The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-23

uXuriant staples which constitute the rich
If the South, they necessarily owe much ,!
heir prosperity, under the blessing IF He;i-
fen, to their own enterprise and industr> Oh
HE ocean. Ii is thcreforea duty, is wei a
a right, to avail themselves OF ever, ia,roC-
caslon which offers for procuring the "cm
val of the existing restraints upon their VA.
ritime commerce, more especially when tn:
may be effected In a mCdc consistent viii
the laws and policy by which ,hey we.e i'm
posed.
They therefore pray, that the Embargo. in
whole or in part, may be suspended, accor-
ding to the powers, vested in the President
blythe Congress of the United States; and IS
any doubt should exist Of the competency o.
those powers, they would humb!y request
that Congress may .be convened as early as
possible, for the puI POSE Of taking the subject,
into consideration.
1t was then VOTE d that the Selcctmsn, in
behalf OF the town TRANSMIT the Petition 10 the
President of the u. States
The Hon. Mr.. Brown, after congratulating
ms fellow tow MAE CT the uianImitN which
prevailed, ofFerid the following motion, viz.
Voted. Thatthe Sciectmcn be a commit
tee to communicate The proceedings Of the
town to the se'cctmen @. the ether towns of
the CommoprSealth, and 10 request them if
they think f,1i to lay the same beore their
several towns for their concurrence.
This motion also passed nearly unanimous
ly; and. after a vote OF thanks to the Mode
rator, the meeting was dissolved.
NCTICE-7He a6erc hroceedines 7r;I
ottc1a6y &c communicated 10 the seicct7Ye,,
otfhe SeUeroi TOWNS, through the naedi,in, OF
PC PcSt-CDFce, Dur as delay. and sometimes
miscarriage attends This mode of conyc, inp
intelligence, tits hohed they nil not 7vait a
formal fuLfiiment GA fiu6fc and fofrfoic
duty. Bos, Ca
AT Newburyport very full and respect
able meeting was held On the 9th instant.
Tor the purpose of petitioning the President
to suspend the Embargo and af'cr some
debate the following petition was agreed up-
on unanimously, and signed i'll behalf of the
town.
THE PETITION.
To Thomas Jefferson, President of the Unit
ed States OF America.
The Petition of the Inhabitants Of New
buryPcrt, in legal town meeting
assembled.
Resheckfuily Rehrescnte,
That they have severely suffered from
he operation of the laws laying ant e,,forc-
the ports and harbors of the United States.
not only in common with Their fet,ow cti-
zens throughout the Union, but pecuiia,lv
from their local situation, their large iurere st
in shipping and mel Oh Indize, their depen-
dance on commerce and the pcr'sbable ma
ture OF their experts. Tnev fattel them
selves that they are, and ever Will be rea-
dy to manifest their patriotism in making
every necessary sacrifice FIR the benefit Of
heir country. and they have We ded to these
laws unlimited respect and Submission, what
ever differences of opinion may have exist
ed, as to their eXpedienoy or constitutional
llity. But SC distressing are the embarrass-
iTIicn:s produced BY the embargo, that thev
| cannot contemplate its continuance without
! 'erioss and alarming apprehensions. 1t is
surely needless to detail to your excellency
the VARIOUS evils that must result from a to-
tai SUSPENSION OF commerce to people long
habitufed to maritime trade and enterp. ize.
whose fsorrce depends no less on the ocean
than tYe land, and whose shipping and com
moditfs are thus left to waste and perish
on thor hands, not Only TO the immense loss
OF property, but in some instance the dam
ger othealth and life. Feeling as your ne
titionTs do, the accommodating pressure of
thesee evils, and confident that your Excel
lencyis disposed, so far as you are constitu
tionaly authorised, to grant them relief, they
are hppy to find that by the laws of the
CnitT States it appears to be within your
powei, to suspend the embargo in whole or
in pft, whenever events in Europe NAV. in
your opinion, render it safe and expedient.
YourPetitiOners rejoice in the belief that such
cvens have now taken place. They also
rejoie that these events are of nature so
Honorable to humanity, and so propitious m
the feedom and independence of nations.
SpaiIlis emancipated, and has asserted her
ancient dignity and independence, with
spirifand resolution, that promises success
10 hd glorious exertions. An immediate
peace of course takes place between that
natioH and Great Britain and Spain. with
her immense Colonies, to which we may all
SO adj Portugal and her dependencies, will
now invite to a commerce, interdcted bv no
DEGREES or orders of the belligerents a com
mere beyond example important to Amer
ricaTs, which opened to them, would fur
nish ready and most lucrative market for
their surplus and perishing commodities
which would afford them a relief from pre-
sent sufferiDgs, and a source of incalculable
future benefits, and which if now neglected
by theui, may be seized and enjoyed by O.
theirs 20 their perpetual exclusion
Your petitioners cannot DENY themselves
the pleasure of cpngratulating your Excel
icicy oil The pieafns opportunity which you
now have of restoring your suffering coun-
trymen to the blessings of commerce, and ut
the same time putting it in their power to IN