Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-12-20
coNTINUED.
FIlf;.. Buco,s's Sbeech conc guaed.


suggestion cf or having to pay tribute un-f
der the British orders, being brought into
the debate to influence Cur prejudices, or
alarm our apprehensions he calls 1t the
mere stalking Eorsc.of party, and begs thai
it may be put out of the debate. He will
excuse us If we cannot consent to lay aside
in complaisance TO him, a consideration
which this house and this nation never can
and never ought to overlook. He does not.
DENY that such is the requirement of the
British government that our exports before
they can 90 from this country to the CONT
nent of Europe shall first enter at a British
custon-house and pay a duty to be fixed by
that government; but. says he, there IS
no danger that our merchants will ever pay
! il, because blythe French DEGREES, the very
circumstance of their coming from EnglaEd
and paving the duty, subjects them to con-
hscation as soon ashley shall arrive at con-
tinenraI port. But the gentleman well knows
= that such of our merchants as have been al
lurcd by an improper thirst for gain, have
long been in the habit of going with their
cargoes from England to the continent not.
withstanding the DEGREES; contrlyingsA by
false and forged papers. parporting to be
made out from American custam-heuses, to
noacea. the fact Of thsirhaving actually sail
"a from England. This is a thing now of
public notoriety. There is, | am told,
more than one instance OF the ofticlal cyl
slence OF it IN this city, and IL Is proved by
British publications CT the higest authority,
"a have for some time been q coarse OF bu-
sinesss extensively pursued, and it IS even
said that there are IN London oh.ces where
all the necessary papers tor a yesse. saaiing
from all the principal ports IN the y. S. are
70 be purchased by the rean. What then
has the commander of an American vessel,
anxious TO make a profitable voyage to the
continent Of Europe, aud unable to set there
firectlv on tie account OF the British orders.
70 do. but what It. is proved too many OF
them have been in the habit of doing for a
long time visit Great Britain, pay the elu-
~ required upon his cargo BY the acts Of
parliament, purchase his forged papers Civ
me him the appearance. of coming directly
from an American port, and thus complete
his fraudulent voyage. But, says the gen
tleman, we can by our laws prohibit this pro-
Cedure and eGectualy punish and prevent
those who would otherwise be base enough
20 attempt its this to be believed, sir?
He had but a little before told us, that the
temptations of profit to eyade our embargo
laws were SO great, that our merchants could
not be expected to resist. them that it was
700 much to require Of human nature, and
IRE could not therefore execute these laws
. on our ownsoil. ask whether, the tempta-
tons Of profitable voyage to the continent,
aud vastly profitable they are when they can
he pot through with, will not render it quite
Sas difficult for those upon whom they oper-
az to resist them, and whether we can es-
nest to reBress this spirit OF cu2idity in our
citizens three thousand miles off more east
" than when they are upon our own shores?
-certainly not---this disgraceful tribute
therefore will be paid, and the consideration
Of it is just and serious subject for Our at
tention.
In answer to the enquiry which the gen
tlernan very properly anticipated would be
nressed upon him IN relation TO the course
which in his judgement ought originally to |
have been pursued instead of the one which |
he so much rcprobates, he very modessly
tells us, that it is not for him a solitary in
dividual to ofrs his projects for the govern 4
ment, though our course, he adds, is as
clear as the milky way, if we would but see
+. Sir, the honorable gentleman is not &c |
nerally So over modest that he dare not even
hint his projects to the house; nor indeed
cooht he to be, his talents and information
NH enxitle him 70 assume very different