Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-11-29

west indies depended on the United S,afss
tor support, It had been for two months. . ~
object OF solicitude. No doubt The !, ,,,; ~
try bad partaken Of this feeling. Indeaa~
SO late as June, it had induced our min;stss
to Great Britain to believe, and ia mol.
known his belief to this country, thar allo,s
differences would be settled. But tbs ~. ~.
effects OF this measure had been tested. anI
the British ministers had found that + .w ss
a measure which they need not fear. Tbs
had found that the West-India merchant.
were able to raise supplies for themselves /
They had also fonnd an unexampled prosns
rity. Of their American colonies, tanad,
and Nova Scotia that the usual order ~
things was reversed; that instead Of tbs,
American merchant making his fortuee ~,
British commerce, the British merchsn,.
was making his fortune by American Com
merce. It was we'll known that i,nmens.
quantities of produce had been exported !,
defiance OF the laws, which the British ,ntr.
chants, from there being little competition
had bought at a low price; and this process
enabled the British merchant, without cam; !.
tai but with extensive credit, to make g.
immense profit from this trade. -
About this time had taken place the re-.
voution In Spain. The British minist,,,
had been too clear sighted not to see she;,
own advantage. and therefore without snv an, 9
.ordid stipulations, had made common
cause with her, that, if the Spaniards sue.
ceeded, they might get commercial footing
in Europe; and whether they succeeded or
NOT, their American colonies would become
independent, and rely for protection On the
navy of Great Britain. Twas then thar +;
the embargo had ceased to be amatter Of
regret. The ministry had conceived Cor.
rectly that it would not be advantageous to
them to have competition, for they knew
thafthe capital and spirit of America would
enable her to carry on as extensive COM
merccs as the British could with Spain and
her colonies. Instead OF dreadng the EN-.
barge, they now wished to keep ION. IT,
instead Of having competition in the mar.
ket, they could keep il to themselves, they
certainly would reap a grant of exclusive
commercial privileges. This measure would
be worth more to them, if kept on for two
or three years, than their whole system Of
navigation laws.
Some gentlemen might argue that Great
Britain could be coerced by difficulties a.
nong her manufacturers or by scarcity Of
harvest. Ever since he had first heard OF
Great Britain, he had heard of commotons
ar.nng her manufacturers but time had
dissipateu all apPrehensions from theme
Suppose, however, for the sake of areal-
ment, that we should be enabled to bank. !.
rupt her principal manufacturers. Why, in
less time than we could make bankrupts OF
FIVE hundred her principal manufacturers,
we should break at least as many principal
merchants in our commercial cities. Sup
rose by these bankruptcies 10000 workmen
Should be thrown out of employment.--
These, people would not starvc, nor would
they instantly become nonentitiss. No;
thew would be absorbed in the army and
navy; and thus, by putting under their
complete control $4,000 of the most turbu-
lent citizens, saidsMr. L. you add in reality
to the strength Of that nation, and give her
the means Of extending and supporting her
naval dominion.
As to calculations on the harvest, all cal
cuIations OF this sort must be idle in theex-
IRENE. Gentlemen must be very little ac-
auainted with the situation of the country
10 entertain them fora moment Mr.. L.
said that he found by advices from Great
Britain that American flour, after nine
months embargo, was selling in 6. Britain
at ~ shillings per barrel. BY the prohi-
biting oftrade to the continent sugar and
molases had became mere drug in Great
Britain. The colonial interests, alarmed
at this, had applied 10 Parliament for "a bill
to substitute sugar and molasses in the place
Of grain for distillelies, and thus insure a.
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