Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1809-04-10

Ritution which fays, no preference
fhall be given by any regulation OF
commerce or revenue TO the ports OF
one itate over taofe CT another" BY
this fiction all the ports.of the Uni
ted States are releaied from certain
oppreGve and burthenfome reitric-
tions respecting their coating trade,
excepting the collection diltrids adj
iacent to the territories of foreign
nation which are to remain fubjed
to thoie reitriStions amounting al
mott TO a total prohibition of their
coating trade. No fuch exception
is to be found in the contribution
and If congrefs may thus Jingle out
the ports Of one diftria, why not
thofe of fate and thereby wholly
arref the commerce of fate which
may be 70 unfortunate as to fall un-
der the difpleafure of the adminiitra-
ton If the contribution may be de-
parted from in one inRance, what
lecurity is there that all impoas, du-
ties, or exeiies ihall be uniform that
capitation or other direa tax fhall be
according to the eenfus--or that no
tax or duty fhall be laid on the ex.
ports AS well, nay better, might
tax or duty be laid on the exports Of
particular port, than that their coat
ing trade fhould be burthened accor-
ding to the proviGons Of thofe fever
al aQs.
/ will elofe my remarks on'ti'e de.
tails of the bill with fome notice Of
the 10th and lat Fec which feems
to be a favourite one with the gentle
man from Maryland Gen. Smith, be-
caufe it repeats after the end of the
next fe0ion of Congrefs the ieveral
embargo acts X the enforcing itatute.
Sir. L.-. 81. svuf;asu~c IN this pro-
vilion. We 6nd fuch claufe tackled
to almoR every bill which may haz-
ard popularity BY examining the
ftatute book, you will find great
number of important laws refling on
fuch a claufe and before the cloie
of almoA every fiction we PATS
hort bill, containing perhaps three
or four lines, further to continue fuch
laws in force to the next or fome fu-
ture FELTON, of Consrefs.
Mr.. PRECEDENT, il has been with
great concern that l have viewed the
prvgref. of our affairs in regard to
our foreign relations, iince the diff
cufion on the refolution | had the
honor to fubmit for the repeal of the
embargo. It is with deep anxiety |
contemplate the pafIing fuch an aa
as is now under confederation. The
embargo has produced diicontents of
a very alarming nature. This bill, it
it mould unfortunately pats, may
drive the people to desperation. The
embargo has deiroyed our COM
mercc. This bill if carried into eff
fea will deftroy the benefits of COM
lnerce, ard may involve US in war. 1t
the provi6ons of the bill arc not in
tended to be executed, it would be
degrading to the government. it
would be diihonourable to PATS it /;
as it would be holding out lure,
nav an invitation to our citizens TO
become violators Of our laws. and
cxpofe us to the deriiion of the
world.
Suppofe the act pafed and rigor-
ouly executed, what would be the
coniequencc +? Every man of COM
mon fenfe in cur country can tell
you. Our produce would be conf
ncd to few ports, one or two per-
haps in the We6 Indies, the mar
ket would be glutsed, and it would
not fetch one third its valu' Britifh
and other merchants would purchaie
a. their own price, and trapfport II to
markets where wanted, at an i'm
mcn(e profit. Such articles OF for
eign growth and manufacture as
were admitted would be OF an exor-
bitant price but many articles OF in
difpeniible necefity would be exelu-
ded altogether.
l, will te remembered, that when
the embargo bill was on its rapi |