officers and crews grofsly infllted. VgHeIs
bearing the varegated ftripcs and confteIIated