The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-10
/ No. IS.

4
ohce Great Britain has become intoxicated
WITH this extraordinary project of re -coloniza-
e'on, verify believe, we shall again have
10. 10 iiSht her out OF it; and am incliried ts,
thinE, that now is as good a time for the con-
,ese' as we can expect inNany future time
nnt' sir, we are told, that this subject has a
~ AS Well as political bearing!
.He commercial must certainly be a uubordi.
nate one.
Let me however, bestow few thoughts on
IT'S commercial bearings. / mean no disrcs-
pect to merchants but upon this snbiert
do not think their statements ought TO be
! cohhdeain. am sure they will excuse.
the observation, when 1 tell them. that
was taught this lesson at the time of LAYING
the former embargo, by one of the most res.
peG'asic merchants in the United States
ana tncn representative in Congress from
the city of Philadelphia That pentlem.n
then told US, that upon the question of an
| embargo, the information of merchants was
nor TO be relied upon that without imputips
'othem any improper motive, their state.
ments would necessarily partake of their cal-
euiations OF their own particular interests.
he gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.
rlckering) has favored us with mercan,;Ie
Information from the insurance office. ar
Boston and Salem as well as information
from some of his respe ctaLie mercantile
correspondents. am willing torespect this
lspscies ct ihformation as far as il extends 3,
; merits attention but, sir. il does not con-
| tam all the Information want: and "a little
as 1 know ct mercantile principles, know
that Vt Is, essentially erroneous Sir the in
! formation from the insurance Office. doe.
not extend to all the objects it ought to en-
GRACE: want TO know in the first place.
sr, Ii we repeal the embargo laws, with.
cut any substitute. and agree TO trade under
,"e hritish otoers IN council what would
| be the premium of insurance upon ou, ma
tional character, and national indepen-
oence hese important articles of barter
seem to have escaped the attention of the
cioces altogether; whereas it appear to me
10 be the previous Question. Ali others sink
li"to insi5nifioaiice before It. SIR. ci.nt n,.
cent. would not insure them. The policy
must be made upon o calculation of a total
ioss' i he Insurance could net be done upon
;nae$e esse"t,af arhctsS 81 barter, in all the
insurahCe oinces IN the United States, Ne
sir. as these arc articles which hold with
o'hcrs in trust, can never violate the sa-
cred deposit OF put it at fisk until deer,
/ inc poicy perfectly competent tes cover the
ioss' ASa!n, sir, | wish to know the premis
I'm against the British orders in council. nm
on avoyaSe to France, or any where else.
Wi'efe an American vessel may go under
| the protection Of the law Of nations. Cert
4
OF tbs right and for one would rather
IiSht Tor 1T than abandon it. Again sir.
! ""at would lie the insurance against French
captures TO European ports, in case the en-
Darso were raised 1t would be dihicr,,t To
make calculation. u:tii some experim ents
! should BE made. The REASON of the low in
Snrancc now, is, that the French have no
Inducements to sena out privsteers, to de-
p'eria'e upon our Comm cree, as long as the
embargo restraints it within our ports
ra'se the embargo, and the temptation
to plumber would fill the ocean with rri
vateers. The commerce would stand
ute Chance to escape the plunderers
hese observations are sufficient to shew.
iirst, that the information from the insur-
ance oHlccs docs not embrace all the articles
OF barter we haze i'll the market particu-
larry tAosc OF tae Hrst Hecessity Secondly.
that the policies upon most Of the articles
embraced by 1t, are calculated upon incor-
] rect principles, and not adjusted to the
state OF things which would exist upon rails
ing the e!n5argo without substitute. Further.
sir, with my Little knowledge of onmerci,
al details, j will venture, without the fear
OF contradiction, to guestioa the accuracy
OF the information furnished by the gen.,e
! mans respectable commercial CORE sponfIent
! (iAr Ihorndikc) l am willing 10 admit.
SIR, that he is, as the gentleman describes
MIN to be, merchant of tho FIRST resDecta-
biiity and as such / respect him 4; but T
Cannot, in all points, subscribe to his mer-
Camille information | will mention ONLY
two points IN which ht is evidently mi 81 AIKEN.
and they will be important enough to varv
the whole aspect of the calculation he has
/ made, as 10 what trade we could carry on
under the orders in council. First. ne has
made calculation of our trade to Great-Bris
ta'A upon the usual prices ct American arti-
cieS in British markets. Thi, is an ex-
| tremc'y incorrect standard of prizes: be.
! cause, II all American articles were dri-
| ven into the British market, and excluded
| from the markets where they are consumed.
| they wc"iI bear no price at ali. They
would not defray expenses. Take the arr
| tIcie OF tobacco for instance The United
states export upon an average rs 600 hogs
heads of Which G.. Britain consumes ID coo.
! The rest are exported 10 the European con-
tlnent. What would 81 the price of an article
when there is FIVE times as n.u h at m TX ct "a
IS wanted for consumption. or for any other
u'e! The merchants examined before the
/ house OF commons unani l0Isy agree, that
tliIs article would not deiray exr enses. They
( have not only sworn to this fact, but would
| ask, 1t It is not the dictate e Common sense
and the commoD result of every principle of
! barter! The same remark would apply tn
cotton and rice, ard other American arti-
c'e4' but perhaps not in The same decree -