The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-04

ing him Alright to knock me down. 1t we deem
1t our interea not to trade with particular na-
ton, have we not right To- FAY 10? A nation
with whom we have 20 commercilltreaty, and
towards whom, therefore, in regard to trade,
we have a right to act as we pleafe. IF COM
mercial treaty exifed between us, it would be
our duty to obierve il but without Que, we
have an undoubted right to fay whether, we
have or have not Ife for her productions. If,
then, this be apcace meaturs, why treat il as
a war meafure! But il is fad that it will lead
to war, Britain Ia faid to be great nation,
high fpirited and proud, and therefore we mutt
not take this fiep for fear OF the conieuuences.
Trace this argument. See where it leads us.
It leads US to this. That with powerful ma
ton we NUT on no account whateve, quarrel,
tho, tbe may Commit ever 70 many aggreiiions
on our right. No, we NUT not, let her 90
whatever length !he may, until on this fame
principle, we Mail be called upon to farren-
der our Independence, becaufe we have to deal
with powerful nation IF we do not make
fand now, aeainft her aggreiIions, when or
where fhall we do it! But one alternative will
remaIn-To 5ent! our necks, to crouch beneath
the tyrant, TO fubmit without murmur to her
iniolencc and iniuftice.
II is iIrpriGng to ME to fee this re(DIution
tcouted by gentlemen, when this fame meafi,re
has ever been confdered as the mott proper in
trunlent with which to contend with G. Bri-
tain. If we look back to the times of the tamp
act, we will fee that this was then the opinion
ct the American people. Voluntarily at
ioclating themfelves together, they cheer
fully and nnhelitatingly, as the means of
obtaining redrefs, rclinGuin. d the luxuries, ard
even the mechanics of life drawn from G. Bril-
tam. Ihefe ALLEGATIONS were voluntary as from
the htuauon OF the colonies they could not
be otherwiie- And it is remarkable that G.. B.
u'o nor conilder this as .cauie of war though
me people ot this country were then her fub-
JectS. Coming down TO later times and ap.
preaching the period of our national indepen-
dence the fang meaft,re was reforted to, and
conlidered an effe6tual expedient to obtain re-
dreis OF our grievances. In l776, what was
the fenie ofthe people of England on this fub
Jcet' and how did they feel the effects of the
noh-iinportation agreement of the colonifs
Let them fpeak for themfelves.
mere icarce was ever any affair debated in
Britiif Parliament in which the public thought
themtelves more deeply intereited, or for the re-
fult of which they felt more impatient anxiety
than the preicnt, nor wasthe ref of Europe eff
Peciaiiy the commercial part, inattentve 10 the
event.
The fecond fpeech from the tkrone. "a
well as the firft, pointed ont the American af.
fairs to the Parliament as the principal ohieet
OF ITS deliberations: both houfes by their d
cTeiieS ii'ewed that they looked upon them in
the fans import ant light.
PETITIONS were received from the merchants
OF London, Brittol, Lancafter, Liverpool, Hull,
Sia'gow. &C. and indeed from mott of the trad
ing and manufacturing towns and boroughs in
tne kingdom. In thefe petitions they fet forth
inc ereat decay or their trade, owing to the
new laws and regulations made for America.
The VAT quantities of manufactures Decides
theie articles imported from abroad, which
were Pnrcbaicd either with our own manufac
turts or with the produce of our colonies)
wh'ch the American trade formerly took off our
hanas' ny all which, many thoufand manufac.
'urers' ieamen and la5ourers, had been employ.
cd TO the very great and encrealing benefit of
the nition. That in return for theft. exports The
petitioners had received from the colonies,
nee, indigo, tobacco, naval flores, oil, whale.
ms furs, and lately potalh, with other ftapIe
commodities, behdes large balance in remit
.ances, oy hiila u exchange and bullion, oh.
tanheo oy the coionifs for articles of their pro.
uuce, NJ" required tor Britifh market, and
therefore exported to other places.
!" That from the nature of this trade, con.
lifting of Britifh manufactures exported. and oe
the import OF raw materials from Ayner;ca. ma
ny OF them uied IN our manufactures, and all
OF them tending to leiien cur dependence on
neighboring Hates, it mutt be deemed of thc
hiShen Importance IN the commercial fyffem
OF this nation, that this commerce, 70 bepeh.
claI to the Rate and 70 neceiIary for the fup
port OF mnltitudes, then lay under fucb diff
cultles and diiCouragements, that nothing Jefs
Juan us utter rum was apprehended, without
the immediate interpolation of parliament"
AT the concIulion of our laft volume we
ilw the nation involved in mot djareGaful cir
cnmltances that could we'll be imagined /: our
manufactures at ftand, commerce almof 70.
tally annih'iated, proviGons extravaganza, dear.
and numerous populace UNEMPLOYED, with.
out the means Of procuring livelihood. Such.
and 10 gloomy was the profpea that opened at
home" ~
Vol. TX. Ann. Reg.
Down to the beginning ofthe American war
this was uniformly conlidered as the mofl pow.
erful inltrument in our hands to obge Britain 70
90 usJuttlce. Since that time, it will be found
That the tame fentiment has been expreGcd by
the Houie of Representatives Of the United
states. by recurrence to the journals 1t Will be
ieen that on the CIR Of April, i7si, this refce
luton was adopted.
Whereas, the injuries which have been c,,f.
tered, & may he fuFered by the u. s. from yio.
lations committed by @. Britain, ON their pcn.
tral rights and commercial interens, as well as
rom her failure to execute the 9TH article of
the treaty OF peace, render il exnedient f,,.