Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-03-23

Up and cultivate tlAS " $500 L4
tory 70 Of the world has demonstrated, thas
even the most depotic governments have
hardly ever succeeded in changing the ma
bits Of 4 great people, and most certainly
i free country it cannot be attempted
with anv prospect of success. ! he mea-
sures adopted by the British government 20
;nterd;ct or control our commerce, were
among the most powerful causes OF the re
yolution. The power OF establishing COM
:, erree / enumerated in the declaration OF
onr ;'dsnendence, among the essential
rights Of sovereignty and IN the as5ieies
of confederation, trade, religion, anu Tue
sovereignty Of the states, are mentonea. do
the three principal objects which that CON-
pact was intended to protect. In the prs
sent constitution Of the i. States, whlls the
government are entrusted with greater
and more adequate power, for the pfo'sc-
ton and extension Of commerce, the cat
ton aid jealousy Of the people have lmpos-
ed various restrictions on that power. me
government are prohibited from imposing
any tax or duty whatsoever on exports, le'S
in virtue Of that authority, they might IN a
nv deeYee enbarrass the expectation OF our
produce. The people have maniis6tec a ST.
nl;lar disposition in other articles oithe con-
stitution, & if at the time OF framing and a
DOPING that instrument any question fisa d
risen as 10 the extent Of the power OF the du-
Ity of the government in this particular, tAere
can be no doubt that a clause would have
been inserted, most explicitly declaring the
interests ofeommercet to be onect the pFinel-
pal inducements for forming the union, and
lis encouragement and defence to be among
the FIRST duties of the government: while
the right 70 annihiiate Or obstruct 1t, would
have been explicitly denied. For long
time after the establishment CT this govern
ment, the fisheries, navigation, and trade
OF the ccllntry were protected a!d widely
extended. They furnished almost the whole
revenue Of the Y. S. and encouraged uni
versal industry. When III the Year 1874
the commercial rights OF the nation were as
sailed by Britain the immortal WASHING
TON, by dignihcd, tair and impartial nego-
iia,ion, procured for his country ample COM
pensation for past injuries, and secuFitY'a d
galnst future aogresslons. n the yca! 'S8,
our government under similar clrcumstanc-
IS attempted il he same manner 10 obtain
from France, indemnity for outraoes, ard a
recognition Of oar rights and Wftn t.,il' ne
go1iation was found TO be fruitlcss, they did
not hesitate Immediately to adopt measures
ef defence, becoming a. Independent and
powerful people. The success Of tness WIS:
ard patriotic measures, and the universal
satisfaction manifested by The people II their
effects, seemed to have decided forever the
true policy Of TIE L. S. But IN the year
1906, when our commercial rights were a.
gain attacked by the same nation, which had
but imperfectiv atoned for her injuries in
1853, and ii a manner more unwarrantabir
insoIent ard outrageous than before, the
Deopis expected that the government would
have recourse to the same policy which had
formerly b1>n crowned with such signI sue
cess. Instead of prompt and vigorous mcs-
sures obedience, they have seen the govern
nent retire fronl the conflict; and by ami
hilating their whole foreign commerce, ia
city confess, that they are unwilling or una
bic 70 protect it. This apparent Inability or
indisposlrion to resist aggression, has fur
nished a pretence to another prince, to reta-
late on his enemy through our unprotected
rights. Thus the United States are plac-
ed in situation, unprecedented it is be-
lieved in the history Of the world, being in
voIved at the same moment in serious con-
troversies with two most powerful nations,
who are themselves Mt war with each O.
Their.
The introduction Of foreign commerce fer
an indefinite period, BY perpetual laws, is
Justly considered as total annihilation OF it.
The people OF this country are not accus-
toned to class among their rights, such en-
joyments AID privileges as depend on the