The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-05


Judgment though The oppression should be ever
80 Sret, or The aClmtai should be ever SO unjust
should reJoicc II AL amendment of the nj
ture oi tat, which is before you, should be
brought about. but Inever could discover any
soou reason for departure, in such u case, fl ON
the common principle OF decision by bUre INA o.
rity and why tnAt majority should be So gre al a
one, AS two thirds, to produce removal. / am
AFRAID tllat the rcquisluon of vote OF two thirds
WIN render the amendment Intellectual: and there
iofc, conceive IL mucn more desirable, If an -
men'imcnt requiring only the vote oil i majority,
would DC incorporated INTO the constitution. la
my opmlon upon tins SUBJECT, believe, there is
a pretty general concurrence OF sentiment amongst
t!ic members OF ConSieSS-most of those, V.Li
whom have conversed on the subject appear 10
DC OF that opinion
g Since rAe Passage of the act for laying an en-
barge, very ht.ic OF consequence has been done
here
The value of the following Extract requ S
30 Illustration -
Ertracf gf'a letter from member Of Con-
gross 10 a gentleman in This csty aaled
WaoAingtOn, December 80.
Cur Gituation Is cN cry day more critical :;
you understand how we are situated win re-
sPect TO France, and the probability OF G.. B
having declared the whole French Empire
and It's dependencies II state OF blockade
~ NAA~ tiCNS " VIC llChlSS, lnS
tlsh Commissioners sand this would be done
L ne erect OF taese measures would be to
destroy all our commerce. Before the deter
mInaticn Oh the Emperor to enforce his de-
cree as to us, there was strong disposition
20 lay an embargo; believe This measure
would nave been resorted 20, II France had
moi given us the additional motive arising out
or tnal decree; 1t is a measure that would
have been laliy justified by the state of our al
fairs with u Britain. After the iniormati-
On from France, there seems to have been
no alternative. There can be no DOUBT but
the embargo will bear hard upon us 4; but I
believe most of the inconvenience would
have been felt, Ii great degree, five had
nor imposed it. Il war with o. Is. would in
great measure destroy our trade. Ali the
DsIlSerent nations being placed. III state of
otocnade wodid have produced the same re-
salt there IS this difference in favour OF the
embargo. by II We preserve our Scamen and
iEol erty; and We vitality affect lhc nations
who have III ured Us. It's operation is ac-
knowledged by all, but it is objected, that it
viii lnJue u. Britain more than France
L his Is doubtful thing France by it will
&c cut oil from the supplies Of East and West
lhdIa goods OF every sort She will be de-
frlVcd OF the only means that was lefc her of
exporting any part o; her produce her de
priyed Oh bread 50 far as they depended up
on importation, which they do to Consider
able amount; her West India islands will be
starved: Batav.a, the isles of France and
bourbon, VIA not only loose the means of ex-
porting their rich products, but they will be
deprived or artic es Of the first necessity that
they can only obtain rom this country du-
ring the present war. That G. T.. ii most
sei'Slbiy iee the embargo is a face not only
admitted, bat counted upon by me, and to
such degree that She VIII find it her inter
est to do us justice, and grant our demands,
la preference 20 bearing the evils that this
measure will bring upon her. | have no
doubt their Vest India island are Complete
ly in our power, they can neither be slppli-
ed with TODD nor the timber necessary for
their use, and Tor the casks III which they
export their produce, from any part o. the
world except this. The British estimate
Lleir captai employcd in the West Indies,
at one hundred millions sterling thousands
OF their peOp.e are interested III this: there
IS 40 art o. the Commerce more import
INT 70 them; it gives employment to great
number on ships and seameD it affords a
market tor trcat amount Of their manufac
IS. If the eub2rsois continued, the loss
% &. Britain viii be incalculable. If as is
prObdb ahc should be excluded from the Eal-
~ Si'N'N' 'iiN VIII w flNl4tatItL upon us
various articles of naval stores, which She
cannot do without.
q. manufactures annually 81 100000
o. pounds of cotton, 81 800, 900 of which she
receives from the u. D. and IS ,COO,OOO thro'
Portugal, which vii now be lost to her In
Chi business alone, 800 600 people arc en-
ployei; tic eject Of Withholding 3ths of
tlcir supply OF th's article, can easily be es-
t. "atcd; add to these ca, siderations, the
al 1inution OF our import trade from that
e untIy, and believe you viii think with me
that The expectation isuOt ill-foundcd. that
q 3. Will hesitate before She will forccus To-
Continue for any length OF time a measure
"a t threaten her ~.,h ruin. 1 firmly be-
he'c VI any tning will give us an honorable
&C iommoJation with that nation, it win be
nc lear OF the continuance and operation OF
'he enOarS?!' mat this measure viii pro-
dDce great Inconvenience to us must be adj