The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-15


of the nothing he possessed; ard has no rca-
SON to complain that the embargo does not
give him something without labcring for it.
i regret, however, that these merchants, !
without capital, have lost the chance Of ma
king their fortunes by the embargo; but the |,
most OF these, the gentleman tells us, would !
probably hare become bankrupt, by their
wild speculations, even ifthe embargo were
not in being; & of course, their situation can
not be much worsted 10y it.
But, MIR. President, am willing to admit,
that there are many worthy merchants Of
small capital, who do suffer by the suspense
on of their employnents; & an, very sorry
for them but this suffering is incidental to
every coerced state of things: and is attri-
butabe, not properly to the embargo, but to
the causes that rendered its adoption indis-
pcrsib'e.
The gentlemen, however, tcllus. with the
mot sympathetic feeling, that the SHIPS Of
the great capitalists are rotting at our
wharves, and yet these capitalists are in ia
vor of the embargo. Why, sir, this is We
~ plain case. when stript of its exaggerati-
oHs. The ships are precisely twelve months>
older than they were twelve months ago
and the owners would rather have them there
with this difference of age and proportionate
decay, than to sec them torn away by lawless
punderers, and wholly lost forever. But, sir,
what would have become Of many CT these
capitalists if it had not been for the cmbar-
go? Their property w ould have been plum
dered, and they become hankrupts. Is it
ny wonder then, sir, that these men should
he in favor of the embargo? Review, then,
this statement made by the gentlemen, res
pecting the merchants, and what is the &C
tual result Why, this, sir, that although they
do suffer by the necessary interruption of
their particular occupation, "a suffering
1ei>@:c 60 any !3yi.ty
States) yet the real owners of the property
do not complain and almost the only grum
blers are those who have nothing to grumble
about.
But says the gentleman, what has become
of the farmere The gentleman knows that
L am farmer, and that have long borne
the appellation with sincere pleasure may
therefore be presumed to know something Of
the situation of tine farmer and not only in
my own name, but in the name of the whole
happy, useful, and honorable fraternity of
American farmers, ] will tell the gentleman
what that situation is at this moment-Ihe
American farmer is now enjoying the fruits
OF his honest industry, in peace and security,
blessed at the same time, with every politi
Cal, social and domestic enjoyment, perfect
ly exempt from all the veXations, and / had
almost said taXatonS, and with pleasure be-
holds surplus of ii millions of dollars in
the public treasury after paying every debt
which could be demanded of the honor of
the government All these blessings too, are
sweetened by the noble consciousness that
they are enjoyed by him as freeman, and
by a constant recollection, and perfect conf
dcncc, that he is protected iu this enjoyment
by government, which will never basely
| surrender his rights, nor the natonaf sove-
reignty, to any foreign aggressor upon Garth.
Blessed with all these uninterrupted enjoy
ments, l agree perfectly in sentiment with
the gentleman from N York (Mr. Mitchiil)
that with heart overlooking with the most
grateful affections, he should render thanks to
the author of all good, that in the bountiful
dispensations of his providence, he has been
pleased to pour so many blessings into the
lap of the American farmer!! Grumbling
and repining when thus favored, would in my
Judgement, be impiety to Heaven, and in
gratitude to his own government.
The gentleman does not tell you, Sir that
the farmer wants any thing, but that he has
plenty over much. The puzzle is, to know
what to do with the surplus plenty. And how
does the gentleman advise the Farmer to dis
pose of f-Why. he tells him, raise the en-
barge and it will increase the price oe your
surplus produce; and for this supposed diff
terence in price, he advises the farmer to
sell his own freedom and his country's in
dependence and in this contemplate and
miserable barter, to purchase his own, and
his country's vassalage-to cease to be free
man, and tobecome slave To give up the
noble feelings inspired by liberty and free
dom, and to descend to the abject and igno-
minious existence of slave without any men
tai feeling whatever.-Sir, let me tell that
gentleman in my own name, and in the name
of every farmer in the u. States, that we
would repel with indignity and Indignation,
the disgraceful golden allurement, even if it
could be realized. But, sir, dishonorable as
the allurement is, it is fictitious, it is vision
AIRY. 1t could not be realized.--I believe,
and every sensible farmer will believe, that
he has for the last ten months obtained more
for his surplus plenty under the embargo,
than he could have done in any other state
OF things, which was the choice of the go
yernment-Let us suppose that the immense
mercantile capital which is admitted to have
been saved by the embargo had been seized
and carried into foreign ports and there con-
demned; what would have been its effects
upon the mercantile capital of this country ?
1t would have so crippled our merchants,
that they would not have been able Tor long
time TO purchase the surplus produce of the
nation.
But that is not all, these merchants would
have claimed indemnifcation from the go
v.st tl,nf