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

70.
ON OUR TRADE.
A good deal has been said of the non-im-
portaticn act; Of its imbeciity and so forth
That it can be of no injury to Great Bril-
tain and little better than a useless expedieat
to the Z. States If this is really the case,
why all the Glamour about it's going into eff
feet, because, it will irritate England and she
retaliate-Who will be the loser in the event
OF forcing US to eXtrcmeties. It's well known,
that for number of years, the trade Of Tie
u. States to the British West India islands, IS
complete monopoly iii favor Of Great Bri-
tain; of course the participation in that part
or our trade is not equal. If then, the u. s.
do not participate equally in the advantages
OF their intercourse with Great Britain il is
proper to enquire, whether the nature Of
their supplies, and their present political ST.
tuation, do not enable them to demand and
enforce reciprocity . The supplies of
the q. States to Great Britain, consist either
OF articles of subsistence, articles for re-er-
fio'taston, OF tbs rude fabrics far Dianufac-
tnl'ea The articles of supply from Great
Britain, 80 the u. States, are for their o7vu
consumption, and the great proportion, 1T
least, In point OF value, consists of M1uriea
The British Empire is incompet mt to her
own supply of subsistence, and is every day
becoming more so.
Twovery interesting reflections may be in
terred from this consideration. The one,
that continual increase of debt, and paper
machinery, will not produce a correspond
ent increase Of ability in the nation to feed it
self. That an infnity of paper will not pro-
duce an infnity of food. The other, that
proPortioned to the inability of G.. Britain to
feed herself will be her dependence upon a
nation who can feed her. The o. S. furnish
an abundant supply of subsistence for herself,
and, but that England does not deserve it,
might still feed her encrcasing wants
il the two nations cannot avoid the alter
native" who shall do each other the most
harm we have this consolation, Gift can be
considered one q. B. cannot change the direc-
ton of her labor; Every species of occupa-
ton and employment is not filled but sur
|charged-her subjects will be compelled TO
plough the ocean for subsistence and plundcr.
In the y. States, agriculture, the primary
occupation Of man, is not yet filed: hence
the facility of changing the direction Of la
Dor.
1t is a fact, that one sixth Of the whole
exported manufactures of the British donnini-
ons. finds market and consumption in the
y. States /; it is computed, that at least SO,
600 hands are employed in making this sup
ply: stop the consumption, and examine the
effect. Many persons are of opinion, that
no great effect can be expected from so tri-
vial a cause. They should reflect that the
nation is incompetent to her own supply OF
subsistence: is growing more so cut offfipm
her derWer resort in South America, and
that every occupation is surcharged. To de-
prive.5 900 persons of the means of subsist-
ence, would not be trivial cause. Shut
ont from the markets in Europe, in such I;
ssate of things it would be a great cause,
and even the auxiliary expedient ofthe non
importation act will produce great effects
What is the actual state of Great Britain
She is tottering under the weight Of king. n
court, prohigate nobility, a priesthood, ar
mics, navies, debts, and all the complicated
machinery of misery and oppression, which
serves to increase the number of unproduc-
tive, and lessen the number of productive
hands, and is the true source of the inability
OF the nation to feed herself. she Is at this
moment engaged in war with Europe while
taxation is already carried to the ultimatum
of financial device--thc ability of the people
probed to the very quick in the payment of
taxes, constituting ut once the debility of her
systems and the decrepitude of old age On
the other hand, the United States, in the flow
err Of youth, increasing in hands, increasing
in wealth, and although an initiative policy
has been pursued by the predecessors of the
present administration, yet the operations of
natural causes have, as yet, in a great de-
gree, countervailed their influence, and still
furnish great superiority, in comparison
with the resources of Great Britain.
II has been said that one-8irkh Of the trade
Of Great-Britan is carried OH with the Uni
ted States, and that one hajf of the trade of
the United States is carried on with Great
Britain; and from these facts it is Inferred
that IN case OF a commercial zUar between
the two nations, the United States would be
the greatest sufierer.-From a mere thcoret
&c proposition. the inference would be Just
but IT is completely reversed by the existing
practical state Of things. In the existing state
of things, the one-Sizth Of the trade of Great |
Britain to the United States, is extremely