The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-10-14

iubjc0 was 80 important and prciiiug, aud the
remedy 70 obvious, as it is asdged to be, why
this delay, why was it not taken up aud acted
upon immediately This delay could only a.
rife from motives Of ftate policy; and what
motives more probable than thof- of operating
in the mean time on the fears of this govern
ment and nation. BY uhering th. elaborate
report before the public. and delaying to aet
npon it for half year, it was probably expected
that the hottie meafnres it threatens would pro.
ducc an alarm on this iide of the Atlantic, and
Brighten US into fubmiilion TO meafures only
va lefs hottie complexion.
Eat this calculation is founded on crofs irno-
%oA it is founded on the perfullion that our
: Mr. government are TO uniformed as to
a.: 20 fwallow all the fafe differences
I'm the report from the mournfui fac,s i,
--.etaiis. Let US examine thefe differences, pre-
mihng pretioufly, however, the important ad-
millions of the report itfsif.
1t is admitted that the whole fugar cultivate
on of the Britih Wen India iIlspds is at prefer.
productive only of 'ofs, without making any
allowance ioi the mmenfe capital inveited in
the plantations, and machinery and utenis en-.
pioyed in working them; and, we may add,
without making any allowance for the expence 0
attending the inTsnfe naval force required for
their protection. To fuch dreadful picture,
what bright contraft do the fugar plantations
OF Lonitana prefent, where the clear profit is
certainly between twenty and thirty per CEN
tum ! Such are the advantages of peace over
war, of pacific over quarelfome nation, Of
, nation without colonies over one polfc Ned of
them, OF nation without navy over one pof.
feilrd of gigantic navy, OF a republic over
monarchy, of freedom over flavery.
Thio evil is principally afcribed to " the faci
lily of intercourse between the hoftile colonies
and Europe under the American fag"-by
means of which their produce is faid to he fold
at lower rate than that of the Bri,ih ilIands
But is this'a found petition? Allowing the fact
affirmed, is 1t the principal caufe of the evil
complained of /? The price of any commodity
depends, not merely on the expcnie incurred in
producing it, but likcwife on the extent of the
demand for it. This is 70 much the cafe, that
we have feen 10 this country the great faples
OF -four and tobacco within period of few
years varying, the former from FIVE TO twelve
dollars, and the latter from FIVE to ten dollars.
And yet during all this time the expenfe OF pro-
du6fion was the Tame. IF we minake not, it is
principally to this caufe that the depreflcd price
of fugars is to be traced; either the quantity
produced has increafed, or the demand has
funk. The laff is mott probably the cafe. We
al know that fugar ia not neee0sry of life
but that i%is a mott efential article of comfort
able fubiifance aud that, confequcutIy, its
confumpton will greatly depend upon the con-
Jdition of the people.--If they are in good cir
uuraaAnesa they will ufe it freely If in narrow
cIrcumitances, their ufe of it will be dirninif-a
and II IN AFFECT poverty they will ceaTe aItope.
ther to ute if. Now the wars of Purona and
the accumulated burthens produced by them.
nave reduced the people to this miferahle con.
oition' ana hence, as we apprehesd, the di,ni-
nishsd consumption OF this agreeable and nutri.
nous article. 1T this be the canfc of the reduc.
ca price, no palatves can afford a remedy.
,rh L.. Z,
Condition OF the people muf be elevated, be-
fore the root OF the evil is reached
mere is one way, indeed, in which partial.
perhaps an efficient remedy, might be had.
Let Britain throw off all exiting reflraints on a
free trade 10 her colonies. Let them enjoy all
the ADVANTAGES which it sfaid the boAile colo.
NEE derive from sneutral nag. No longer will
her enemy be able to underfell her in the mar
ket. Inc American merchant will carry her
goods as cheap as thofe which are carried from
the colonies of her enemy. There will then be
fair and honorable competition IndnRrv
and Kill vii! command reward for their eyer
tions. aud on this ground England has little
TO fear, for her fubjeGts are induRriaus and in
genions, laborious and enterprifing: and the
whole world knows, that whenever her govern.
ment does not refrain tbefc faculties, thew are
inferior TO no other people on earth. This ia
her true policy. The fooner ille purfues it the
better. For in the prefent fate of the world,
no nation can eaabit monopoly, without
paying more for it than it is worth
For this evil rigorous blockade Of The enc
mics ports, 10 propofed, together with an inter
di6tion of the neutral trade from them. II ie
perfectly clear, that what is here meant bv
blockade i, declared and not AT al7ualbIoeka9s
for vaR as the Britfh navy is, it is incompetent
TO the actual blockade of one tenth part of her
enemies ports. Thi0 thea is propoGtion plain.
ly and uneduivocay repugrant to the clesref
principles of the laws of nations, principles
which have never been ccntefled. Such mea.
frrc would copfcquentIy he an &C; of war againft
this nations and, if rigidiy carried into opera
ton, would probably produce war On pro
petition that directly leads TO fush refult il is
almot ufeefs TO argue; az rate of things
weuld foon enfue in which all argument would
be idle. 1t may not, however, he altogether
ufeleis to enquire, whether, even fIppohng A.
merica lhould fubmt to fuch violation of her
rights, the evil complained Of would be rene
died
The efTea of fuch rigorous blockade would
be to create 70 many obltdcIes in the way of the
preient carriage of colonial products by hmeri.
can veffcls as greatly t. reduce the exiting pro
hts. Now, it is theft very profits that have
given birth TO this trade; and jut in prooorti.
on as thefe profits fnould be diniin;fhed would
that trade DC abandoned. 10 this let it be adj
ded that the enemy Of Britain would probably
deal out 10 the neutral merchant the fame treat.
meet experienced from Britain. IF ihe thus by
violence prevented him from, carving the pro-
Irf4 .f h. H..