The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-31
POLITICAL EXTRACTS
No. T.


mehts. Of the following extract.
The pamphlet, from which it is taken, is
completely out of print I; and is as scarce as
it valuable. The copy now beforeus, Is
furnished to US by a venerable friend, and
from transcription, appears to have been pre-
sented to Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, by
William I.ee-Its title is, :. The Evidence
delivered on the Petition presented by the
w. India Planters and Merchants to the Hon.
House of Commons, Is it was introduced at
the Bar, and summed up by Mr.. Glover. -
The occasion Of it was this:
On the 5th September, 177s, Congress
entered into an association. by which they
bound themselves and indirectly the inha-
bitants ofthe several provinces, not to i'm
port into British America after the first Of
December, 1774, any Melasses, Syrups, Pa
males, Coffee or Pincnto from the British
Plantations nor to erfort, aftsr'the 10th
ofSept ITS, any merchandise or commo-
,lity whatsoever, to the West-Indies, unless
certain specified Acts of the British Parlia-
nent were previously repealed. These re-
solutions were framed in the true dignified
spirit of the American character, & in a due
regard to the peculiar condition of the Bril-
fish nation.-Aiarmed by the fearful conSe
quences which these resolutions threatened
to carry in their train, the " Planters of the
Sugar Colonies residing in Great-Britain,
and the Merchants OF London trading to
these colonies presented a most distress
sing Petition 70 the assembled Commons of
England, which enumerated the dangers
they had to apprehend, and concluded with
"a request to be heard in support of their Pc
tition On the 10th of March, rs, they zyere
admitted to hearing and Mr. GLOVER,
a merchant of London, appeared their
cclnsel-The evidence, which follows HI,
introductory Speech, is lengthy and extreme
iy interesting. 1t incontestibly proves the
ruinous consequences which threatened the
Z: West-lndies from a complete execution of
the Resolutions OF Congress. George Wal
ker states in the most peremptory terms,
that Barbados and the Leeward Islands
had been inseparabiy dependant upon the
United Provinces fer their PToTisions and
Lumber; and that no other market could
be found to supply these Indispensable ar
ticles for their consu,nption.-John Ellis,
who is called in to explain the resources OF
Jamaica, does noSdraw 50 trightfrl ape
ture OF irs destitute condition he admits
hat it is capable OF producing more ground
provisions and supplying more lumber, than
i is sister islands; but alter all, he holds out
the most distressing consequences OF gus
pended commerce with AmerIca--in the
dearth of provsions--in the starvation of the
inhabtants-the rebellion of their slaves
and the breaking up OF their Sugar planta-
tions-Theec IDEAS are not singular, nor arc
the dangers which they describe, visionary.
They have arrested the imagination OF G.
very man, wno is c7nvcrsant with the real
resources of the West-lndies. They have
been supported b. numerous writer's and
are most strongly enforced by late luTni-
nous pamphlet rom Macall Medford. un-
der the title OF - Oil without Vinegar and
Dignity without ide''----cxtracts from
which we shall shortly lay before OR rea-
ders. lie considers the danger of starving
the West-India Islands'-even in time OF
war as very grest"-But who will deny
that the embargo, if it be properly and vir-
tuousy enforced, is a far more perfect &C
clgson of trdde-than even war
This examination being completed, Mr..
Glover rose to sum up the affecting evidence
before them, in the most mastery manner.
In this Speech-which like some OF Cha
tham1S, is at once striking monument of
the gcnius OF the speaker, and the infatuatl-
on of the assembly to whom 1T was adj
dressed--there are fights to animate the
coolest, and truths to shake the most BIZ
gotted adversary ola free people. de takes
q bold and daring vie" OF the folly OF the
British government, and the spirit of the
American nation. "Tg7th a Poets hand
and ProtAet'sJfre," he depicts the "deep
sorrows'' which lowered over c.. Britain,
and the godlike energies Of American en-
thnsissm. He shows, that when the indie
pcndence and rights Of the Americans were
mcnaced, the spirit of their yeomenry would
bear them through every misllap and oppo-
sieion that they could and would subsist
without British trade or British Injuries
that their domestic manufactures would
catch new and powerful spring, and that
their enthusiasm would stamp On this
home-spun all the value and all the pride of
ornament" Where have such brilliant eaco-
NUNS been offered to the enthusiasm of liber
ty! When have such sanguine anticipations
been formed of its force and its fire -
But to the honour of the American nation,
these hallowed inspirations of the ardent
lover OF liberty, were completely realised.
Not one ofhis brilliant predictions, but what
WAS fulfilled And so entirely does the pro-
Tnecy run parallel with the event, that it
seems more like fact than foresight; and his
speech has more of the air of the historian
VINO sets down 20 relate events, than Of the
animated prophet who pretends to predict
them - 1t is from this speech, which should
be 50 dear AMI so delightful to every Anne
Tlcan reader, that the following passage is
extracted.
MIR. Glover ranks high in the literary an
nails of England His compositions as Poet
are even infinitely superior to the b lant
and persuasive powers of his eloquence. He