Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-05-13

Manufacturing Society,"" claims thc
attentive perusal of every true frienc
| OF this country. 1t is addressed tc
! the citizens of this State.
Long experience hath taught us &c
obsei :. with deep concern for the in.
terests Of mankind, that the extentior
OF foreign commerce and navigation
hath not made nations more Just OF
generous it hath not afforded to the
persons or property of weaker states.
protection against the hands ofvioIence
and rapacity; it hath not disposed the
great powers of the earth to close
study and pursuit of the more useful
and peaceful arts of life; it hath done
little towards the amelioration of the
condition of man in many countries.
AS philosophy has vainly hoped, and
for what humanity has often sighed.
it hath not brought nations nearer to a
social bond OF union, amity, & peace.
On the contrary the same experience
hath taught US painfully to know, that,
1t too often eXcites the ambition, ava
rice, jealousies, and rivalry ef States
which provoke and promote war: that
1t does not add 20 the happiness, vir-
tue, or safety of a free, just and unof-
Tending nation: that the greatest por.
ton of the old world is afflicted two
thirds of its time with the miseries
and devastations of war "they fight
)until they are exhausted, they repose.
and then rise and fight again war IS
their trade"
/" What always follow? Law s. JUS
| tice are banished from the ocean; the
great belligerent powers in their CON
ltcsts for maritime superiority and COM
mercial monopoly, regardless of every
rule Of right, every principle and rub,
OF humanity, against universal law and
usage, seize, con6scatc and destroyouf
properly; they sink and burn our ship,
when engaged in carrying TO them the
comforts OF life and pledges of cur
peace and friendship; they seize on
the persons Of our people, confra then.
! in floating dungeons, and in these des-
tructiyc engines force them to aid in
lighting their battles; our friendly fao
which unferled itself on every sea and
IN every port Of fair and free traffic.
has disappeared our citizens have
been murdered within sight OF eur hos.
lPitabie shores; neutral integrity, limo.
cence and impartiality give no sccuri-
ty; IN fact the rights OF neutrality are
lannlhiiated the ocean has become a
Scrne f,f irIisc,.; ~ soc. ,.o..:..
lence; sometimes shew OF security
is made, merely 10 encourage further
adventure, thatwr may sustain agpra
waited losses and wrongs the faith Of
nations ceases to exist. We have vim
dicated our rights, by a reference to
those immutab;e principles Of justice.
and morality which nations once re-
quested ; by remonstrapces by nepo-
cations by an appeal to their reason
and sense of honor; but all in vain !
The JUS demands Of violated rights
and bleeding humanity, the offerings
OF forbearance and peace, are treated
with reiterated insults and injuries.
In this state of things, fellow-citi-
zens, what is to be done? we tremble
for the fate of civilization is it ba.
'nished from the European world It's
benign principles and influence are cer.
tainly banished from the high seas.
"Letus then throw ourselves on our
vast interior resources in this great
western hemisphere, develspe our e.
.nergIes and avail ourselves of a pro-
per use OF them. Domestic manufac-
lures and internal trade will Weld be-
nefits that will more than supply the
wants of foreign commerce. Internal
trade by combining and identifying
our interests will produce the most
happy results: it will make secure and
call into action, an insecure and dead
capital it will give the m ans Of en-
ployment and gain to all men, especi.
ally the needy: it will insure the en-.
joyment and cultivation of our peace
iul habits and dispositions it will pro-
mote the harmony Of social life and the
Improvement of our morals by the ex.
clusion Of foreign fashions, vices and
Injuries it will revivify our republic
can manners, simplicity and frugality
It will make us our own laborers and
consumers; it will remove many eau
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