Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-09-17
From the North AmericG,s.
NO. VIII.

" ~
country perpetual embargo, really been
the preservation of our ships, our mercilan-
dis, and our seamen, all OF which are IN
truth DESTROYED by it, this baneful measure
would have been limited in its operation on
those objects. There could have been no
inducemsnt to render the evil more extern
sive, BY unnecessarily adding to the oppres-
sion OF the: mass of the people. !.
Had it been true, that the Orders OF
Council and the Berlin Decree really pro-
.duced this mischief bear .ag act, the Legls-
lat,ire would have been content with guard
mo AGAINST those Orders and that Decree.
They would not wantonly have annlhllatea
that great stimulus to industry, the market
afforded by foreign countries forts produce.
By APPLYING the embargo to American
vessels and to cargoes belonging to Ameri-
can citizens, those objects would be protect
ed. Under the operation Of such a law, as
well as Under the operation OF the actual law,
American external commerce, carried on III
their own bottoms, would have been cut
lip by the roots. American vessels would
have exchanged the chance OF being caPtur-
ed at sea, for the certainty OF rottlng m our
own waters, and American produce, either
in the hands of the merchants or OF the
people, must have found its market al home.
The difference consists IN this. he nome
market would be better market. More
i1avers would appear in it. We should still
supply the foreign demand. we shoald be,
driven into that policy, which our present
rulers have always so much fayored--wss
should have been compelled to Withdraw
from the ocean, and toconhne ourselves to
A,oughing the land. Yet the produce OF
our labor would have found It's way to TO-
reign markets in foreign bottoms; and, 81
though ITS price would have been diminish
ed. Il would not have SUNK to Its present
distressing state of depression.
i do not pretend to say, that the embargo,
thus modified, would be proper measure.
Far from il. In any form, unless as mere
temporary expedient, to give time tor re-
flection, and TO impress On our merchants,
the seriousness of the danger,l think It most
'ill-ildged most ruinous. But think also,
that thas modified, it would be les. lll-jHdg-
ed and less ruinous than IN its present all
deso.a.ing form. Most seriously do de-
precatethe idea of cutting off its transporta-
ton entirely, and leaving 1t to perish on our
hands. or 10 be sacrificed to those, whomust
be compensated by immense profits, tor the
risk attending an Illicit trade. Deeply
should regret the ruin into which Ameri-
can ship owners would be plunged by this
REGULATION; but it is no alienation of that
rum, to find the great body ofthe American
peo,Sle participating in it. No vase states
nam will ever recommend measure, which
shall wound the interests of our merchants
hut compelled to choose between measure
whichsis indeed injurious to the commerce
), interests, and one which is not only In 4
still higher degree injurious to that interest,
but which involves the agricultural also ia
The same ruin, he cannot hesitate to embrace
The latter branch of the alternative.
Whatever difficulties this alternative ght
present to man, who cherished ancient O.
ninions on the subject, it could be expected
70 present none to those who avow the fan
tastic MOTORS, wh:ch have long been fashi-
onable with the ruling party. Men who
think commerce not real good, but an evil
which the difficulty of breaking ancient la
bits andprejudices, compels them to tolerate
who think that by the cultivation of the
soil alone, unaided by navigation, the true
interests Of the country would be best con-
suited, could not heexPccted to hesitate be-:
tween measure taken IN form to pros
trate both commence and agriculture, and
faken under such modification as to pre-
serve agriculture from the ruin TO which
commerce is doomed. When we ind our
selves disappointed in this expectation, we
look to some extrinsic cause for the solution
of the difficulty.
Two reasons are publicly assigned. The
first is, that total embargo will force the
belligerent powers to change the system
u Il IL