Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-07

! Extract, of sletter from Member of Congress
to the Editor, dated Washington City. Sd
Feb. 1909.
We have this moment taken vote in COM
mittee of the whole lin the House f Reprc-
sentatives) to repeal the embargo laws on the
fourth OF next month. The votes were shout
two TO one in .favor of n repeat. 1t is thought
That letters OF marque and reprisal will follow"
| --xn s.. Il.
| We have all alone thought that the en-
barge or war was The unavoidable alterpa-
tive of our situation. No medium can be
pursued which will not ultimately lead us
into war. The embargo II seems IA now TO
be repealed, but as to the system which will
be adopted by way of substitute, a few DAYS
will decide. II has been suggested nv some
that our merchantmen should be permitted
TO arm, and by others, that let.ersor Maroue
and Reprissl should be granted We are
iinducedto believe that either of these mea-
surcs wilt necessarily terminate in war. IF
our merchants should direct their vessels
to those ports Which are prohibited by the
orders of council, they will be obliged to
submit to capture, or to resist with force,
which will evidently bring on immediate
hostilites Ifthen it is man,festly our fate
! to be involved ~ war, we are led to enquire
! II 1t would not be our better policy to de.
clare 1t tnstdnter. We are duly aware of
the cala'nities which must necessarily at
! tend this me ASSURE, but we cannot perceive
how they will be diminished by delay, when
1t is obvious to the most careless observer,
that war must be the result trhe great ob.
iicct of our government is To procure a re-
peal of the European orders and DEGREES.
We Ind that this object Cannot be attained
| nv remonstrance and negotiation. The EN-.
quiry then presents itseir, what is the most
likely Course to effect. this end.
| If we suffer our merchantmen TO arm, or
if We issue letters of VI ,rque and Reprisai.
there can he little or NJ dJuot but ;nlt our
fcommerce will be principally Conducted un-
der the British orders Great Btita we
kaow has already hell forth a formal invi-
taton for this purposs ard from the spirit
of mercantile cupdity, which has been 81,
| frequently displayed, wsfeel confident tnat
it Willie immediately accepted. In shis
! way the market, OF Great Britain viii be
amply. supplied, in this way our comnc-ca
will be surrendered to- her direction, and n
this wy the orders of council will continue
70 shed t;eir baleeul influence upon us II
cannot he supposed that the merchants of
| this country would hazard their property
oy sending Il TO prohibited ports when me
Arisque ut capture is so extremely great
! ience, we may conclude upon the loss of
our carrylng trade. In this point of view,
! We canno. calculate upon attaining our gre at
/ objeet~-a repeal of.,he orders OF couacil.
1 Whetas'r war is better adapted 10 pro-
duce this effect, snail be the sabject of fu.
Iture speculations.- his one which demands
the most deliberate reflection. 1t is one
that We shall approach with considerable
share of difidence.
| Ithas been reported that orr government
Isl IMPRESSED with belief that As .oon as
the embargo IS repealed, Great Britain will
rereslher orders OF council. 10 this re-
| port VIE Cannot attach the smallest faith.
| Alter every poss bic expedieu, has been tri :
| ed, and after evsrv in5ucemcnt has been
| offered IN vain to remove her from her un-
just AMI ner unTreniIy position,iV is rom N :
! ito TO suypos. that sue wll do so now sxa
shoHte she viii readily perceive that if
we adopt the plan of.arning our merchant
men. or eS gran ing letters of VI .rque and
Reprisai, that our commerce VIII fail vir-
tualiy undr her direction TINS then, con.
stltutes powerful ndHcement sor Aer to
remain infex,sie in regarl toner inidhitous
eficts. Ii woald, indeed, be the most pa
| pare inconsistency ON her part, when we
recolect She has always contended that
these orders were a necessary system of re-
| taliation 10 counleract the influeace of the
French DEGREES. limo othcr substitute were
adopted in the place of the embargo, and
our vessels were suffered to 20 ou we
should very soon lament our ridiculous Gre
duiiey. Let no such nation be trusted.
! re-n
The author Of the essay signed Dembo,
is requested to reject seriously upon the
policy of ITS Publication. We are inclined
70 think that It would be attended with evil
consequences az the present critical and en-.
loarrassIng CRISIS.
| Itgivea us satisfaction to state, (says
the National InteIlisencsr) that the
vessel thai SO dar,nsly infringed the
laws at Providence, as stated n our
last, has been seized BY and is now
IN the custody OF the revenue officers.
In Inserting the article descriptive
OF this intractlon, the American Daily
Advertiser of Philadelphia, federal
print, emphatically says, : we detest
such measures"
In inserting the following article,
we are far from ATTACHING tnnlicir cre-