Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-09-06
,Tfyr Fpx,LoWEyMc EXTRACT

luton which freed us from British taxation
and seryitude, will interest every one VINO
sheholds the pre.cnt degraded state OF our
Fisheries. OF Burke ] need only say, that
he was friend of liberty and Of course did
not support Lord North's infamous system
of taxation-That he loved his country, and
desired to promote her interests, and there
fore did not wish 20 see the BRITISH empire
divided, and the brightest jewel torn from
the British crown.
AS to the wealth which the colonies have
drawn from the sea by the fisheries, you had
all that matter fully opened at your bar lou
surely thought those acquisitions OF value, Tor
they seemed to excite your envy and yet the
spirit, by which that enterprising employ
mellt has been exercised, ought rather IN my
opinion, to have raised your esteem and adj
mlration, And pray, Sir, what IN the world
is equal to it Pass by the ether parts and
look at the manAer in which the people OF
New England have of late carried OH the
whale fishery. Whilst we follow them among
the tumbling mountains Of ice, and behold
them penetrating into the deepest frozen re-
cesses of tiudson's Bay and Dayis's Strcights,
whilst we are looking for them beneath the
art.ck circle, We hear that they have pierced
into the opposite region of pol2r cold, that
they are at the antipode, and engaged under
the frozen serpent of the South Falkland
Island, which seemed too remote and roman
tic an object for the grasp of national ambitl-
on, is but stage and resting place In the
progress of their victorious industry. Nor is
the equinoctial heat more discouaging to
,la+ oI Cf both
the poles. We know that whilst some them
draw the line and strike the harpoon on the
coast of Africa, others ran the longitude, AID
pursue the gigantic game along the coast OF
Brazil No sea but what is vexed by their
fisheries. No climate that is not witness to
their tolls. Neither the perseverance OF Hol-
land, nor the activity of France, nor the de.,-
ferrous and firm sagacity of English enrer-
prize, ever carried this most perllous mode
of hard industry 10 the extent TO which II iias
been pushed BY this recent people, VINO are
still, as il were, but III the gristle, and hot
yet hardened into the bone CT manhood
s This glowing picture, whlchln l17a was
tlrawr from fact which compelled csnvict On
and which SO plainly demonstrated the great
advantages, that resulted TO Great Britain
year since might haye been drawn in much
mere brilliant colors and still have been con-
fined far within the Bounds OF truth, Is now
faded SO that not tint or trace Can be disco
yered. And why Bee use the men, whom
the people have chosen, have betrayed their
trust because they have stopped our trade
annli,llated our commerce, because they nave
imposed aPerpetual embargo the nc t'fus NJ
ira OF useless taxation, wnicf dininishes tie
purse of every individual in the uniol. without
prodacln;, a cent OF revenue. Let us examine
tas subject, for :. is is good far rs to be Aere."
. We are supported under the severest prjva-
tons, it we Can only consider that some ea''-
yantages will, in the end accrue to yourselves
or our fellows. We feel the pride of superb
or virtue when We voluntarily submit TO vents
Which We might have avoided, and iainries
which we might have repealed; if we Can re-
Feet that IN the same proportion we are hurt
our friends are beneheied. But, to endure
with patience the present system, we can re-
sort to no such reflection. When we feel the
intolerabie weight Of embargo taxation, we
cannot re-ollect tat it pays our debts or fills
our treasury, Or even that 1t shelters us from
iaiury or insult: No, we can see, that it de-
stroys our fisheries and our foreign. connex-
ions, that it obliges the farmer 20 keep his
grain TINT rots and his beef Till it rie SITS -
that it oblises the merchant to strip his ships
and renoullce his profits, and in short, We
can only see, that it taxes every member of
the community three fourths OF his profits,
and at the same time, instead of INCREASING,
totally destroys the revenue.
This destructive system, which has been
pursued with silent, though unremitting as
siduity, for eight years, and which at length
has burst forth to the public view under the
newell form OF q perpetual embargo, has at
length aroused the attention of every class of
people in the community. We trust that as