The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-18
FROM rHz 'wE,r,oRx HERALD.
MEMORIAL,


To the PRECEDENT of the Unised States, and the Sc
nate aud Houie of Representatives of the Unitee
States e America in Congress aiembed. TIL,
Memorial Of tire Merchants OF the city OF NsSU-
7o,L l...l
YoSs MemoriaHhs beg leave respectfully TO ap
proach the government OF their country, on iubje3
of great importance, which have affected their mind
with the dsepsa anxiety and alarm.
Conhding in the iuitiee and friendly dnpoftions oi
t,,s government, Of Great Britain and entertaining
CORRESPONDENT expectation that mutual reiri9ion.
would be impo(ed on Neutral Commerce, withou,
adequate motives and the mott ample notice pre-
fumng Especially, that commercial enterprises COM
menced under the fan6ion OF eiabliihed principles
would on no account he affected by Grange of iyf
TEN ynur men,or;alias have employed vaR eapi-
tai in importing various colonial PRODUCTIONS, the
furps Of which, exceeding the demands Of this
try, they have been accueoaed to export freely to
the different markets OF Europr.
After this commerce had been profecuted withou,
retriSion for fever years, and had attracted great
proportion of their wealth after their nfurers had
allnued imu,ene RESPONSIBILITIES grounded OH an o.
pinon tina, this trade Rraly regular having
yer received the nghteft animation, that it could be
deemed incompatible with the rights Of helligerent
nation, they have been fudienh coDioundsd, by un-
expected intelligence of the arrenation the high
feas, of large portion Of their property which
hal been embarked with the n,on unupecting conii-
dcnce.
Ihs feelings of your memorialiis are not only cx-
cited by the oies which they have actually tained
in copfequenee of neaiure unfuiceptbie of previous
calculation, bat ALTO from the fate of uncertainty in
which they placed, with relped to future COM
Inercial operations.
Your u,cnioria'ias have heretofore believed that
between the U. States aud colonies fube9
to the enemies of Great Britain, when Iona Eae pro-
f.cuted on their account, would be perfectly
fate from interruption: They have ALTO believed, that
all articles, which nigh, be fecurely imported into the
United States, mighr be fecurely exeor!eS with
the exceptions well underiood, both in refpecl to
the import and export trade of commerce with pla-
css blockaaed, or in articles coDtrsband of war.
In recent interpretation Of wha, is eon6dered by
the tribunals Of Great Britain as dfrst2 raIt be-
tween the colonies and the parent countries of their
enemies. your men,oriaits perceive with concern,
the development, ofa principle, which, if conceded
Oil the part Of the Usted Statss, mu prove fatal to
their commercial importance
1t is undcr,tood 20 have been decided, that when
ever appears be the intention of the importer of
colonial produce, export the fan,e to Europe or
whenever it is 70 exported by the original importer,
iuch intention exportatiou. fha be evidence of
dire7 'rak and iuhjea the property, though neutral
to cnn6feation.
F.lr rnemoraliGs eoniider it their bounden duty
to themelyes and their country, expres their mon
decided eppnition to this decGon.
As to the evidence ariing from the fuppofed inten-
tion Of importer, they readily admit, that the
great quantities Of colonial produce, which are ac-
qured by means Of the American commerce, exceed
ins the demand for confumption in the United States
tawly ju'tifY general prssretisH that the urpus is
ultimately defined for European markets They al
ierr, however, chat ehs Intention of merchant, in
reipe6t TO the JafHyr dain1fi" IF biz property, mutt
from tie nature of things h- pconcluve. All plans
OF 5uneIs formed by individuals, are liable to be af-
fscted by circumstances, not 70 he fore(een or con-
troued: tf,ee plans therefore necearily revoka-
be By thoie who fern Their, and an lsienroa which
his not 1.ea executed, proves nothing than might
iItly be Inferred from general preunp,ion ariiing
f,ou the courle of our commerce, To apply iuch
intersion, in particular cafe to the prejudice of
Individual prefpne that he has voluntarily III
cured in,ene rine, which, confidently with the
T.ccels Of his main obje6i lie might have fairly a.
roiaad, an, 10 involve him in ruin for profeeuting
trade, ~h;ch, fundertaien with different, motive
would have been declared lawful would be, in the
opinion of your menoriaIilts, confound and re-
vere the bea eabliised principles of rsaop, equity
aad law
Your n,eraoriaiAs contend for no innovations ON
abe law Of na,ons and, except where fpecal trea-
ties have precrbed different rule, they admi, that
they may hwfully be rsransd from tranfporting the
property of the parties engagedin In the recent
dieion which prohibits importer of colonial pro-
dlce from exporting il to Europe, they however per-
Ce!@e WiihCo'ctFh, SlsHeF migratory ana yeXatious
regulation, or nsdt4teJ blow, at what they deem
an incoDteftihe and valuable right.
Heretofore there exifed clear and obvious circum-
itances of difcr siinaon, between the 9irs7 trad.
which Great Britain has aTuned the right of deny
ing ne,srlis, aud the indire6 eireyiiom trad.
which Ihe admits to be lawful. The direct trade
could beperforHied by Jingle hipmens or voyage ;
whereas, the circ,ons trade fubjeeled the property
to doa5fe freigb;s and ininrances, TO deductions in
favor Of tie revenue, and various ether expence.
IL ms country.
Ii the arrival Of dhip In the country to which it
belongs; the landing Of the cargo the npecaon of
the Cuftorn-Houfc the payment or fecurty of du-
ties; do not terminate voyage; then confefs our
ignorance point, which, never having been be-
fore quehioned, ba; been afuuied by US as all ackno-
lodged truth. 1.-THE entry for expectation; the en-
barkation of nerehandixe; the re-infpcefon of the
Cni.om Houfe the bond for fecuring delivery in
foreign country, and public clearance do NOT ndi-
cate the commencerfent Of voyage, then we aye
vet learn the meaning the cxproon. If all the
fornilities and fsn9ions etabsi for the fecurty of
our revenue II operations Of mrnenle magnitude,
traufacssd with the greatef publicity, and without
airy motive OF eo1cealment, conidered as unreal
approximations and merely eoourable and fraudulent
eontriyauces to cover Illicit trade, between the
colonies and the parent countries Of the enemies Of
Great Brain then becomes neceiIary, both in re-