Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-08

"ot UOiS WIN Il view 10 stop trade, nut was
Ihrofessed TO he done with view to- keep
safe our resources. The stopping of trade
by water was not the object, however il
may have been the inevitable consequence
OF the embargo. 1t was an evil necessarily
resulting from IT. The majority were will
ling To endure this evH, in consideration of
the eventual good which would result from
keeping Gas the president expresses it) in
safety our national resources. But as one
mad measure begets more, so, in the pre-
sent instance, II has happened that the ORR
gnai object or the embargo, ruinous as it
was, is abandoned, and gentlemen seemed
to vie with each other in their ,epdeayors
TO render our situation in every respect in
tolera5le. ] ask the Intelligent and can.
did men of this house, whether to prevent
the farmers of Vermnpt from selling their
pigs IN Canada is calculate to increase or
diminish their essential resources. Whe-
ther the object which the president nro/cs-
Sed To have in view, is counteractcd by
traffic of this kind. No sir II is not only
IN direct hostility to the interests of the
country, but what some gentlemen will pro-
badly regard quite as much, to the wishes
of the president repeat it; the objects
of the bill, particularly the fourth section,
and of the embargo, are totally distinct.
lsteadot measures of this description in
stead of forcing commerce !; instead of put
ting their ingenuity TO the rack, in devisinr
means toparalize completely all thc COM
merciai activity ofthe country, ] should have
been happy TO have perceived in the GEN
tlemen who manage matters in this house
should have been glad 70 have perceived
In the administration, disposition TO en-
courage as much commercial activity as
could be possibly consisten, with tho Hro-
Jesscd object of the president: the sa e.
keeping of our commerce. l should have
been happy TO have found them content
with the ruin and distress their darling pro
ject had already propuced, without aiming
at the utter, the total stagna,ion of all the
commercial powers OF the political body.
But, unhappily, instead of amelioratine. we
so on TO make worse and worse the con-
dition ct our devoted country. Suppose
Vermont should send some finer produce 70
Canada; or Georgia to the Floridas IN
! what are the interests of the rest of the u
Mon to suffer by it Or are we to go on pas
sing these laws, jealous in our exertions to
make bad worse, upon the principle which
some gentlemen in this house have very
gravely advanced, that we ought TO make
the public suffering as equal lin other
words) as universal as possible to extend
it to every nook and corner of the union ::
that no portion, no section however remote
however secluded, should escape from IA
king its due proportion ofthe bitter drane ht.
none, which the fatal gangreue should not
reach If we ARE running mad, sir, we
have at least this consolation we have
method in our madness"
/ 1t is strange, it astonishes me that by an
iembargo, we should be led 10 the measures
contemplated in this bill. Because, you
! wish TO preserve your vessels and seamen.
these essential resources, in your sea ports,
you are therefore to prohibit all trafIicSiug
across your territorial lines; tits evident
that by permitting il, your citizens, OF
/ coure your country, will be beDeftted. Sir.
cannot express my amazement at tJ,r
! dreadful infatuation which pervades the
4 public councils. ] conjure the members OF
this assembly TO cease for moment heir
( e2lcrtlons-I conjure them TO sheath the
4 destroying sword; nthe name of our suf-
/ fcring country entreat them to save it from,
these new and accommodating evils The
/ great object OF your president is secured.
| Leave li.tle to your distressed people.
Do not, implore you, permit Yourselves 70
be persuaded, that the public interest can
not be snbserved, unless every body is dcs-
troyed
! doubt whether experience has proved
that the original law was for the public in
/ tercst. Hltheto our ships might havenavi
i gated the ocean in safety. But at any rate
is 1t wise to hazard every thing upon the ex-
pertinent For at best it is but an exDeri-
ment. IL it shall be proved ultimately 70
have been good measure, it will also prove
to have been strong enough to produce good
enough to satisfy every rational fheor,st.
If a bad one, it will have produced caIami.
i ~ enough, full as much as our poor country
can stagger under.
! have III view no object but my country's
good--and when ] see it threatened ON eve
ry side, 1t is my duty to speak ont boldly and
! earnestly to this house and to this nation
And will again entreat gentlemen to re-
icct whether the continual extension of the
Inon-intercourse system, is calculated to
! make us better prepared to engage in war
either With France or Great Britain For
upon that ground was the original measure
Of the embargo demanded Ivy the president
upon that ground only, could it be even plau-
sibly defended
SIR, tits high time to stop. Wehave done
enough.
If it is wise to cmtrive that every part OF
the country should suffer; ifthis strange no.
ton be indeed good policy, could wish gen
tlemeh would, instead of boiling at me, in
the fuiness OF their rage, endcavor to satisfy
my poor understanding by cool reasoning
that they arc right. That they would SHOW
me how this measure would prepare us for
war, how the weakening, by distressing e