The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-03-20
House. OF COMMONS, Jan. II.
american TRADE.

american Trade.
General Gafcoigne feeling the noble lord op.
polite (Howick) in his place, wiiied TO put a
queftion to him on a fubje6t of much impor-
lance to the commercial world, and involving
in a great extent the intereRs of his coritituents.
A letter had been publifhed lately, written by a
noble lord to a principal American merchant
Mr.. Stanfom) which letter required fome fur
Their explanation to remove an uncertainty that
had been created by it, as to the fafety of re-
Tuning the expectation to America, which had
been prohibited by the non-importation aG of
that country. He wilhed to know from the
noble lord, whether that a& has undergone a.
ny alteration. 1t had not come within the
range Of his Information that %congrefs had been
Attended 70 as to make any legislative %alterati.
on with refpe6t 10 the sf and he was not a.
ware whether the PRECEDENT of the United States
may have power to modify or fufpend the ex-
%ecution of it. In this uncertainty he addrefIed
himfelf to the noble lord for fuch information
as may make it generally known if the trade
could be returned with fafety ; or if it was fill
attended with all its recent hazard of con6fca-
ton, in order that, if there was no rifque, the
benefit of the trade hould be enjoyed univer-
fally (; and if there was a rifque, that no indi-
vidual fhould want warning to avoid it. He
hoped that the treaty recently igned, into the
proviiions of which he did mean to pry, would
be the means of eltablifhing lafting ord and
amity between the two countries.
Lord Howick was defirous to give all pofi-
BILE publicity to every thing which it was of
importance to the commercial world to make
generally known. He did not know to what
extent the hopourable gentleman's idea of pro-
per publicity may do ; but the houfe mutt be
aware, that it was im2ofible TO give the par
tieular and circumftantial information which
The hnDOrohlS gentleman deGrad in THE cafe
The communication made by him TO the chair
man of the committee of American merchants,
was a communication of the mere fa6 of the
hguing of the treaty. Undoubtedly, if the
treaty fhould be ratified, as there was every
reafon to expect it would be, the n~on-impoita-
ton at would be repealed of c%ourfe, and all
proceedings under it would be reverted. This
was all the information he could give. He took
this opportunity Of anfwering a quefioD put
by the learned gentleman (Mr. P%urciva) on a
former night which had cfcaped attention in a
ipeech he had then made.
The learned gentleman wiihed to know whe-
ther there was in this treaty any referve to his
majsfy of the right to exercife a controul, and
to enforce relrletions corresponding to thofe
| with the impo6tion of which the enemy pre-
fumed to menace the trade of bis m~ajefty's fub-
jeSts with neutral nations. He had now to
Gate, that there certainly was in this country a
full refsrvation TO his majelty of the right to ex.
ercife rehrictions equivalent to thOie which
neutral nations may iubmlt to allow the enemy
to ~exercife by their means sgainf the commerce
of his ~majsfy's fubje6ts.-H eari Heart
January Is.
Lord Howiek's communication on Wednefday e.
vening, reipeaing the recent Treaty with America,
feemed calculated to hlenee all the vague charges and
groundlef' Gufpieions which have been indulriouGy
circulated on this fubje6. His Lordhip is reported
TO have faid, that " HIS Majeay had referyed to
himfslfa right to proceed with as much rigour sgainR
the French commerce as the Chief OF the French Go
vernmsnt had employed againl us" Bat it is aledg-
ed, that " His Lordihip's aafwer cannot be deemed
at all satisfactory, for undoubtedly no man did or
could Guppols that the Treaty Of America had any
thing to 90 with refpea to the meaiures we might
;hiEk &; to adopt relative to French commerce." 1t
is painful to conceive that, for the purpofe Of deprs-
eiasinz the merit OF MIuiners, reeourfe hould be had
to fucn a paltry eguivoeation. At a time when the
lubiea Of difeufion rsipeds the abufe Of the Neutral
Flag, which is denounced as fubfervisnt to the Trade
Of France, which mutt otherwiie be totally Rsgnant
il is ahsrted that a commercial treaty with a nes,rs
nation " has nothing to do with refPsa to the mea-
furss we may think ST to adoPt relative to Frenes
commerce" This petition is advanced BY thofe wh'
have been loud in the outcry of the French commerce
unin.srruPtsJly satTisd On pnder Ees,ral colours, 8