Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-13
our weakest cruiizers, she has a method fpro-
4ect;ne her whole trade, without the COM

horne her commerce. The English crnizers
may domineer over the sea; but. like crows,
that are. scared by bandle OF rags, no sooner
does piece Of bunten, marked Withthe thir-
teen stripes, depend from the mast head, than
our crave sailors are compelled to sheer OF,
and the wealth and commerce o. France are
carried as safely over the Atlantic, as II iodg-
led in a British "a. She mas millions floating
(which no enemy can reach; she ENJOYS every
benefit other colonies wlthoat-the risk OF cap
ture or detention she may fit out nothing
but privateers and cruisers to attack our trade
and distress our colonies, whilst her own are
beyond the efforts Of our armed vessels. She
j cts out her colonies to farm upon a rack rent
which rent she is sure to receive, as shels
the only customer for the neat produce and
thus, BY continuance as ingenious and foItu-
nate for herself, as it is ruinous for us, she u
mites the whole benefits Of war with all the
security of peace.
Against conclusions thus seemlngl nnan-
swerable, many objections have been made.
The controversy has long been public, and the
nlain arguments in reply are in most peoples
mouths There can be little novelty, there
fore, In stating them, though there may be
much use in a brief summary.
If we prohibit this commerce, one of two
things must happen. Either the French will
be compelled to carry on their commerce in
their own ships, or the English will be allow
ed to purchase it, and sell it to ncutrals II Eu-
rope, who will carry it to France, or the pro-
tluction will be condemned to remain in the
colonies.
That the French will not resume this COM
nerce in their own merchantmen is evident,
because the British cruizers will either cap
ture their vessels land thus ship and cargo
will be equally lost or the expence of insur-
ance must be SO enormous, that neitherp plant
er nor merchant will be able to afford it,
Whatever change may take place, the French
merchants, during war, can never venture to
resume the colonial trade.
The. next question is--1Yiil it be worth
while for the British merchants to purchase
the colonial produce at the enemy's islands,
and sell it to neutrals? Certainly rot. We
have more produce than We know what to do
with In our own colonies; and We believe that
at present in the West India warehouses In
London, there is remaining, unsold and IN
bidden for, sufficient rum and sugar to make
punch of Thames, This expedient, there
fore, will not answer. 1t mustremain, there
fore, to rot in the colonies or q neutral, A.
merica Tor instance, as nearest at hand, must
be allowed to7purchase it and carry it to
France ior market.
Besides the cruelty of sufferitg it to perish
In the colonies, and its total repugnance to
the practice OF civilized warfare, which never
attacks private property except at sea, the e.
Wis Of this system would be shared by our
selves, not only by the loss Of customers.
which we should feel when SO much wealih
and industry were destroyed inthe country OF
our nearest neighbors, salso from the danger of
having scenes of rebellion and confusion In the
immediate vicinity of our most valuable colo
nles--for we may be assured that If tie pro-
duce Of these colonies be unconsusaed, the
plantations will besneglected or destroyed and
the supplies of provisions failing, the negroes
would revolt, and the whole be involved mrp-
In.
What; therefore, remains to be done, but
to suffer the Americans, or any other neutral,
to purchase this produce, or to carry it home,
which is in effect the same thing for N-he-
ther they be real purchasers, or mere carm-
ers; we. can never discover, asitis mattero of
private bargaining among themselves, and is,
III truth, OF little consequence.
America can never be much of gamer by
this trahc, because she must inevitably resign
1t at peace, and her capital must instantly shift
into new branch, or remain unemployed al
together.
Such are the arguments of those who con-
tend that America should be permitted tccon-
nYe this branch OF traffic.
~ wish, however, to consider it with
pIliees .impardality, and will place orr.
ss.ses la the midway between both disput-
At would oe,Nmjust, we think, to deprive
I america OF the mans Of employing given