Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-20
CONGRES S.
HcIsE OF REPRESENTA- YES.
WEDNEpAy, Feb. IS.
NON-INTERCOURSE.

whole. Mr.. Bassett in the chair, on the bill
for interdicting commercial intercourse BE-
tween the United States and Great Britain
and France, and for other purposes.
Mr.. EfILsoR moved to strike out the
FIRST section of the bill, with view to try
the principle. OF the non,intercourse system.
In support of this motion, he alledged the
impossibility of carrying. the system into
effect; for he conceived that the embargo
had been Intellectual from the impossibilitycf
carving into complete efect,& the propos-
ed system would be as difficult to enforce.
He thought that it would be impossible to
carry a non-intercourse system into effect,
as long as vessels were permitted to go to
sea. He had many other objections to this
bill, amongst which were these: that altho'
it raised the embargo In part only, the per-
mission to vessels to SO out, would render
the provision for partial embargo nugato-
ry that il the bill were 10 pass IN Its present
shape, it was to be doubted whether any re-
venue officer of the United States would I'M
derstand the duty enjoined on him BY it !;
that a time only two days previous to the
meeting of the next congress was fixed up
en- as the day On which the non importation
should go into operation, & thus the bill APP
reared to manifest distrust of thatCongress
who certainlywould be more competent than
the present Congress to decide on its propri-
ETY. at that time that non-intercourse be-
tween these countries wouldbut compel our
citizens TO pay double freight to&tron the
entrepot, without producing any other effect
than iniuring our own citizens; that goods
1 fronthese countries, altho' their importation
were interdicted by law, would be introduce
ed nevertheless that the extent OF the ter
ritory and sea-coast of the United States
was so great, that all efforts to interdict the
importation of goods must be Intellectual,
for they would be introduced contrary to
law, thus depriving the United States OF the
revenue which would be derived from them
if their importation were permitted by law.
Rather than accept this system, Mr.. M,
thought it would be better that this country
should remain yet longer under the pres
sure of the embargo which he had no
doubt must be repealed early In the next
session.
Mr.. QUINCY entered at considerable
length into an examination ct the system OF
coercion on foreign nations by means OF
commercial restrictions. The idea OF
the efficacy of this system he traced toa
deeper root than any administration under
this government. 1t was an error OF the
American people, originating in a period
santeeedent to the revolution /; it grew out OF
our colonial regulations. 1t began to be
favorite belief with the people, antecedent
to the year 1850, and was then fostered by
the patriots of that day, the idea being also
encouraged by the patriots of England
Mr.. Quincy entered into a comparative
statement of the exports from and imports
TO Great Britain from America at two diff
ferent periods, viz. the nine years preceding
the year 1775, and the nine years succeed
ING it. with view to shew that the average
imports into Great Britain from all the
world, during the nine years peace with
fhis country. amounted TO but about one
thirteenth more, than the average imports
during the same period OF zuar !; and
the exports diminished, nearly in the same
proportion. From his statements on
this head and comparison of the present
relative situation of the two countries, Mr..
Quincy drew the inference that this sup
posed means of coercing the European pow
ers did not exist. He deemed it peculiarly
unfortunate that confidence in this power
of coercion had so long existed, as it had
prevented the United States from making
preparations which they otherwise might
have made. He. hoped the idea would
now cease. In relation to our present situ-
alton, he recommended a plain remedy j;