The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-03

-FOUR petltlOncfS Will ABSTAIN from cnfof
cling, by any details. their apprehension
that these measures are likely to Interrupt
Cur peace with the United States of .dineri
ca; our intercourse with which, at all time
valuable, is intini ely more SO since we ar,
excluded from the continent of Europe. Il,
this only remaining branch of cur foreign in
tcrcourse. we must now look for dcmantlo
our manufactures, for many of the most i'm
portant materials for their support and fol
supplies Of provisions and naval stores, ne
cessary for our subsistence and defence. -
Your petitioners feel assured that they will
be able to prove to the satisfaction of OUT
honourable House, that the neutrality OF ID
ne.1cG has been the means of circulatinl- to
q large amount, articles of the produce and
manufactures of this country, in the dom;ni-
ons OF our numerous enemies, to witch we
have no direct access
That the annual value of British rnanufac-
lures exported to the United St4tes, exceeds
Ten Millions Sterling; and
That as ou'' consumption of the produce Of
that country fails far short of that amount,
the only means ofpaying us must arise from
the consumption of the produce of .1n,e1Tco
in other countries which the operation of the
Orders in Council must interrupt, and in
most instances totally destroy.
That the people of .dmerica, even if they
remain al peace with US, must b. a want of
demand for their produce, and by the gene
cal distress our measures must occasion, be
disabled from paying their debts to this coun-
try, which may fairly be estimated to amount
to the enormous sum of Twelve Millions Ster-
Ing
That the neutrality of .4merica, so far
from being injurious to the ether commerce.
al interest OF Great Britain, has promoted
materially their prosperity -
That the DrOCuce of our colonies in tbe
w. Indies, of our Empire i'll the East, and of
our fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland
has frequently found a foreign market by
this means: and
That by the destruction of the Neutrality
of the only remaining neutral State, all pos
sibility of intercourse with the rest of the
world being removed, trade cannot pos
sibly be benefited, but must necessarily be
annihilated.
Your petitioners feeling, as they do most
sensibly with their fellow subjects, the pres
sure of a war in which their commerce has
principally been aimed at by the enemy :;
would sCorn to plead their distress in recon-
mendation Of Measures inconsistent with
the Honor and substantial interests of their
Country; but they humbly rely upon the wis
dom OF the Legislature that this distress shall
not be encreasedby our own errors and thev
confidently believe that if they are permit
tSu W Illustrate ny SNluenCe tnc laCtS tney
here state, and TO explain many others which
they shall here refrain from enumerating.
they cannot fail to establish the conviction
with which they are so strongly impressed,
That the Orders in Council are founded
on the most mistaken opinions of the com
mercial interests Of the Empire, and must
be particularly fatal to those of your petit
oners.
Your petitioners therefore pray that they
may be heard by themselves or Counsel at
the Bar, of this Honorable House, and be
permitted to produce evidence in support
of the allegations of their petition; or that
this Honorable House will examine into
the nature and extent OF their grievances in q
ny mode which may appear advisable, wi h
a view of affording such relief as this Ho-
nourable House in its wisdom may think
proper.
And your petitioners. will ever pray.