The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-11-25

heht. her great source of prosperity ut the
same time is the flourishing state of her
commerce.
The first object other wishes; therefore !;
the leading point of her policy, is to be able
| 10 crafty this 6ciHgerent propensity, with
out abridging the means of her commercial
| prosperity.
There is however but one way of reconcil-
Ing these contradictory objects.
Durlng the wars III which she is involved,
neutral bottoms have decided advantages o :.
yer her own in two respects. They have not
Only an access to those belligcrent ho,fs from
winch she is excluded, but being less liable
TO the risk of capture than Ler own bottoms,
their insurance is less, and consequent their
freight Is lower In those branches oftmde,
therefore, which they are both permitted to
carry on neutral vessels have decided pre-
terence to her own.
It's, therefore, cne/of the LEADING objects
OF Great-Britain to attempt TO Mace hc,. COM
"erce as nearly as Possible on tie same
grounds S1ith the commerce ofneutrols. But
as she cannot elevate her own commerce to
the same level with the natural commerce
or neutrais, her policy is to draw theD, down
| to the same level with herself II being inn
possible to make the advantages of the he'll
hgerent equal to those of the neutral situat;-
on, she is deternined;o reduce the neutral
rs near as possible to the situation of the bel
| ligerent
Renee most OF those numerous restrictions,
| so unJustihable by the ia7cs of 7par which
| she has laid upon the trade ofneu,rals' almost
with the same assiduity as if they were bel
| iigerents. In this manner it is, that without
any formal declaration of war against the
government OF neutral nations, she has actu-
any leVied war upon the commerce of their
neonle He" r-e.e%t :::a,. 70. ;;,,. the. oi,-
Ject OF these restrictions is to distress, the re-
sources G. her enemy. 1t is not, however
difficult TO see, in various cases. that her re,
al inducement is to reduce the resources of
neutral trade to the same level with her own.
| III such were not the motive OF Great Br;-
| tain' why does she Proclaim whole coasts
| and even countries in state of blockade
when 1t is not only impossible to invest them
with all her naval forces, but to abridge the
military means of her enemy {.
| Why does she sometimes institute hIocL
aces CT whole coasts, reservIng, perhaps. a
| lie" entre pots tor the introduction of her own
manufactures, if her object was not to cur
tail the general commerce of neutrals. at the
same time reserving to herself an opportuni-
ty or transporting her own manufactures into
the ports OF herenemy
! why does Great Britain subject to CAPTURE
a neutral trade, not open in time of 5eace
Wneh she expressly reserves the right of car
| ryIhS on the same trade to her own vessels !?
| 1t Is too evident, that many of the EXERT
ons which @. Britain has pretended to male
tor distressing the resources of her enemy
nave been only restrictions upon the com
! mcrce OF neutrals; and that amidst all these
restrictions upon neutral commerce, she has
| ever Dent sleepless eye upon the extension
OF her own trade, and the prosperity of her
own manufactures.
| The question therefore comes home with
irresistible force I" to the business and be-
sons OF the citizens of the United States.
notwithstanding those general and vague
terms in which Great Britain NAV choose tn
invest her Instructions and Orders. the u
hited states are the only great neutral natl
on now III existence. To them therefore
inns question Is imperioIsy addressed "Will
you suffer Great Britain to wrest from you
y yie advantages or your neutral position p
Vll you INTERESTINGLY consent that she
should reduce your Commerce to the same
level with her own? VIII you permit her
TO play OIL the whole fire of her artillery of
I restrictions upon you, under the contempti-
Die preteXt OF retrenching the resources or re-
4 taliating the policy of her enemy She has
already excluded your commerce from
whole coasts OF the Continent and the West
Indies, under the vague plea of blockade.
uhacCompanied perhaps by single invest
ment OF actual force. She has debarred Won
from the enjoyment of your rightful COM
merce, with the colonies of her enemy. that
very commerce, which she has herself So
iemniy acknowledged to be just. She has
Impressed more than 1000 of YOUR native
born seamen during the present war
And now, as If disguised with the afTecta-
ton OF longer forbearance, she has aimed
dow at. your commercial rights, which is
ca'culatedto reduce the value of your nen-
Urai nag almost to cypher--as well as to
annihilate your Indehendence on the Ocean,
Her Orders in Council are aspiring to reduce
your commerce, even to a lower state of co-
lonial vassalage, than oppressed YOU, when
yon were the colonies of Great Britain A.
that time you were at liberty to transport
many OF your STAPLE productions to the s. Of
cape Flnisterre, and without the expeBce Of
dishonorable tribute But under ber or.
ders OF council, you must carry every ,hinc
that is bound to the continent (exclusive ~
the barren coasts of Sweden to the norris ri
Great- britaln, from which it can only be re-
deemed by the payment of a tribute. Your
imports from the continent are subject To the
same difference of restrictions. Unless tbe
people OF the United States are virtuous md
eherSetic enough to arrest these encroach-
hicntS oy their common and generous resis-
lance; TINS solemn TRUTH will be bereofte,
Incorporated with the annals Of our Country
mat III all future wars, to which Great pr;
mi he, Il