Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-03

the orders VIII apply equally to all
Take tobacco for example. Accordin,
to the orders, every hogshead of to
bacco, exported from the u. States, j.
to be carried first into British port
Then to pay an export duty of 5 dollars
per hundred weight, before. it caa be
permitted to find its way to the cont.
|nent of Europe, where i. is principally
consumed. The value Oft article to
1.-THE grower, is upon an average about
lsix dollars per hundred weight. The
merchant in purchasing the tobacco Of
1.-THE grower, will tell him, your tobacco
lis worth six dollars, but I can give you
three only, because am compelled to
|call in Great Britain, and there pay he
other three to make up the price to the
| British treasury, and b. sides, to incur
all the charges of the ports and the cir
Guilty ofthe voyage, &c. &c. The game
observations will apply, with equal force
to every other article of agriculture.
And thus, the principle of the orders oil
council once submitted to, will enable
@. Britain as effectually to regulate the
4 AOoo Ol as
Iif she were permitted to say at once,
1.-THE colonists may raise grain, SC, but
they shall not raise tobacco, &c. II
you permit her to impose taxes at plea
lsure, on any of your productions on
their way across the ocean, to their
market of consumption, she can in that
way as efectually prohibit its cultiva-
}tion, as if she were authorised to pro-
lhibit In the first instance by positive
iprohibi.orv regulation. The effect of
the principle in each case is the same,
The only difference consists in the mode
lof, or the medium through which the
principle is eifectuated. Its notlikely
Great Britain would discourage the
cuitivation of grain, because she gene
rally requires the importation of a GER
tain quantity for her own consumption.
But if the orders of council were to
be sub aitted to, living in part of the
country where l have an election to
cultivate grain or tobacco, I should
Icertainiy abandon the cultivation ,af to-
bacco altogether, because charged with
the pres m export tax, | am persuad-
ed it would afford nothing to the grow
Ter.
| Now, sir, let me see how these or
icrs are likely to opera,e upon the A
nerican fisheries and Amcrican Esh.
believe NO American fish is allowed
10 be consumed in Great Britain vet
! all the American Ssh carried to foreign
lmaykcts for consumption, must first
call at British port, and there pay a
duty. l do not recoIlcct the precise
amount. Gen. Smith of Maryland,
said ninety cents per quintal. / do nor
know the proportion that this tax bears
to the whole value of the quintal, but
1t Is not material to my illustration.
! Admit the principle and the proportion
of The tax to the value of he article can
be varied at the pleasure of the British
government. When you come to re-
collect sir, the extreme jealousy enter
tanned at all times by the British go
vernment of the American fisheries.
as the nursery of their sea zen, and as
almost indispensable to the prosperity
of their navy. would you not conclude,
sir, that the farms upon the ocean were
in as much danger from the operation
OF the orders Of council, as the farms
upon the land? And beg gentlemen
more particularly interested upon this
subject to give these observations a
fair and impartial consideration.
! But, Mr. President, this suggestion
of Withholding the protection Of the
government from commerce. | con-
ceive wholly inadmissible. For ex-
cluslvely of many other considerations,
it must have been the result of some
very cursory reflections, or superficial
observations, upon the attitude the GO
vernmcnt has assumed in relation to
revenue, or an entire miscomprehensi-
on OF it. Sir, the occupation of COM
lmerce is as much entitled to the pro-
lection of the government, as any other
Occupation, and an abandonment of it
! as injurious to the interests, and as de-
Irogatory to the character of the go
vernment, as the abandonment of any
other. Once avow that principle, once
have 1t understood by foreign nations,