The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-28

~ "S ~ 'ftht ~ - AtA sAllCI NOutl
property is taken, you viii fight in vain for its re-
covery. / think that we should either defend these
rights or give them up. IF VIC maintain them,
let us rely upon our own resources and upon our
own exertions. This will completely defeat one
motive for laying the embargo, which has so far
! secured our property and rendered Us invulnera.
bic to the attacks of the enemy.
A gentleman from New-York (Mr. Gardenier)
who spoke on the subject yesterday, observed
that you were about TO take a course to deceive
The people; that you were about but to continue
the embargo under different name Now l am
much mistaken, sir, if that be a fair inference
rom the state ofthings which would exist even
IN case ofa war with Great Britain. Is it not
known by every gentleman that we had a COM
merce even during t.e revolutionary war To
he sure it was not as extensive or rs lucrative as
m a state OF peace. But Can any gentleman be.
hcve now,' when our enterprise is at least as
great and our opportunity greater, that our mer-
chants could no. carry On better than
they could then T! Certainly. Notwithstanding
all the eNertions ct Great Britain in guarding
your coast you may carry on commerce. But
what does that argument amount to Does the
| gentleman from New-York WISH, because n par
uctlar portion OF the country could now carry on
a lucrative commerce Notwithstanding the orders
IN council by selling, their product in the British
markets, that the who,t interest Of every oti.er
section OF the union SHOULD be given up ? Arc the
great interests otthe country 10 be completely gi-
ven up, because one class of people would receive
relief from it? Of what con.eq lencc is it 10 us 10
cultivate the SOIL, 1t we arc restricted 10 i par
tcuiar market, which, it has bcea shewn does
not consume one seventh of our product, Is thi.
the policy which gentlemen think we ought
Ia pursue: As for legis.ating for n particular
section ofthe union, the doctrine is so novel. So
Inconsistent with the very ebiec ct OF government.
that l am astonishcd that any gentlemen on tins
floor should advance opinions o. this sort. If we
are to yield TO these orders in council, to permit
the external OF the United States TO
he taxed by Great Britain, let us go the whole
length. Ii is not TO be expected that those rep,i.
i,tlsns which now exist 10 1ayor the CARRYING
trade of a particular class Of the people can ne
persere:ed IN, II we are obliged by them 10 sub
NIT to taxation 1T we are forced to submit. az
least let us have our produce carried to market
as cheap as we can, and not in addition to FOREIGN
taxes pay tax at home, by way o. boanty to the
shipping OF the eastern states.
1t has been asked by some gentlemen. what
are you going TO war for T.? a gentlemen from
Connecticut asks If you are going Ia war for the
principle that free slip make free goods !? Is that
Il candid question, sir /? The United States have
siven up that principle as far back as the treaty Of
Jy. 1t wss abandoned in the correspondence
ofthe Secretary ofstatc with Genet in 1894. How
itien can the gentleman Justify it to himself in
holdnng eut to the nation that we are going to
war tor u principle formerly abdicated 1 put it
to the gentleman whether the cause of quarrel
between It's should be made to rest on n principle
not at all iii contest =! Another gentleman from
Connecticut says he will so Us far as any eertI.-
man IN defending the honor ofhi; country. have
no doubt of't, sir; for the gentleman by au hon
orAbie service in the revolutionary war has alrea-
dy proved il. No doubt, If the gentleman from
Connecticut con!d, !:Sa myself, believe tiat the
independence OF the nation is Frustrated if we
submit to these edicts, he would be as little dis
posed to submit to them as | am. But sir, when
| he placed the Question an cDrlmRfCill ,,,,n,,t.l Al
,oSsthcr, and lett it to the calculation OF tie
merchant whether he would nav taxes or not. [
an not slrprized that We differ. 1t is no new
thing to differ about the seat of honor. But I
cannot bring myself to believe that the affairs OF
this nation are totally absorbed IN the interest of
the merchant. 1t is immateriai to the merchant
what is his situation The risk is always added
to the value oil the merchandise in the sale, and
subtracted IN the purchase it is ALWAYS 20 nam
aged as To give the merchant a profit in the end.
II the whole ofthe United States was
restricted to a traffic between F!.iladelohia and
New-Orleans or Mobile, the merchant would
find his profit an CARRYING OH that commerce.
But that is not 4 reason why the agricultural part
ottfc community should be rendered slbservi-
ent to the commercial, or that we should be sad
died with a system which will be ruinous to a.
Sficulture forever, because merchants cannot
now make money. l conceive the interest of a.
grlcuiturc 10 be materially connected with that
or / mean free unrestricted com
merce but 40 net conceive that it will be pro-
noted by permitting the merchant 10 trade, and
submitting agriculture 90 ruinous taxation.
Another question has been asked by the other.
side ofthe House, which deserves some answer.
II is asked what we should gain by a war with
Great Il titan ? do not exsect, sir, that we
5honld destroy the British navy or invade the is
land of Great Britain. But we shall be very for
tunate If by war we save our honor, our standing
as a free nation Let IT'S not submit and loss e.
very thing III 4 pecuniary point ofview, and our
honor besides for that must be the consequence
of submission. We shall be in a worse situation
than Francis, alter tie battle Of Psvis, every
thing will be lost. But gentlemen say, why 90
to war, when you have no way Of operating on
the boliigercnts! Because we will not submit to
an abandonment OF our rights. do contend that
we have the means. The gentleman from Con-
%necticut (Nfr. Pitkin) used 4 strong argument
the other day TO prove it. He said that yeur en-
barge, go far a. it operated ON the the British
West Indies was a nullity. Because Canada and
Nova Scotia furnish them with every thing that
they want ; that the British northern provinces
were the means of feeding the West India is.
laads. not Notwithstanding your regulations. Now,
VI by getting possession Of Cannda, Won could in
that way effect other possessions and interests of
Britain, 1T is important to have possession of il.
The gentleman from Connecticut gave stronr
reasons why we ought to dispossess Great Ri.
tain of Canada, proving how we could in tjt1t
I tyny prnrafa nm .,er ntarert L. =. iii L.