Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-06-17


ports ofshe continent of Europe, interdicts
all trade with it, except through England,
and under such fiscal and political rcstric.
tons as she may think fit to impose.
There are two obviously distinct views
of which this point is susceptible; the one,
political; the other, pecuniary.
Individual interest out of the question,
would IL comport with the char aSter oil an
independent nation TO permits merchants
to carry. on traffic under such RESTRICT
ons Would not such permission be.
tray destiiution ofspirit inconsistent with,
aud would our nominal IN
dependence but clumsiy cover our actual
vassalage! Our spirits have risen indig
nant at Algerine tribute, although ~ rem
dering 1t we only lrod IN the steps of the
mosi powerful nations, and at recent pc
Rod, the universal cry of The country has
been "mllions for defence, but not cent
Tor tribaie." Are these feelings dead
Is the generous spirit that excited them
He'd forever! Has The magnitude of the
present evil deprived us of The power of
estara ing I and made ia insensibie Gifts
Effects upon our national character! Has
The record OF our valor, traced in he blood
OF our heroes, become defaced and obit
Grated! Is the proud nonumen. of out
triumph annihiiated! Can we think OF
what we did when trii,ng, discoRnec-
ted, poor nation ; and not sink IN abase-
ment, al he idea Of now when we are a
numerous, a united, rich people doing
less, nay undoIDg what we then did For
the cases are in principle most str,kIDglY
analogous. The only difference is in the
degree in which it is applied. Then al
though colony, we denied the righ; of
Britain to lay tax even Of cent on a
pound OF tea; we appealed to arms To- re-
sIst the exercise of the r'gh', and we tr,-
umpbed. Now although an indie peDden,
nation, acknowle dyed as such oy her
self she does not hesitate to impose
taxes thousand fold as heavy. Then the
tax attempted to be rivetted was on TO-
reign commodity; noTu it is imposed on
our own domestic products. She tells us
you shall bring all these products into my
ports, you shall pay such duties on their
importation as prescribe, and, hen, you
shall, as | please, as my interest dictates,
either not export them at all, or pay such
taxes on their expectation as ] shall Fix
SO fully does this view of the subject pre-
sen itself to an unptejudiced mlnd, that
We fNd IL has not escaped the intelligent
and independed writer's in England. Nj.
Barring IN his celebrated t. sct en- the con-
dact oil Britain towards this country, says,
" The American patriot viii probably see
with pleasure, that If he mus have war,
the psovoca,ion (by England is of a ma.
ture to uoite every prejudice, and every
real interest OF his county. BY attempt
ing o contine the European trade OF A..
merica 10 Great Britain, and by he avow.
al OF an Intention TO AK that trade on its
passage to The continent, we are returning
10 those k,rlnoah!es to which even as CO.
lcny she zUould NOT su6mis. 1t is lnmateri
al SvAeiher De a A2r on s,dDlhs or on cot.
Ton: ms gursio1 mas already 6een the sn5.
Jeci Of long ana bloody qpar. and u can
hardly be sn1ihosed Mat america ulA nozg
su6amt 10 dtytcf Gffask on her so0ere7gn
and indehetidcM rights"
Attend ON his same point 10 The Ian
guage OF Mr. RathbOne an eminent mer-
chant OF Liverpool, whiEh place ha. been
electrified by he effect OF the British or.
ders-"Can W. expe6l," says he, she
{ Amerlca) will ever consent thai we shall
dictate he terms Of which her commerce
shall traverse the ocean; or that he ships
shall be iorcihiy compelled to enter our
ports, and BIZ subj, cl 20 'axsiion, in return
for which she obtains no advantage On
the subjecl of foreign taxation, America
may naturally be expected o be iea.ous IN
the exreme. WIIl The VINO VOLUNTARILY
encountered all dangers. struggling under
all difficulties, endured al prvations, SUP
mItted to all sacrifices. aud large expe .
ded both he treasure aud blood. rattle,
than submit o taxation by foreign sta =
will she, now that her independence has
been acknowledged and established, sub
NIT 70 be tax by usl"
Such the sentiments imbibed by IT.,
leillgenl men, on the other side Of the AT
laniIc, OF our character, and uf he conduet
which maintenance Of tina, character
must produce. They consider submissi.
on on our part as out cf The question. Con
the principles TO which we owe
our political birth, the success with which
lney were asser, ed, and the vast accessi
obs OF strength which have since crowned
our adherence 20 hem, they do not dream
of the possibility cf our submitting as a
natIoD to the exc Csc f power as u1nIs,