Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-03-07


Dec. 10 derive 90 besshs, and wh.eh i was
our ln,eres, 10 avoid, If possible. Placed
as we Z. peared Il be- - he fnidrt Ut dso
ger, as ilwere between Srylla aud Char 20.
lis, we endeavored ~ steer mtjdts
course al eqsal distances from ne violence
cf The waves and the dangers ct shr ROCKS
on ei,he. skore--We have hi'hersss sue.
ceedrd 10 tina. objective nave ofsued
such coarse as has not putin the power
Of either Of the beliigerents to charge Us
with par,,ali.y in our cenduc, they nave
not a,lempted il ;.his charge has bsen con-
6ned to the minions IF disaHsc.ioo wl'h'n
opr ospn ccuatry.
There is scarcely refiecting man who de-
MES at this day the policy and correctness OF
the law laying the embargo. 1t has hitherto
saved us from the dangers AMI 1calamitles O.
war-and it would seem as if the finger OF Pro-
violence had pointed out this measure as the
most fortunate that could under existing cl;-
cumstances have been adopted. II Will no
doubt press hard on ourselves in Some re-
spects, and it must be expected that any mea.
sure that we could have adopted which would
produce any effect on others, would press
hard on ourselves, but it will bear much hard
cr on those powers: who occasioned it, ard
make them feel the necessity of our COM
mcrce. 1t will bear in a great degree equal
" hard on the great helligerent powers of Eu-
rope, England and France-thcir West-In-
dia colonies will suffer equally for want Of
provisions. France will lose more OF the CO.
lonial trade hitherto carried on by neutrals, in
consequence Of the embargo, thal Great Bril-
tain, and indeed the loss of trade i'll genera!
by France, on this account will be greater
than that of Great Britain, as the former for
some time past received great proportion Of
her trade by the American shipPing-But on
the other hand Great Britain may suffer more
for The want of the raw materials furnished
for Ter manufactures heretofore by>tlns coun-
try than France, but both will seEsibly feel
the loss OF our trat!e--and the measure SO Tar
as regards lis, is calculated to operate equally
on both, and no possible difference can be dis
covered to exist.
Under these circumstances, what preface,
what foundation is there for saying that In a
dopting this measure there was any Partially
maIifc tied for France There is none that
can be perceived. There is another circum-
stance attending the case which at once seems
to battle any attemI. to shew Partially III the
operation OF the law before the house. 1t is
said this law is to operate as snon-lntcrcourse
law--that you are going TO cut oH all inter
course with the colonies of one ofthe bcllige-
rent powers Great Brittany bordering on our
North East frontier, and partially has been
charged on this ground. But gentlemen seem
to have forgotten that Spain possesses terri
tories on our south and south western FROM
tier. OH which this law vii! opsrate as severe
l. as it Will on the territory Oh cur north cast
ern frentier-and that Spain as the ally of
France ard that Of course hat operates OH
Spain operates onlrance this law Will there
fore operate equally On those powers even IN
Ills respect There is not therefore the least
foundation for the assertion that the embargo
is calculated to favor France. IF there were
no other cause 10 Judge from but the effects
it would have en- that power and Ter allies,
who derived the greatest advantage from Our
neutral trade, the thing is unfounded and abb
solutely abused.
No nan Of sense. can suppose that France
would wish or dictate a nes u G that would
produce as great, if not greater INJURY to
herself than to her enemy. Such suppose
ton would be next to madness. From these
considerations, it would be supposed that no
man, who had made himself in any degree
acquainted with tle situation Of this country
in regard to. the belligcrent powers, and Re
conzidered the effects that this measure would
have on them, could for moment entertain
the opinion, or even hazard q conjecture that
it was adopted unde., the influence of any. To-
reign power, much less under thatof France.
The allegation IS so wild, SO inconsistent in
itself-~so destitute of the least semblance OF
probability, md altogether unsupported by
the least shadow Ct proof, that nothing but
tie basest matignity Of heart could engenAer