The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-06-27

peedily terminating the war ct Leaf fecure the
opportunity of rendering it both fhe and lucrative.
Sach is the main body Of the argument in favor Of
the jnAice well as the policy ct our revivug the
rule of the Of 1856. The chief point iiue j,
the application OF that rule to tie eolonaltra ofthe
e,ieu,y-snd, without at all entering into the qaea-
on of tghr, We fhall proceed to offer few smple
coniderat;ons Which may tend thew that the view
of the cafe, in point Of policy, taken By the fuppor
ters os,he above dotarine is by means correct
one, and that the importance Of the whole matter at
ifue in the dfpute, has been enormoufy exaggera-
ted. The folaowing obiervst;ons proceed upon ;he
further admillon that the iaas Gaied by the advo-
Gates of bei,gerent rights accurately gve-and
alfo, that wherever neutral flag is affirmed
yer to the flip and eargoof beligerent power, 70
evident fraud is excepted from che argument. The
points to be n,. FAMED are, that whatever right
England may have to preven, the interference q A
r,erica in the French coohal trade, during war,
material advantage could be gained from the enforce
ment of fuch prohibition-that the real difference
between the former aud the prefer, method Of carry
ing French colonial produce, and fupPlying the
French colonies, is extremely trifing in ultimate
fecuencesand that other reslons of very poi,;ve
nature enjein departure from fueh claims, in the
preient Gtuation Of affairs. '~
To prevent fuppy Of COLOSSAL produce from reach
ing France, If not directly, at lead by roundabout
importation, exceeds the power Of the Brth navy i,
numerous and victorious as it is. Unieis caRfar.
refund every port of the French eos:t with fhps and
the land frontiers alto with troops: aud unle are
Gill further re(olvedt prohibit neutral nations from
trading with France in their own merchandise
ehandize of our colonies, the French people n,ua
tinue be iupplied with lugar and coffee, whether
we are at war with them not. Ii We prevent
fhofe articles from being carried drealy france
from her colonies, fna increaie of the price will
enable neutras TO import them into their own coun-
tries, and then re.export them to France If We
| fIaff he anil rtatio
though accompanied with re-andng of cargoes and
payment of duties, is til couiive tranfaaion, and
mu't be prohibited, continuation of she original
voyage then further inereae of price enables the
fame produce reach France in different veels while
the veflels that imported it take other fregh,s We in
fa only obiige the euras have fets of veels,
employed between the French colonies s, America
the other between America and France. The total
gain of England upon tlelc prohibitory operations,
is the cauing Frenchnien drink their coffee fome
fous pound dearer which is mot pitiful advan-
tnge TO us; and creating Inconvenience America,
which is no advantage all.
But fuppoie we go fep further, and prevent the
Americans from exporting the French colony produce
at all, upon the plea that this trade open
them during peace let us confder what confeyuen-
! ces will follow. One of three things muit happen
| if luch prohibition is rgorou1y enforced; either
the French will be compelled TO carry their produce
in their own Ihips--or the Englih will be allow ed
|
who will carry it TO France-or the produce will be
| condemned to remain in the colorIe.. If the
French venture at frt to freight their own vefels
with the produce, the Btifh cruzers will iufal,i-
bly, take them, at LEAH the rs Of capture which
made the French throw open this traffic to neutrals
vii! continue to be 70 enormous, that neither the
paner the merchant can afford it. This expedi-
emit will, therefore, ipeediIy be abandoned. If the
Engh traders allowed to purchaic and carry the
produce, 1t may be remarked, that fuch proceeding
iuch an intercourse with the enemy would be con-
trary 20 all the general rules of war, and would be
comProm,ie of our character for the gain of trade.
But after all, what great national end would be gain
| ed by fueh commerce? The French would paw
omewha higher for the produce than if neu.rals car
RED t-snd j few Engliih merchants would gain a
CERTAIN commiioG upon the fale of it, The capital
| required 70 carry or this and luddeny-created
branch of trade, would leave other branches in
which it had formerly been employed: and thoie
branches would be filled BY the capital of neutral ma
tons. AT peace, change would be neceiIl-
ry the capital fnulf partly fift bae,, again. and mui
in Part. be thrown out of employment altogether
Sueh changes are rather upon the whole hurtf thar
beneficial! III "a general view. Latfly, ifthe predu<e
OF the French coonies is prevented from being ex-
ported, it NUT rot there and the colonies mutt be
ruined-the fuppy OF proviions mutt fail-,he work
oi the plantations be fuipended-,he negroes revolt,
and the whole be involved in ruin Bcides the cruel
.
pralice of civilized warfare, which never attacks
private property, except at ea-the evils of this fys-
te'n would be hared by oureIvcs not only from the
ioI. Of cuifomers, which we fhould feel when 70
much wealth and indutry was deilroyed in the coun-
.ry OF our nearea neigbors, but ALTO from the ncacu-
liable danger of having cenes of rebellion and confu-
on IN the immediate vicinity of fneit colonies
The plan, therefore of preventing all expectation of
French colonial produce though the only confident
one in thofe who attack Neutral rights and the point
to which all their fuppor Of the rule of the war $50
necrtiaqly leads then,, is clearly objectionable on
the mott efablifred principles, both of policy and
uGce. r.--.t
There IS, moreover, very eGentill difnaion
TO be made between the ordinary branches uC trade
and that commerce which is employed in traufporting
rhe produce of the colonies to tie mother country
which is rather the remittance of their rents to the
great body of non-reGdent proprietors, than the ex
change of colonial FOR European commodities lf
Guadalupe or Cuba were countries unconneaed
with France and Spain, except by the intercourre Of
,rsihcif further relation fubliOed between them
than that the w India territories produced commodi-
ties, WHICH rho European natioos required, aud reuh
either purcl1ie direaly, procure by roundabout
cofnnerce-;hen it might be Of Iorne importance
according to the views with which maritime war is
carried OF, for England q, harrsls this branch of
SPdniib and French trade, and profit by taking 1t
into her own hands. The people Of Cuba and Qua
daloupe would teii be paid for their produce by En-
gh merchants and France aud Spain would he ohli-
ged to buy rIien ercuitou1y from Fnginnd--Hu,
he 81 If