Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-05-30
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,oa, shs NJ 4. Commercial Advertiser.

SaCoRTRAST.-lt Is not IoISottoh s.u"'
March last (ddring peiPle King aha
gloomy period of our mercantile ai.a'fs)
the merchants Of this city transmitted
respectful latter to the secretary OF state,
requesting Information on subjects OF .ne
HIGHEST importance to the commercial,
agricultural and mechanical interests OF on,
country. Fhe merchants expected, ana
ought to have received direct and e1Pii.
cit answer; one which should have ex'
spia;aed cu,. foreign relations SO tar as was
q cessary, to gesTd our cinzens against
pnusuaE hazards, and point out arsecure
ratb 10 ccmmercia! enterprise. INSTEAD OF
+, his the answer,like most OF the pubic co.
cuments or pa pers Of our present ezecu
tive, was unnecessarily cautious, obscure
and unsatisfa ctory. ! Some OF the most
.important<,o5ics Fof the letter were not nc
,iced at all, aud on none was any informa-
ton given blythe Administrations OF our free
goeernment, from. which the desired and
useful deductions could have safely been
drawn. Nowmark the contrast.
y Ia the same month Of March, me mer-
chants of Prussia, fearing ruP ure With
England, applied to The minister tor 'n:o'-
nation respecting the commercisi concerns
q their country. What was she answer
received by the Prussian merchants from
the minister Of their monafchcG} and aes.
p0tic government: " as i, like the an
sner of our republican government to the
merchants Of New York, indefinite and
D D. - |, ,hor c+lc ,,t faH
increase the already augmented gloom OF
thsir commercial horizon WAS it, ike
that, given in such cautious aa3 obscure
terms, as 10 involve the anxious and per-
picked citizen in still deeper so!iciIude and
perplex,iy? Instead OF this, it was, as the
answer OF The American minister ought to
tave becn, candid, expilci. and Satisfactory.
1t is sta ed in prompt and decided language.
that there then existed no sufficient ground
TO apprehend any hostile trea.mer Of the
navigation and the property OF Prussian
Subjects and that his Prussian majesty
had given his special command, that should
any change occur in the commercial rela-
tons OF he country, the merchants siiuuid
receive immediate Information at the fact.
ia~ths answer we find no evasion OF the
proposed questions, no reluctance give
the solicited information. he Prussian
merchants were not told, as the American
merchants were, communication OF
toe features of the prospect Of foreign oc-
currenoes which, if not multiplied and va.
red with the multiplied variation inc,den!
to>iss must itself become a source OF mis-
calculation, %" They we're not told as our
merchants were, that such communist
ton "would exceed the duty and rest0n.
sibiAty of any government" They were
not turned aside with the play OF words,
aud the sport of involved aud Obscure spe.
culatiops.
Whence this difference Of treatment and
Of opinion in the two governments Why
are the citizens of the American republic
denied that information which is cheerfully
given TO the subjects of monarch The
answer is at hand the cause cannot be
concealed.
ln Prussia, as in all other maritime ma
2;ions Of Europe, commerce is viewed IS an
objfc OF primary Importance to the W eltare
OF the country. The necessary and insepa
rable connection Of commerce with agricul-
ture and the mechanical arts is there disco.
vered and telto Hence commerce is pro.
tected; the rights and in'eresse of iudivi.
duals, embarked in mercantile enterpr'z S,
are readily consulted: and necessary in
formation willingly and promptly commu
1icated.
But in this country, where commerce is
the only source of revenue, there unfortu.
na,elp prevails 10 the government deeply
rooted prejudice against merchants and
mercantile affairs. A line Of demarcation
appears to be drawn between the CONNER.
cial and agricultural interest 10 ofthe coun.
try. Hence internal taxes are repealed,