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

Il yea OF nay. nave TWICE SdiCl, ana now
say third time, that Great Britain by hei
orders in council, now reduced to the form
lof law, has abridged the rights of our ma
ltional sovereignty, that she has colonized
and taxed the people OF the United States
Here let me stop, sir; let me single on,
these acts alone, and ask gentlemen. if they
lare trues Gentlemen have not denied
ltiem. Gentlemen cannot deny them
We'll, sir, are gentlemen prepared to tell
1.-THE people Of the United States that Grea,
Britain has abridged their rights of nation-
al sovereignty, that she has colonized and
taxed them and perseveres in so doing,
landin the same breath, and at the same
thine, TO tell them there are no causes oil
\ war. that they must wait for further inju-
ries and insults! have so much conf
Idence in the intelligence and PATRIOTISM of
the people in every section of the union,
that do not believe such language wonl3
be justified or even tolerated in any part of
the United States. M, sir, the people of
Boston, enveloped AS they are with preiu-
dices, would repel the degrading expostu.
lation if it were fairly presented to their
view and consideration. hut, sir, pro
pose to press the examination of this sub
Iject still further. propose to select two
or three of the most formidable and into
llerable acts of outrage from the disgusting
icatalouge, and to be-tow on them a more
critical attention. These will b. acts of
the present energetic administration.
tsuDpose that other gentlemen Cannot I'M
dcrstard the orders of council as I do il
they dill, il would be impossible for an A.
nerican to oHer an apology for, or even a
palliation of them. They shall, therefore,
receive my first attention: First, as they
Affect our rights of national sovereignty.
Secondly, as they affect the di,ferent occu-
pations Of com merce, agriculture anil fish,
ing. Thirdly. the pretcxts upon which
they are attempted to oe justified.
The orders of council now reduced to the
form of law, abridge our national sovereign
Ity, in undert king coercively to regulate
cur comnerce ins.ehancc of our own laws.
aud the laws of nations and in subjecting
! it to heavy taxes or tribnte. TIE power
TO regulate the commerce of the u. States
with foreign nations, is gwen by the people
20 Congress, These orders Of council un-
6ertake to regulate it by force, and in de-
! iance OF the laws Of Congress. Indeed, the
orders exsend their regulation of it, fur
ther than Congress is authorised % do by
the people for they have charged our
| exports with hravy dates, which c ,n,;ress
prohibited from doing by the CONSTITUTE
IN. Great Britain may by municipal re :
gulations lay any tax she pleases upon the
exports of our productions from Greas Bri !,
tain, but she has. no right to force our COM
merce into her ports for the purpose of col
lecting tax from it, nor subiecting it to
capture and condemnation for any depar-
turs from the rules she prescribes, for con-
Quoting it upon the ocean. Submission to
these regulations, would be the surrender
o. some of the essential attributes of nati-
ional sovereignty. and would TASTY exclude
us from the family of nations, because we
should thereby consent to be excluded from
the exercise of some of the essential rights
OF sovereignty, which are Indispensable Ia
the equality OF nations. This result is so
opinion respectingit it.
But, sir, am the more disposed to
examine thu operation of these orders
Upon the different occupations Of com.
nsrce, agriculture and fishing, because
[ have lately heard /, said and repeat.
Cd, that they merely affect the occupa.
ton of commerce, and as conse.
quence resulting from this interpreta.
zion of them, it is said the merchants
naygo out and take care of themselves
This, sir, is an extremely fallacious
sugg ,stion, and gentlemen, particular.
ly agriculturists, ought to be very eau.
tious in adopting it. This mistake
has probably arisen from the want Of Z
Tue consideration of the subject. L
he's arisen from the want of discrimi,
mating between the right Of commerce
or rather the right of regulating com.
merce, of prescribing the rules for con.
Quoting it, and the occupation of the
merchant. The right of commerce is
a national right. IL belongs to the ma.
ltion collectively. The occupation o,
the exercise of the right only belongs
tothe merchant. The right to carry on
commerce does not belong to the mer.
chant exclusively; any other citizen
may, If he chooses, exercise the right
but these orders of council affect both
the right Of commerce and the occupa.
ton OF commerce they also affect the
rights of agriculture and Of fishing still
more. They affect the occupation Oh
commerce by limiting its extent and
objects but the principle of the or.
ders once admitted, it viii regulate the
IoccuDation of apricultt1re and nroha.