The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-17

iGeorgetown, even for mercantile PURPOSES.
and more improvements in this CITY. than
ever have seen before, and belive this
generally to be the case throughout tho coun-
try. hat this is a correct statement of facts,
4 have no doubt ;--how then is this agrcca :
Die and unexpected scene accounted for, a
midst this mercantile clamor about the stag
nation OF business 1t is because a greater
proportion OF the overgrown mercantile ca
pitai Is now diverted from external com
merce to internal improvements and am
strongly inclined to think, that this transpo
sition Ola certain portion of the mercantile
capItai, will produce beneficial operation
ID national point of view and probably e.
ven more productive to the capitalists, than
mskmg 1t in the employment of foreign trade
ms believe to be fair, Just and candid
statement of the operations Of the embargo
laws upon the several great classes of citi
zehs and when correctly viewed, how diff
ierent It's aspect, from the miserable pic
| ture OF horrors presented to us by the gen
tleman Connecticut. When YOU ell a
mechanic or a laborer of his distresses and
sunerings, when he has full employment,
good wages and cheap living, he would laugh
atyou he would either think you silly, or
that you meant to treat him with indiynity
and insult Thes. 81. I'll H. I.I-..:.s-
could wish, and they are enough for any man
10 possess, when he reflects upon the narrow
span OF human enjoyments, this world affords
Dir, the miserable laborer on the other
SIDE the Atlantic, would consider the eniov-
ments OF the laborers here, Elysium itself:
and can but lament for the sake of suffering
humanity, that it cannot find the way to
tnese enJoyments. presume that during
me late eiecuoneering scene, that every la
oorer ana mechanic in Pennsylvania, was
tod thousand times that he was ruined by
the embargo; but thirty thousands vote ina
iJor,ty) nave told these frantic, officious dis
turocrs OF the public quiet. in loud and aw-
fni tones, how silly and ridiculous they con-
side" the suggestion. The recent elections
III most of the other states speak the same
emphatic language.
nave been thus minute, Mr. President.
IN the examination of this part of the sub
Jcct' as well to relieve ourselves from the
miseries and apprehesiens of our own deIu-
ued lmaginations, as to relieve foreign natl
ons, as far az was within nv power, from
their deusions, which l shall shew in the
course or my observations, are the principal
II not The very cause of the hardshps and
sufferIngs SO loudly and causelesslv complain
ed OF by some gentlemen. Now, sir, take
an impartial review of the effects of the en-
oarSo laws, as operating upon ourselves, and
what is the actual result? Why, sir, as far
as they We're precautionary, their success
, n
erai operations, they have been attended
with some prvations and suffsrings, they
nave not been without their beneficial effects
on society.
ne gentleman next trlumphantly tells US
that the embargo laws have not had their
expected effects upon the aggressng beli-
gerents. That they have not had t. cir COM
flete effects ; that they have not caused
revocation OF the British orders and French
decTees' Will readily be admitted but they
certainly have not been without some bene
iciai ehects up'n those nations. Let me
however ask, Sir, is this failure cause of
triumph to the gentleman, Does he feel
more pleasure in the decisive expectation
OF triumph over political adversary. than
IN the triumph of the nation over our COM
mon adversaries Are his political feel
| ihgs so strong, that they are to be INDUCED
at the expense of his own, and his country's
interests Does he vainly suppose, that dis
| reSarolng or postponing all consideration of
the peoples interests, when their all is at
stake, to the indulgence ofthese petty ami
mosities, will give him a just Claim to the
peoples applause If he does, Sir, he is
mistaken 1t is by the reverse of this con-
duct that he can lay any just claim to their
applause. It's by banishng his prejudices-
| 1t is by conquering his own passions, and by
devoting the whole energy of his mind to
| their service, at this critical moment, that
he can bejustly entitled to their applause
| This would be for him glorious triumph
triumph over his own passions and it
would secure him the public appreciation.
because the conduct would be right Let us
then, Sir, hope for this conciliation which
would be so honorable to ourselves, and
would promise SO much advantage to the
| nation.
| In this spirit of concii;ation and patriotism,
| then, MIR. President, let us enquire, first,
what have been the actual effects of the en-
barge laws upon the aggressing belligerents,
The first enquiry invoive- much mercantile
information. / have only some views of gen
cral mercantile principles-I know little or
nothing of their operative details-I had,
therefore, hoped for much information upon
this part of the subject from gentlemen who
possessed it: but have received very little
satisfaction from them in that respect.
The first effect Of the embargo, upon the
| aggressing bellgerents, was to lessen their
Inducements to war, by keeping out of their
way, the rich spoils ofour commerce, which
had invited their cupiditv, and which was
saved by those laws. IF they had once pos
sesSed themselves Of this enormous booty, il
would have been a sure pledge of open and
direct war. 1t would have betrayed the ex-
penscs OF tho war for several years. If they
had not gone to war, they would have been
compelled either to Testore the captured pro-