Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-03-18

"a
my colleague had loked over the report
OF the secretary of the Treasury, ans! had
attended to the amount of American pro-
perry aHoat, he would have seen lhut
there IS not less than one hundred mii;,-
ons OF dollars worth Of American proper
" al the mercy oil ,hc cruixers uf Britain.
believe that the naked vessels, inGeEeu-
dent or the products they Carry, amount
III value To more than thirty millions cf
dollars. 1t will be seen that The CON-
mcrce OF the U. States in exports and
imports amount to $50 millions, o! which
IL is lair 10 calculate That one third il con-
stan'iy exposed on the ocean. OF this
amount about forty millions is carried on
between the United States, and the pow-
or win whom II is proposed 10 cur oiI'ip-
tercourse. With this Zach staring tvs IN
The lace, would il be polite TO EXPOSE SO
much property To the retaliation al the
British ministry. When the gentleman
spoke OF The amount Of British dcpreta-
lions, he ought TO have stated the amount
OF those recently Committed. / believe
am not very wrong in stating the whole
amount Oh American property detained
ny british cruisers as not exceeding six
mIiiions OF dollars. On balancing, therc-
tore, their interests, ought the U. STATES
10 resortto measures OF hostility. TO inca.
sures which, IN Tie opinion of every man,
wllt justify retaiialion.
Besides would wish my colleague To
shew Us how we are 10 be supplied with
articles heretofore derived from G.. Bril-
tain. All articles Of iron manufacture.
hard ware, Cotton, and coarse woo!ens,
we are obliged 10 import from that Island.
From hcr East India do,ninions we ike.
wise import a eat variety ur useful arii.
cIes; while from her West.india islands
we import great portion Of one article,
spirits, which pays one sixth of our whole
amount oil duues-ihe amount Which we
get from her colonies will be found To be
iwO and half millions Of dollars. From
the same document il appear. that the
Whole OF this art Gle imporled from the
blush COMMONS IS Consumed in the U,
o'a'es. but II Is SAID that we may find
substitute ior IL. laCknouled dye II. We
may IND ih.s substitute in the products
OF our domestic dis,iiieries which paw 10
autiSs' Arc We prepared 10 sacrifice SD
y
from The importation For II will be oe
served that other kinds of spnits are in
great measure Exported from The United
States, while all that we import from Fri.
ush settlements is consum,d in this conn.
Try. ii The importation of British mann
iaciures Is prohibited | do not kuovy
whence ne are 10 be furnished with ti,e
articles We stand In need of. I,istr,,e.
france mas some rising manufactures. &
that she takes OIL about fourth Dart Of
tue cotton exported nom the u. States.
But are We, by this measure, 10 cur nff
the market OF the agricuituraiisl for this
article To tbs exieIi, of 10000 bales at
present annually exported To G.. Britaiyf
But the great and msterisi injury 10
the y. States, will be from he destruc.
ton oil revenue occasioned By this inca
sure. Inc present reveouc NAV be- es.
Tina ed =, lz,o0o coo OF dollars, orwh,ch
400, 900 doi,afs is paid on impor,at,ons
ifom G. Britain and h.r dependencies.
we nave an annual ~ppropi alton Of
100000 Tor the payment of the princi.
pal and interest of the public debt. We
have been engaged in ex,lnguishine this
N"~''J yG4iS1 anu NAYS SO
lar succeeded.
It's probable calculation that if we
remain at peace, and do nos cut off tie
right hand OF our revenue, the debt will
be ex,inguIshed by he year 1916. To
NE this IS an object as desirable as it can
DC to my colleague. DO no,, therefore,
wish 10 deprive the government OF this
large share ofrevenue derived from duties
on metchandize imported from G. Britain.
AS to The cHecl. Of this mes sure on
q. Britain, | might acknowledge, # it
cosid DC permanent, that il might raise
a clamor among her merchants and ma
huiacturcS, which might induce the mi
mister oi that nsiion TO relax in the cour.e
now pursued. But ! Will appeal 10 any
gentlemen couversaut with the state Of
the country from the year l7s2 to This
time, 10 say whether there is any pioba.
bllity OF our being abie 10 endure a non.
importation OF British goods for any
length OF time for more than about six
or eight months. We have neither stock
enough on hand; nor msnulaclures or
OF Gus own TO enable ms 10
DO so. Ii is true tbat our manufactures
are advancing surely, though slowly, and
may siaic ia confederation uf this facl,
what may not generally be known, that
IN the CITY Of Philadelphia, manufactures