Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-02-11


OF the Morning Chronicle. Ii is true,
that il is an opposition print; but it is not
less true, that il is uniformly animated by
a liberal and enlightened spirit and hat
for intelligence 1t does not rank second 10
any priH in the Kingdom. Wherever,
therefore. there may be a collision be-
tween the opinions of this print, and
those If the Register, we cannot hesitate
to decide which is deserving of the most
weight.
The most obvious Inference, deduct
bic ftom Cobbe,'s remarks. is that there
is no expectation in Britain of an embar.
60 or nc" importation. We are told The
Americans love money too much TO in
cur the hazards Of such q measure, that
il would reduce our merchants TO begga
~, throw our statesmen out OF bread, and
operate a complete overthrow ofthe gov
eminent. These are the dreadful bug
bears which are offered as lullaby to-
the fears of British merchants and limid
politicians.
On what basis is this superstruc.ure rails
ed On the irnpressiep that our merch-
ants have no other than English markets.
Is this true There is not we'll inform
ed man that thinks SO. II is possible
that The effect Of snch measure would
be a momentary stagnation OF trade, and
some Sigh, embarrassment consequent on
IL. But this is the most serious effect it
could have, and the merchant would prob
ably feel its injurious effects less than
the other classes of society. He wou!a
not fail 10 raise the price of his wares,
whose augmented value would more than
Indemnity him for the obs ruSiions thrown
in the way of his regular trade. And
for the Increased price Of foreign goods
consumed, the nation would be amply
unidentified by the diminished mas, of
consumption. That there would be an
exemption from all evil no rational man
will contend. We well know how much
Of our prosperity we owe TO freedom Of
nmerce, and we are aware that any
restriction would inlure us. But this
hes long since ceased to be the question.
Britain is iofiiGting fatal wound, not
merely on our trade but on our character
as an independent nation and il is TO
avert her blows that we are compelled in
self defence TO deal back the blows he
offers to convince her that If she has
the power of injuring us, we possess in
a zen fold degree The means of injuring
her.
Let things come TO the worst, and the
issue can only be this:
We shall be obliged TO abridge our use
Of English luxuries.
We shall be obliged TO manufacture
some articles ourselves that now come
from Britain.
We shall be obliged to turn our mer.
clian,men into privateers.
What w,li be the effect Of these mea-
sures on the two nations
The deprivation, we shall experience,
of Injuries, and our extended manufac-
lures, may be positive benefits. They
will, at any rate, not he dreadful evils.
On the other hand, the manufactures
of Britain, the only solid basis of her
sirent ihe only preserva,ve of her
glory, ~ni be paralised. Either the
thousands who support them, and sub,
sist on the lowest pittance that can pre-
serve animal lie, Will starve. or they will
rebel. Britain, in addition to an external
enemy who.e energy keeps her IN con,
slant ala'm, will have a still more terri
BILE enemy in her bosom.
Should there be reprsals, or in other
words, war, unfortunate as that event
will be, there can be no doubt but tina,
the United States will be more than
match for Britain in that species Of war
fare which will be waged.
Our merchantmen will instantly be
converted into priyateers. One hundred
thou' and tons of shipping will be turned
into f'oaling batteries. This flotllla, gu-
ded by The courage and enterprise of
our countrymen, will be more than a
match for the enemy. Every ton Of
British shipping, WIKI the cargo it con-
tains, IS equal IN value to three tons of
American shipping with their cargoes.
1t, therefore, we take but one British ves-
sci for the three taken from US, the re.
suit VIII be equal. We however conf
IDENTITY believe that the number of our
captures would exceed that of theirs.--
The vigor and cpterprize of our sea.
men strongly assure US of this issue
But we have better data. During the
late war, ben our resources were lew o.
feeble, we took more British vessels than
we're taken from US. IL such was then
The case, what may We not expeGt from
The great and commanding resources