Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-17
Ma6aeh4istts Legislature.
r E PO RT

The committee to whom were referred
the petitions of lsundry towns in this conf
monwealth, on the subject of the embargo,
and other subjects connected therewlltn'
have paid the earliest possible attention TO
the very important and interesting subjects
therein mentioned. These numerous re-
presentations, made as if by one consent
from the different parts Of our country, al
!. ford strong proofs Of the injustice and I'M,
policy of the measures complained OF ana
exhibit striking display OF the disastrous
consequences OF those measures. nc
members of the Legislature navlng lateiy
assembled from AL quarters OF the state,
cannot require any new evidence OF the
grievances which are universally Cypress
ing their fellow citizens. The committee,
therefore, instead Of dwelling on the PIC
turevof private distresses, or enumefaNhS
the disgusting catalogue Of pnolic wrongs
displayed in these petitions have rroceea-
ed to analyse the whole; TO select the lead
ing subjects Of complaint and to consider e,
whether there be any remedy within the
power of this present legislature.
The principal subjects OF complaint IN
!. all these petitions may be comprised under
those general heads.
FIRST, The. ilnpolitic, unnecessary, and
.unconstitutioal introduction OF commerce,
by the several acts Of the Congress OF the
United States, falsely called embargo laws.
Secend7y, The apprehension that the ma
ton is to be speedily plunged INTO war
with Great Britain and consequently en-
tangled in fatal alliance with france.
Ihird7ty, Some peculiarly oppressive and
unjust provisions of the last embargo act,
passed on the 9th day of January IN the
present. year.
The first OF these subjects has been re-
peatedly under consideration before the ie-
g;slature OF this state. And here the COM
i Inistee cannot avoid observing that the ms
apprehension of cur true interests and feei-
ings by some of our representatives IN con-
gress, must have contributed very much to
the continuance of these es41bargo acts. l ne
government of the United States would net
probably investigate very critically those
rights which appeared to be abandoned or
disregaraed by these who were peculiarly
intrusted with their defence; and they
must from the same cause have been led
into the greater mistakes as to the feelings
and dispositions of the people. Even if
the eonstitutionality and justice Of these
measures had been less questionable, 1t is
impossible to believe that they would have
been 50 long persevered in, if the govern
mert of the United States had been early
and truly informed of their ruiEons opera
ton on the commercial states, and the uni
versal disaaection they excited among the
people.
When this subject was first discussed IN
the legislature Of this state, the opposers OF
the system could only reason from the &c
neral principles OF our constitution, the ne
ce.slties of commerce, and the feelings OF
human. nature. They depicted in strong
coIors the destructive tendency and conse-
quences of this system. They have long
since seen. the accomplishment of their pre-.
dictions their most gloomy Presages are.
verified bv theevent; and the whole people
now feel and acknowledge the force of those
truths, which then employed the ablest- of
our statesmen to explain and demonstrate.
The people of n. England do not need to.
enter into any refined reasoning or deep re-
search on this subject. They recollect that
the extension and protection of commerce
was one of them principal motives to form
ing the present union. This was one of
those great objects enumerated IN the for
mer Articles of Confederation and the
want of competent power fer this purpose
in the ancient government, was among the
primary causes of our present constitu-
ton.
They will always acknowledge with
cheerfalness & gratitude, any efforts of their
brethren of the south against common