The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-11-29
CONGRESS-.
SEMdTE oF7AE UNITED sTz7Es
MONDAY, November 81.
Z NINA RCo.

EMBdRCo o.
This being the day fixed for the discussion
of the following resolution offered by Mr.. Hill
house.
Resoived, That it is expedient that the
act, entitled, An act laying an embargo on
| all the ships and vessels in the ports and har-
bors of the United Statcs:" and the seve.
raj acts supplementary thereto, be repeal
ed, and that a Communicable appointed to pre-
| pare and report a bill fer that purpose
! The Senate took up the subject.
| MIR. FftihouSe opened the debate When
| the reporter entered the Senate chamber
Mr.. tlllhouse had been speaking for few
minutes, and was then discussing the effect
which the embargo had had upon France,
and the light in which it was viewed by her
rulers. He alluded to the declaration of sa-
tisfaetion at this measure. contained in a lat
| French expose, and made many observations
! tending to shew that it was not measure of
hostility or coercion, as applied to France.
On England it had little or no effect. Her
resources were immense. If deprived of a
suDDlv of xrain here. she could Obtain it, else
where. The Barbaiy powers were at war
with francc, and at peace with England
who might thence obtain wheat in anv guam
THY she pleased. Great Britain lie said was
a nation with the whole world before her ::
her commerce spread over every sea, and she
had access to every port and cline. Could
America expect to stare this nation? 1t was
farce, an idle farce. AS to her West India
islands they raised Indian corn !; all their su-
gar plantations could be converted into corn
f!eldS, and would any man say that they could
not get supcrfne -four? Was this a neccssa-
ry of life without which they could not sub
sist! On the contra ~ great proportion of
the American people subsisted on it, and en-
Joyed as good health as if they cat nothing
but the finest of wheat flour. The moment
the people understood that they could not get
their necessary supplies from customary
source, they would not look for it in another
quarter, and ample time had been given to
them to make arrangement for this purpose.
"A man OF first responsibility in the town in
which Mr.. Hillhouse lived had been there
during this embargo under the Presidents
permission. What accounts did he bring
why, that the trade in corn meal and live
cattle, articles ofgreat export from Connec-
ticut, and comprizing not only the product
OF that state, but of parts of the neighboring
states would be entirely defeated !; that where
they had formerly sent an hundred hugsheads
OF meal they would now find vent but tor ten
and that in South America, where cattle had
III times past been killed merely for their
hides and tallow, cattle in abundance could
be procured. Were these people to be starv
ed out, when they could actually purchase
cheaper now from other places than they
had formerly done from us? No. The only
consequences would be, and that too severe
ly felt, that we should lose our markets the
embargo thus producing not only present pri-
walton and injury, but permanent mischief
The u. States would have lost the chance
OF obtaining future supplies, they would have
lost their market, and ten nor twenty years
would place them on the same footing as be-
fore. Mr. III. said the West Indians would
have learnt that they can do without us that
they can raise provisions cheaper On their
plantations than we can sell them and know
ing this they would never resort to us. Tho
we might retain a part of this commerce. the
best part would be lost forever The trade
would not be worth pursuing though this
might answer one purpose intended by the
embargo, and which was not expressed
Having considered the article of provisions
as important to various parts Of the union
Mr.. III. said he would now turn TO another
article, cotton. 1t had been very triumphant
ly said that the want of ,his article would
distress the manufacturers Of Great Britain
produce clamor amongst them, and Conse-
quently accelerate the repeal of che orders
in council. Mr. H. said he would examine
this little, and see if all the evil Sonscquen-
ces which opened OH him at the triic Of the
passage of the embargo law were not likely
to be realised He had limited at some OF
them at that time, but the bill had gone tbro'
the senate like fash of lightning, giviBg no
time for examination; once, twice, aud a
.hird time in one day, affording no time for
the developement of all it's consequences
This article Of cotton was used not only by
Britain bat by France and other nations OH
the continent. Cotton, not being grown in
Europe, must be transported by water car
riage. This being the case who would be
likely to be supplied with it, Not the CONT
mental powers who have SO little commerce
atloat nor any neutrals to convey it to them :;
for the United States were the only neutral
which traded with France, and now the en-
barge was laid she had no chance of getting
it, except by the, precarious captures made
by her privateers. To Great Britain then
was left the whole commerce of the world.
and her merchants were the only carriers
Would not these carriers supply their own
manufacturers Would they suffer cotton
to go elsewhere till they themselves were
supplied America was not the only coun-
try where cotton was raised for he had seen
an account of a whole cargo brought into
Salem from the East-I ldies AMI thence ex@
ported to Holland, with a good profit Cot
ton was also raised in Africa as we'll as else
where and this wary nation, Great-Bri
tain. concciving that the United States might
be so impolitic as to ,teep CD the embargo
had carried whole cargoes of the best cotton
seed there for the T,tirposf. of r9isiuo, cotto,,