Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-08-15


superior advantages in the article Of cotton,
4 primary material for the business.
| The exports would not he materially af-
| fected, unless Great Britain should, con-
ttrary In ali probability, rcnoGnce'the bene-
| hrs ~ the trade IN them, and expose her
( West Ind "A is&nds 10 the danger offaniine !;
and in that case, the Inconvenience would
| not be local, IN. general.
! Even in the article OF tonnage, the me
| quality at present. though considerable,
was not so great as he had imagined, be-
fore he examined the red! state OF 1t. 1t
appeared, from the official reports lately
made on that subject. that the states south
o. Pennsylvania (Which has about her due
/ Share) have within one-third of their due
quota. Georgia has more than her snare
South Carolina nearly her share. North
| Carolina has three eighth below her share.
Virginia has about half her share. Mary
land has more than her share. Delaware
less than her share.
This competition is not, perhaps very ac-
! curate. because IL is Funded on the rela-
tive population Of the states. 1t should RAJ
| Their have reference TO the value and vo-
!ume ofthe produce exported from the Sc
! veral states: But as several OF them car
Try on their trade through their ,neighbors,
| this rule of calculation would, in fact be
more uncertain than the other.
| Whatever be the rule, Virginia, he re-
marked. was the state that appeared most
deficient; her exports, both in value and
bulk, being in full proportion to her popu-
/ lation, and her tonnage being more short
OF that, than could be said of any state He
had every reason, Notwithstanding to be-
: leve, that the great body Of the people of
! Virginia woud cheerfu!ly concur in any
! IL,
ry 10 v;ndicate cur public rights, and cur
commercial interests.
ltwas consideration that ought to- have
great weight with the southern states, that
a home market for their naval sores would
be extended hy every measure taVoring our
own navigation and that hey must soon
begin themselves TO turn to effect their ma
tgral advantage FOR ship bui ding 8aving
the materials on the spot, they would not
be long in initiating their northern bre-
thren. North Carolina was singul2rly IA
vored in this particular. There was NOT
a single article used IL the various compo-
nent parts 81 ship, which she did not pos
sess. or could not raise wiChn herself
The capacity of the United States, to
provide with celebrity for the tr..Isportati-
on .. her produce. was strongly attcsted by
What they had eff eeI before the revolution.
the United States, were part oi it, the A.
nerican bu !; ships we've to he British bull,
as 23 to 30 New England furnished about
thrce-fiitks of the former.
In two points of view, the southern states
were peculiarly Interested IN promoting our
navigation.
F1st--As they are in some respects, the
weaker part of the union, and have most
wealth exposed on the sea, they have most
need of that protection which results from
extensive marine resources. The existence
of these will either prevent attack, or can
readily be turned into the means of rcpel.
ling it.
Sccondly-Asthey have so much valuable
and bulky produce to carry to market, 1t is
their interest TO possess conveyance Tor
it, that may be as little affected as posSi-
bic by the contingencies and wars OF other
nations; and particularly Of Great Britain,
: a nation which is So Frequently at way, and
which has so dlspropoftionate share in
our carrying trade"
&c Ii had been asked what ground there
was for concluding, that Great Britain
would be lead by the measures proposed,
to change her policy towards the y. :.
He thought We had the best ground for rely
ing on such an effect
1t is well known, that when she aPpre-
hended such measures would be taken, she
manifested readiness 70 admit greater
reciprocity into the commerce between the
two countries. 4 bill Tor the purpose was
brought into the House Of Commons by the
present minister, Mr. Pitt, and wod'd pro-
badly have passed into n law, il hopes had
not sprung up that they should be- able 70
maintain their exclusive system. Knox, an
under secretary, appears from colleciien
Of papers published by him, to have been
the Ch ef adviser IN the cabinet, as lord
Sheffield was the great champion before
the public, Of this experiment 1t was
founded according 90 bo,h these witnesses,
! OF belicf---1st. That Noya-Scot.a < Ca
NADIA, would soon be able to feed the West
Indies, and thereby make them indepen-
dent Of supplies from the u. :. zudiy--
That the general government was 50 tccDls
that it could not execute plan of retalia-
ting rcstrictUn-and, Sdiy. That local in-
tcrests and prejudices predominated Sc
much among the states, that they woult
never even agree in making An attempts
; Ii is nos thoroughly understood and adj
mItted by the most BIASED Judges, that thu
British continental colonies cannot supply
tic islands: shat as wei! as the Islands. they
depend frequently fog essential supplies q,
the u $. This calculation Therefore ha,
{ failed Great Britain.
Tie next has bceu completely destroyc,
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