Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-10-27
FROM THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE.
TO WISON c. NICHOLAS, Esq:
LETTER ".



ated bv Messrs. Monroe and Pinckney, we
find the following: Is our trade to the
East and West-Indies, put upon better
footing than it stood before It's not. -
: This clai,s of right in us to trade to British
colonies has long been insisted on; and that
the right. has not been recognized by the
British to all the extent cur interest prompt
ed us to expect has been made futile source
of angry defamation against that country4i
as if, when they merely limited a grant, they
had withheld right. If we claim right
TO trade to British colonies, why not likewise.
to Spanish, French, Portuguese and Dutch!
Have we been freely admitted to these, and
strictly excluded from the others? Against
Spain, France, Portugal and Holland, |
have never heard a complaint. How comes
this? You know, sir, that they have always
in peaceful times, ligidiy excluded us from
any. communication with their colonies,
whence then our calm submission to this
exclusion, on the part of these nations, see
ing that we resent as an outrage on cur
rights, a. partial exclusion from the colonies
of Britain?
shall be told that we are such good CTS
toners to Great Britain; took SO many Of
her manufactures, that We had right to
every commercial freedom she coulG give.
Did not she, in return, take from us Jour
ffths of our spare productions Did we
take her manufactures, because we wished
to favor her, or because we got them from
her better and cheaper than the rest OF the
world could afford them! IF we we're infn-
spced solely by the last mentioned cause,
what, i pray, is the mighty favor Gone her
Do we feel ourselves under any obligation
TO her Tor taking four ffths Of our export
produce Nc, and for this plain reason,
ihatif she could have procured them else
where better, or cheaper, she would not
have taken them from us. The truth is,
each nation sought its own advantage IN the
exchange Of Its productions, and TO disin-
teresteel favor aas done, perhaps, on either
side. But we could have doEe without her
manufacturers She could not do without
our raw materials. Such has been the ge-
l;era. opinion of our country tor many years.
In all cur transactions with Great britain,
this notion seems ever to have been upper
most in cur minds. We have always seem
ed to regard her as dependent on us, Tor the
very means of existence. We are now
acting upon this opinion, we have brought
it to the test what will be the issue pre-
tend not TO predict; but this ! see and feel,
that il Great Britain suffer by the expert
ment, more than We, sad, calamitons IN
deed must be her situation.
But to return TO the colonies. We have
seen that the reciprocal commerce Of the
Two nations must necessarily have flowed
from their mutual wants and convenience,
and not from any favor or advantage intend
ed by the enc to the other. This being IN
elisputablv the case, can the greater sam OF
one of the parties, supposing this to be the
ase, give anv right TO the other TO demand
concessions Suppose one was to say to the
ether, g exchange my goods, which do
Tot want, for your goods, which do Want,
and which get from you better and cheaper
Than they are to be got elsewhere, you must
therefore make me some presents to secure
my custom" would not this be Justly tho't
a most unreasonable proposition Yet,
wherein differs from this, cur demand of
liberty to trade to British colonies? These
colonies, conquered or planted, have been
maintained at great expenoe, not only OF
treasure, but of blood. What myrlads OF
men, and millions of money has not Great
Britain expended in planting, protecting s
conquering colonies. Exclusive Of loss OF
men, she has expended more millions IN
defence of her colonies than these would
sell for and why such expence OF blood &
treasure? Was it to promote her COM
merce, and, thereby give employment to
her people Certainly With what face
then can we demond participation in this
commerce, which she has SO dearly bought!