The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-07-22

merchants IN this country, some of them
members OF this House, during the year af-
ter that decree, in the same manner, and
in at least as great abundance as at any for
mer period. Mr. Glcnnie said that he was
accustomed to receive in former years half
million In remittances from the continent
and being asked, not BY me- but in his cross
examination, if he had experienced Il de-
talcation subsequent to that Berlin decree,
answered distinctly, that on the contrary, he
had never before received so much 81 a
hundred thousand pounds as during the wear
after the Berlin decree was promulgated
he other witnesses state the same thing.
But only refer to Mr.. Glennie's details
which will be found in pages % and 65.
Mr.. Glennie also stated toyou in detail the
amount OF the sums which he paid i'll differ
ent years Tor hostages in the course of his
extensive dealings as a merchant In page
%, YOU have 1t in evidence that his whole
postage account for the wear 1906 amounted
to S55l. In the year 1906 (being the year
before the Berlin Gecree) it amounted to.515I
and IN the year 1907, to 64ol. Now as the
Berlin decree was supposed 10 put stop to
all neutral commerce between England and
the continent, and as this gentiemans post
age is chiefly created by receiving remit
tances for goods arriving in the hostile
countries, 1t was to be expected in consc-
quence of that Berlin decree being execu-
ted so Vigorously as the defenders of our Or
ders contend, that Mr. Glennie's postage
! account would have suffered a serious de
| taicatlon. Nd such thing; on the contrary,
IN 1907, the YEAR after this frghtful and we'll
eXecu'ed decree, he appears to have paid
64O being about one fourth more thanlhe had
paid the yeaI before it was issued, and dou-
BILE the increase of his account in any for
mer years.
Those merchants, sir, act in some sort as
bankers on account Of American concerns,
answering drafts made on them in favor of
our manufacturers. When there is anv in
terruption in :he'trade with the continent,
of course Mr.. Glsnnie and others scruple to
homer ;hcsc drafts Gil Amer Can iiii-
less they be safe in doing so by having funds
in their own hatds. 1t is therefore a test of
the execution q the enemy's DEGREES TO in
quire, how these gentlemen answered the
drafts subsequently presented to them. Mr.
Clennie statts, that subsequent to the issuing
ut the Berlit decree, he continued to answer
drafts on american account, although he
had not the sums in his hands, trusting not rs
a speculative man, but with that sort of con-
hdence belonging TO practical merchant a
confdehce of whose practical nature he gave
the best pledge by stalking thousands of
pounds daily upon it; trusting, | say, with
this sort OF confidence, that the Berlin de
cree was of no avail whatever, against our
trade. Had it been otherwise, he would
have altered his line of conduct in the same
manner, as shall show you he afterwards
did when you issued ycur famous Orders In
Council.
The only other symptom, with which I
shall trouble you, of the nome xecuton of this
Berlin decree, is derived from the criterion
OF insui ance; and it is the more necessary
to call your attention to this point, as in no
one branch of the whole of the subject emf
ncnI for deception and fallacy of statement,
mas more gross Misrepresentation been re
serted to, than on the question of insurance
With view to meet these daring mis-state-
ments, have been Influenced in the con
Struction of the evidence as to the rates of
insurance. Mr.. Martin, page is Mr.. Null
lett, page 81; Mr. Hi-ckiey, page u; and
Mr. White, page IS, of the printed state
ment, show by their evidence thai on nei-
Their branch of the trade aimed at in the
Berlin decree, did any permanent rise take
place in the rate Of insurance. i viii! be
sufficient fcf me, in order to correct the mis-
representations to which / have alluded. If
cali your attention TO the testimony Of anv
one OF these gentlemen. I may take at ran
dom the first that occurs In page IS of the
printed evidence, the house Will perceive
that questions were put to Mr.. Martin with
q view 70 Dilng to determination, this point
respecting the rate of insurance He was
asked, whether, in his knowledge and in the
Course OF his practice merchant, sh-61
ping to America anG chartCring and insuring
vess-i5, he had found that the rate of insu-
rance rose after the Berlin decree. uDon vow
ages in American ships from this country to
America and back again and this question
was put to him because it was said that a
rise from two to three guineas, or one half,
had taken place Upon this voyage, as if the
power OF the French navy was so considera-
bic i'll the Atlantic, thstit could make a diff
ference of fftv per cent. in the rate Of insr.
rance against French cruizers, employed i'm
executing the Berlin decree as if the bare
PRONUNCIATION of that decree had at once
swept the sea clean Of our ships, and given
over into the enemy's hands, all the neutral
trade that remained Mr.. Mar. in, as wei
as all the other witnesses, stated, that there
IS Il rise every winter in consequence Of sea
rlsque, the summer rate being from two t.
two and half, and that Of the winter from
three to three & 2 half per cert. But was there
an additional or extraordinary rise in the
year after the Berlin decree in the wear
1902 Mr. Martin says, that there was not
but that the premiums we're much the same
as in 1906, that is, the summer. two & a half.
and tic winter three and sometimes four mi
meas enium.
The news of the Berlin decree reached / j.
Al.