Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-12-02

W.
constrained to acknowledge tl.at iva. =. :.
least fortunate. If the dangers 10 which 90
commerce was then exposed rendered ~,
measure proper, how can gentlemsp ssr;
sonsly contend that while those dangers COR
tinue, it ought to be removed, witnout nro
posing some more efficient measure As
substitute.
Weare tod however that the ayowed Oh.
iect OF this measure was to secure our pro.
perry and seanien from capture, and that il
was represented to-the two belligerents as
measure Of prrcaution, not of coercion or
hostility. Il is in its nature precautionary
measure, and It was the duty Of the presi-
dent to represent it in that light to foreign
governments, and whatever Inconvenience
may result to them from it, they cannot b..
i the law Of nations consider it as a Measure
!, Of hostility. Yet the gentleman from Con.
necticut tells Is tIiumphanay that it has nc,
leonly failed to produce any effect upon fo.
reign nations, but that it never will operate
as measure of coercion. If the gentleman
does not think this measure the best thar
can be devised, and thar some other would
better suit the present state of things, it is
certainly his duty to propose it, andnot to
! press neg atiye proposition calculated mere
~ to censure, to find fault. / sincerely Ia.
1nent that this measure has not been produc.
tive Of all the good effects anticipated. But,
(, sir, although it has not, owing 20 numerous
| evasions and violations, together with ether
causes, induced foreign powers to disconti-
nue. their depredations and restrictions upon
our commerce it does not necessarily fol.
low that # persesered II and properly exe-
cuted, it would not produce this effect L,
I is some consolatic to the friends Of this
1 measure that il has been productive Of some
| good. Ithas prevented large portion Of
sour property from falling into the hands Ct
1 the bellgerenss, it has preserved place and
afforded us time to prepare for war, if this
! sad alternative must be resorted to. The
! gentleman from Connecticut and the gentle
man from Massachusetts do not appear to
! agree as to the effects OF this measure. The
1 gentleman from Connecticut contends that
!, it had no effect, while the gentleman from
Massachusetts informs us that it had very
considerable effect on Great Britain III May
I or June last. If it has at any time had an
effect upon either of the belligerents, it
proves at least that Its advocates did not
miscalculate as much as the gentleman from
Connecticut would induce the world to be.
|lieye. The gentlemen have cited a French
expose to prove that the en,bargois APPROX
ed by that government; this document |
| have never. seen, and cannos therefore COM
ment on it ]; and the gentleman might have
proved by MIR. Cannings letter, that Great
/ Britain is not dissatisfied with it, il the
sincerity of such declarations is to be COR
! hded In.
/ The gentlemen hive not explained their
! objects in referring to this document was
| ii to prove that it did not operate on france,
but did upon Great Britain, or that 1t had
no effect upon either. # it was their de-
| sign to prove by this document that France
! is reconciled to bear the Inconvenience OF
this measure herself, on account of It's more
severe pressure upon her enemy, which may
be the fact--it establishes the very reverse
Of what the gentlemen contend Tor. ifey
4 have endeayored to prove that it has had no
effect, not will have any upon either. we
have been told that We have been command
ed by one power to make war upon the O.
ther--tlaat it has been the policy OF both
bellieercnts to draw Us into the contest Is
| evident; and if our embargo has enabled
lsus to resist their dictatorial mandates or
insidious policy, it is fortunate for this
| country. 1t has been SAID that We had as
well give up our ships to the enemy as let
them rot in the harbors. think very dill
feren,lv, would rather have them sunk IN
the ocean than give them up TO enrich our
enemies. There is something OF principe:
concerned in this. MIR. LLOYD said he iza
/ & . i hat