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

dnce Great Brnain TO pcrsey ere al the plan
OF conduct she has adopted towards tne L,
;. lies IN the supposed difficulty of reconci.
Eng their different interests and LEGAL pre-
Judices. The present occasion will decide
whether this hope also shall be withdiawr
from her; or whether she is to be inspired
w'th fresh confidence in pursuing her own
interests without due respect either for.
our interests or for cur rights
a." He then went into q review Of the ac-
tual state ofcur commerce, particularly in
relation To Great Britain; and OF the seve-
raj injuries o. another SORT, which that ma
ton had superadded to her commercial res.
trictions
He repeated what ne had formerly main
tanned, that there was more of reciDrocity
1.-the footing OF commerce between Great
Britain and ether countries. and between
other countries and the u. S than between
Great Britain and The u S. To prove the
first point he remarked, that in some in
stances Great Br tain had treaties with O.
Their countries which defined and stipula-
ted reciprocal privileges in other instan-
ces, her restrictions were counservaiIed
by laws imposing restrictions on her To
prove the second point, he remarked, that
no other nation with which the u. S. CAR
ried on commerce, had navigation act si-
milar to that of Great Britain.
With respect to the intercourse between
the u. S. and g. Britain, there was, he in
sisted, a want OF reciprocity throughout,
that must strike the most super fetal obser-
yer.
In the. article of navigation this had
been sufficiently pointed out, and being
admitted on all sides ne no, nc re Gated.
In the trade between the two coun, ries,
our best staples, wheat and -four, fish ard
oil, salted provisions, which amount To con-
siderable more than one third of orr cx-
ports, were shut out OF her markets :whist
all her best staples, her woollens, her cot
tons, her manufactures OF the metals, of
leather, and of silk, were admitted on mo-
derate duties, and enjoyed IN mannera
monopoly of our market,
In the articles Of superiority mutually adj
mitted, there was nothing to compensate
the inequality in other cases. Our tobacco
paid a tag OF four or five hundred per cent.
"ur rice h,ty or sixty per cent. and our ma
nufacturcs Of. every sort would not be adj
mitled W. ere ever so able to sendthem.
On the other hand, her superfluitcs were
received under duties, which in general
did not exceed from seven and an half II
fifteen per cent.
In the West India trade, besides tic ex-
| cius'on Of our vessels, whistler own were
lie [ free, there were a number Of our pro-
duCtions which were not admitted into the
market, there, whilst cur laws refused no
thing that was brought 10 inc market mere.
He nsXt turned his attention to the in
juries and losses we suffered i'll other res
poets.
AS he had not possessed himself of the
evidence, I've Should, me said, leave it to
those who had, to shew how far the Indians
were or were not sTuried On 10 w4ragainst
as, by the agents or partlsailS oi Great Bril-
tain. II was sufficient ground OF COM
plant, that the posts were wrongfully de-
tanned that the detention, had baneful
influence on the sentiments and conduct OF
the Indians and that the supplies for
their warfare, were derived FROM trade,
authorised by the British government, and
projected by the posts which of right We re
ours, and ought to be used for our defence
He combined this proceeding OF G Britain,
with the lawicss seIsure of our vessc under
her instructions Of the oth OF June last, OBJ
serving, that whilst OF one Side, she viola
ted the laws OF nations, by Carrying OH a
trade In ContTaband articles with those at
war with US she was IN another de, NIo-
latIng the laws Of natIuns, by Intercept,ne
our trade with those at war with her, in
articles not Contraband.
! The Indian war he observed, cost us an
nualy SUN. eXceeGing by one million, tue
sun that would probably be sufficient for
the defence ct our frontiers, if the posts
were in our hands. The fur trade depend.
/ ing on the posts might, he thought, be ioirly
valued at two hundred Thousand dollars
more"
(T'o be Continued.)