The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-31

France, orby England. 1t is practised from
various motives; and it never furnishes a
plausible ground for hostile retaliation, unless
1t be accompanied by other circumstances
| which mark its hostile character. Then, the
nation against whose vessels and cargo it is
particularly directed, may sometimes choose
to considerit in the light of zvar-n,easare
1t may be objected, that this measure should
| have been more specific in its provisions
and that of, foreign vessels, it should have
prevented British vessels only from taking our
cargoes OH board. But those who urge this
objection. forget the object of the measure.
The embargo was not laid to keep our car
goes, or our produce, out of the hands of C.
Britain but also of France. France too
menaces our property we may have causes
| ct Irritation with that power; we cannot an
tclpate the lengths TO which those may con-
duct US; and in case of a war with France,
would it not have been a ridiculous policy
tor us to have endangered the safety of those
cargoes, which have been transported in
French vessels and deposited in French ware
| houses9
| Those who make this objection, forget too
that the French vessels, which yisi, our ports
are comparatively few in number, that they
could take off very small portion of our
produce, and would in an inconsiderabe de-
gree relieve the pressure of this embargo up
on orr merchants and farmers.
| They forget too, that this invidious cxceD-
ton against British vessels would have fur
mshed Creat-Britsin with an adequate cause
Tor resentment and hostility; that she might
| nave considered it as a war-measure on orr.
part, to be properly retorted ky n similar. o,.
severer measure OIL her part:-Ver,, few
OF the advantages too would have arisen from
TINS exception, which its advocates con, en-
plate. Few, no British vessels would have
entered our ports; and those which are al :
ready IN cur ports, have generally unloaded
the EriffSh cargocs which they brought here.
and the present embargo actually prevents
chem from receiving any more of cur own
lproduce on board.
There are some, who may urge an oppo-
iSlte objection that this EMBARGO o,,plt Tn
lhave extended to all foreign vessels but 70
Those of G. Britain: they contend that thi !.
po''cy should have been pursued, because it
miSht nave the effect OF throwing the British
vessels & cargoes into orr possession. Those
VINO recommend this policy, NEST necessari-
iy have authorised British vessels net onlv n
Ihave landed their cargo, but to have taken
an American cargo on board if the first
lPr1Vhe3e only was conceded without the last
ie would be exactly the plan of the present
embargo. But Ii the British vessels were to
lbc permitted to receive a return carrc in ev
| ~SNAN4S'' now could If
throw British property into our possession ;
The return cargo would be Just the same
pledge II tie hands of 6. B. as her original
cargo vas IN tine hands of the II. $
L lie only advantage that could possibly
arse 10 us from this exemption, would be
thae whenever we apprchend 4 war to be
CERTAIN TINS exemption would bring some Of
the British pea8eia into Our ports. Anew
embargo might throw these into our posses
sion. But IS not this f0@sGi6ie ADVANTAGE
more than countcrbaanced by the certain in
,conVehiencies OF this measure (? In the first
place, u. B. would obtain monopoly OF ON.
commerce, and with it, all the ADVANTAGES to
herself and all the disadvantages to ourselves
winch monopoly of the market ALWAYS pro
Id"ces. She would sell her own manufac-
! lures Tor much more /; she would bun ON,
produce Tor much less, than their relative
value. his Is the very state of things. which
". H. would desire and it would consequently
furnish her with very feeble inducement to
discontinue those depredations of her own
"hich produced our embargo. She would
DC more disposed to continue the enc, that she
might enjoy the profits of the other.
| he advocates of this policy should also
recoliect, that the concession CT this CONNER
cal monopoly to @. b. would necessarily pro-
ouce Jealous and hostile spirit in France
nat power has made the most ASTONISHING
eHertions to cXpel the commerce Of hcy. RI;
val from the continent of Europe. She will
scarcely, therefore, behold her8e{f excluded
from our ports, and her rival alone admitted,
without necessarily feeling the keenest dis
appointment and vexation.
some persons, who are for getting the Bri
tish carsocs and vessels into our possession.
have proposed another method for obviatina
these inconveniencies. Instead of excrnpding
the British vessels alone from this embargo
they propose general exemption al 10
reign vessels. These politicians in other
words, obJectt 10 the present embargo, because
| 1t is not confined to our own vessels alone
According to their doctrine, their plan Of an
embargo would invite the British vessels and
Garages into Our ports, and in case of a war
would throw so much more of our adyersary's
property into our possession.-But this plan
would have given the same MONOPOLY to G.
Britain and the same jealousy to France
which the other system would have orodu.
ced.
There arc only two WAYS by which the IT.
.. import the manufactures Of Europe and
export their own produce these are frjtish.
or American bottoms. The nunberofFre
or Spanish vessels, which Visit.eur ports. is
not worth entering into the calculation. By
Z emoarSoing our own vessels, therefore. and
allowing free trade 70 all foreign vessels
we substantially grant a complete commcr,
.