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

ana had ttiii remained 10. L hns crS bpi RANGED,
they would certainly have avoided thofe dam
gers which flow from the weakness OF an ex-
tended trade, and tho!e lttxuries which have hi
thcrto proved 70 fatal TO morals, happinefs, and
liberty. In my opinion we fhould have been a
happier people without commerce. Among the
considerations which have Induced me to believe
that this would have been happy fate, is.that
we ihould have enjoyed perfect ft.,te of hfety.
We mould not have been under the ueceffity OF
conflicting with foreign nations, becaaie c6m-
merce, and commerce alone, can produce thofe
Conflicts. have expreffedthis opinion, III thew
that have not been led by any particular at
tachment to commerce, to take that part which
nave declared would do ON the prefent oc-
Gallon. But what was the ftnstion of the a.
merican people when they era found them
ie'ves natioD And what are the duties inn
poied upon us by the compact We entered into |.
As to any ahftraa opinions we may entertain
on this fnbIett, they Ought to have no influence
mere upon us. j Rand 6src on other ground,
and Care not reiif the dictates of duty. was
atton'iied yelterHay to hear il mentioned by the
gentlemen from Virginia (Mr. J. Randoph) and
boldly aferted, referring to the contribution,
fhat the American government was under no
oohgat'on to protect any property of its citizens
one foot from the fhore. was aitoniihed at
this declaration, becauie / could fee to what it
went. L Jaw, if this was the opinion of the
'outhern tates, where would end. The fitu-
at'on OF tins people, when they became natl
on, was thus The eafern fates might proper
~ De LAID to be commercial people, as they
lived by commerce the middle ffatcs were
partly commercial and partly agricultural the
'outhern hates, properly fpeaking, were agri-
c"Hufal. This oppoition of character mutt
have created great difficulty in forming the con-
lt'tution, and, IN truth, this and other points
threw great obhacles in the way of it's forma-
ton, But iPirlt of concel1ion overcame all
difficulties. Is it, however, to be believed, that
the eattern ftates, properly commercial, or the
'niadle, Partaking equally of the commercial
and agricultural character, would have united
WIN the fouthern itates, if they had been told
.pat commerce was to receive no protection?
NO, iir, 1t Cannot be believed. But take high
or grounding Compact itlslf referred to by
tne gentleman from Virginia. Let us examine
the powers vetted in Congrefs under this COM
pact, AID decide whethercommerce was. sr wac
not intended to be protected. IF there was
nothing fPecific in thefe powers, the firft page
wosto NOW the intention of its Trainers eve,
the people OF the u. S. in order to form more
pertect union, eftablifh juftice, eniurc domeitic
"shqu'hty' provide for the common defence,
promote the general welfare" Sc. IF we 90
on to the 10th page, we fhaIl there find the
power given to Congrefs " to provide and main
tam navy. Is the protection of commerce
contemplated here, or isit not In other parts
or tne inifrnment, we perceive thr power TO re-
guiate commerce veited in Congress. VIII any
.'iD' pretend TO lay that the power Of cfablih-
'E navy can be eIercifed independent of
commerce Every man of common G.nG.
knows that navy cannot even exift without If
Having sufficiently ei,ablifhrd the right
OF commerce to protection under the con.
eHution' come now to confder the re-
io'ution under confederation. We find our
rights Invaded 10y foreign nations, and an at
'dck maae ~ one nation on our carving trade,
winch III my opinion cannot be warranted by
the law OF nations. | fhail not condefcepd TO
argue this point. believe it to be lawful trade.
let whoever may deny it. Ibave taken Some
pans to make myief acquainted with the fub-
ject' ny reading fcveral Treaties upon it and
hot"ithhanding the contempt with which
CERTAIN book was yefferday treated by the gen
',e'nah from Virginia, will venture tc predict,
'hst "hen me mortal part of that gentleman
and myfe;f ihal be in aii,es, the author of that
work will be conGdered great man. Nor do
Judge IN ths cafe exclofiveIy from my own o.
pinion, but from the opinions of men of difin.
guiiheo talents, from 5iaereut and dinant parts
or inc union, who all concur in faying that the
writer has concln1yeiy e(tablifhed the principle
ne contends for. indeed could not have be-
heved, had not hesrd it, that representative
otthe American people, in the face of the le-
giilature, would have reinquiihed 70 precious
Prntiple! But there was curious feature
IN all the luminous diit oyeries yeRerday dfclof-
ed 10 us by the gentleman from Virginia in
winch he ffricty obferved the rule of the rhe
torician, where point could not be inftif-
ed, TO get over 1t as well as he could. On the
Impeachment of our feamen he faid nothing. He
kne" that the American feelings would not
bear IT. When think of what is called the
carrying trade, conlidcr it fna evil COM
pared to this. 1t has been compared TO Alge-
rine iavery, but il is worfe. What is this i'm
preiiment /? Your citizens are feized bv the
hand OF violence, and if they refuse TO fight the
battles OF thoie who thus lay violent hands IN.
on them, you fee them hanging at the ward arm.
In the krit place, they are obliged 20 expofe
their perfons to murder, in fighting the battles
Ola nation to which they owe no allegiance e.
They are obliged to commit murder, for il is
murder to take away the life of man who has
given us no offence, at the fame time that they
e%poie their own Perfons to the commiGion nj
murder. This IS the true point of lj,ht in
WHICH have always confdered this horrid and
barbarons a0, for which, indeed, cannot
md language efficiently frong TO exprcfs The
Indignation feel. This is the fitua,ion of orr
country Our commerce deprecated upon in
every lea, oOr citizens dragged from their bones