The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-06
Bosrox, November 18.
MASSACHUSETTS LEGIsLATURE.


we have not room for the particulars 81 the
two last DAYS proceedings. The subject OF inc
greatest consequence was the following
RESOLUTIONS.
The committee appointed TO CONSIDER Whe-
,ber il be expcdent for this Legislature to adopt
any measures with view to procure arcpeal Oh
the laws of the United States, interdctng TO the
c;.;zens all foreign Commerce, Ind imposing Fex-
atious einbarrassments on the Coastng Trade )
to relieve the people OF this commonwealth rom
their present distressed state, and to arrest inc
progress of that ruin, winch threatens 10 Involve
all classes OF their community, ask leave TO re-
port e..
That the committee perceive with the most
4. serious regret that the distresses occasioned by
the gcneralla imposing an embargo have borne
with extreme and increasing pressure upon the
people, and every days experience JuStlhes be-
lief, that continuance OF these laws must soon
become intolerable
AS measures Of coercion, theyare now acllno -
Iedged to be altogether impotent They afford
satisfaction TO France, and are regarded as lnef-
fectual demonstrations OF hostile disposition by
GreGt- Britain. Upon our own country, their eff
fects are bccomine daily and palpably more inju-
rious. The produce Of our agriculture, Of our
forests and our fisheries is excluded altogether
from eYory foreign market our merchants and
mechs MICS are deprived OF employment our coas.
ting trade Interrupted & ha;rassed by grievous
endorsements and our foreign trade is be-
coming diverted into channels from which there
is no PROSPECT OF its return. The sources of our
Revenue are dried zip, and government must soon
resort 10 direct taxation. Our sailors are forced
10 expatriate themselves--StronR temptations
are afforded to systematicai evasions of the laws
which tend to corrupt the spirit OF honnra vi"
commerce, and will materially lnure the public
morals III fact the evils which are Incnaced by
a continuance CFthis rOiicy, are so enormous and
dcplorable the suspension OF commerce is so
contrary to the habits Of our people, and SO re-
PIT q ut to their feelings and interests, tlat they
must soon become ntoerable, and endangcr our
domestic peace, and the Union OF these states.
as the embargo laws have been the cause Of tic
public distress, your committee are Of opinion,
that no ecai perm 4nent or cicctuai relief can be
afforded to She citizens Of Tins commonwealth
but by the repeal ct these laws. They persuade
theInSelycs that tiie congress OF the United States
NUT be Cutiy iniprc ssed with sense Of the total
ineffcacv of these laws for any valuable purpo.
sss, and of thsir direct tendency TO tho most sc.
riJ,is consequences. Y0ur committee therefore
tiust that Congress will not fail 10 repeal Ihcla
In this csntid -nce, your committee are OF opinion,
tilat upon tins subject, the Legislature should,
in its present session, cOnfnC iisel to arepeated
disapprobation OF tho laws interdicting foreign
commerce, aud to instfuctin6 our senator's, and
requesting our representatives in Congress, 10
tsc tllcir utmost eXcriOns TO procure their re-
peal.
Your Committee might probably have con-
tented themselves with The preceding remark,
lad not the late message of The President OF the
United States excited The most Serious alarm !;
which in the present oiitical safe If the country
they ccncciSei it duty 20 cypress. They per-
Ceive with the must painful regrets that in The
estimation ol the President Our coealiy is now
presented wish the Only alternative IS a c6nlioG-
u embargo, or ruinous war; but tlcy cannot
hestate T. cNpsss their .sgii:iea kslisf it2l The