The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-22

Which, icssen tne nQuCemefcS TO war. and
mitigate its rigor.-Pripciple highly inter-
estiny to mankind; not only to the present.
but to future generations, and in peculiar
manner, to the people ofthe United States
This arises from their remote situation from
the great contending nations of Europe.-Hi-
therto, sir, the talents displayed in defining
the magnanimity in protecting these prin-
ciples. have obtained for the United States.
the respect and sympathy of an astonished
world-And shall we, sir, at the moment
OF an extraordinary pressure, basely aban-
don them without striking a blow. Forbid
1t interest! Forbid it honor Forbid it Ante
rican gailantry But, sir, some gentlemen
seem not sufficiently Impressed with the hos
tile character of the beiligerent agrressions
With respect to those of France, there is but
one opinion They amount to hostility itself.
but, sir, to my astOnshment, the acts of
Srcrt-Britain seem not to have made the
same strong impressions on the minds of some
| gentlemen. Let me then enquire, sir, into
| the real character of acts which can by some
gentlemen be palliated or excasede They are
| acts amounting to colonization and taxation
to the exercise of the national sovereignty
of the United States. Great Britain has even
gone so far, as to exercise AN act of sove-
reignty over the people Of the United States,
| which they would not entrust to Congress:
u
sovereign capacity.
| The British orders of council, now sane
toned by an act of parliament, direct all
vessels, laden with the produce of the Unit
ed States destined to any of the ports of the
enemies of Great-Britain, to cali at a Bri
fish port, there to pay an enormous transit
duty, and accept a license for tile further
prosecution of the voyage; and upon refusal.
they are forced to do SO by British armed
ships. This is literally and precisely the
introduction OF the old, and long established
Colonial principle OF coercing all the COM
merce of the colony to the ports of the mo-
Their country, there to pay transit duty for
their protection by the mother country. In
the colonial state, the mandate of the mo-
Their country was sufficient to effect this OBJ
lJect. Now the same object is effected By an
| armed force. This is the only real differ
ence i'll the two cases. But, sir, this is not
all; G. Britain has attempted by an act of
| parliament, to exercise an act of SOVEREIGNTY
over the U. S. solemnly given by the peo-
| pie to their congress- Amongst the powers
given to congress, find these Words
/" Congress shall have power to regulate
commerce with foreign nations" &c. Now,
sir, permit me to read an extract from an
act of Parliament, and see whether it does
not only impose tax upon American pro
auctions, but also exercises this act of ma
tional sovereignty delegated by the people
to congress.
! &c And whereas it is expedient and neces-
sary in order effectually to accomplish the
object o. such orders, that duties of customs
should be granted upon certain goods ex-
ported from Great-Britain we, your males
TVS most dutiful and loyal subjects, the com
mons ofthe United Kingdom, in parlia ment
assembled, do most 'humbly beseech your
ma ctxyt hot hao O.
acted by the king S most excellent majesty. by
| and with the advice and consent of the lords
| spiritual and temporal, and commons, in
this present parliament assembled, and bv
the authority OF the same, that from and af
ter the passing of this act, there shall be
raised, levied, collected, and paid INTO his
majesty, his heirs and successors. upon all
goods, wares, and merchandise, enumerat
ed or described in the tables (A.) OBJ SS(C.)
annexed to this act, exported from Great
Britain, the several duties and customs, as
| the same are respectively described and set
| forth in figures in said tables''
In those tables marked A. B. C.. are to
be found productions of the United States
1t has been said, that Great Britain NAV
lay an export duty upon any goods within
her ports. That is readily admitted-it
being "a mere municipal regulation. But
Great-Britain has no right to compel our
ships to carry our productions into her ports.
for the purpose of imposing duties thereon
and this is the act regulating our commerce
of which / complain.
Again, sir. eat-Britain has ATTEMPTED
by this act OF Parliament to lay an export
duty upon the productions of the United
States, power not even entrusted to the
discretion of congress- find in the consti-
tuition, these words: no tax or duty shall
be laid on articles exported from any
state" Here then is an express prohibition
to congress against laying duty on any arti-
cles exported from any state yet Great
Britain has attempted by an act of paria-
ment, to lay an export duty OH cotton export
ed from one of the United States-an au-
thority which can only be exercised by the
people in their highest sovereign capacity
1t is true, sir, that Mr.. Canning offered to
commute this duty into an entire prohibition
OF the article, as an export from Great-Bri-
tain. This, sir, was only adding insult to
injury, and showed that Mr.. Canning DOS
sessed very little knowledge of the human
character, it he expected to soothe the feel
ings by insulting the understanding
regret that so much respect was shewn
to this proposition, as to forward it to our
government 1t would have been more a
greeable to me, if the American minister
had thrown the proposition back upon Mr..
Canning.
Iii true Mr.. President, that the export
duty, is to be collected in London, and not
p,,f e, 10 -, Al. 4