Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-04-07

81 viii the provisions struck out, BY the Sc
nate. if they could be reinstated, benefit the
navigation interest! This is an enquiry Of
some Importance, for if it shall appear
tina, ,he.system is altogether worthless, gen.
tlernen who have tsken this ground for adj
herring to the original proposition, and by
this means continue the non-intercourse,
will consent to take the law as il now stands
The bill a. it just came into this house
was sale to be substitute for the non. inter-
course, which was substitute for the EN-.
barge. This system of substitution has not
the appearance of stability. If this bill had
passed, those who knew its progenitors and
recollrcted their sickk and disordersd
state, would not calculate on long life to the
child. >E =
We are to bear in mind too thar the COM
mercial or navigation provisions were to
expire by the very terms OF the law with the
last day of the next session which nigh. be
prior to aud could not go beyond the fourth
day of March and that they could be an.
nulled by the executive before that time, in
case he. made arrangements with the belli.
gerents. Is it possible TO conceive that
these temporary, uncertain regulations can
benefit the shipping interest or that any
man would beidle enough to build single
vessel in ,censs quence of this ephemeral
system? Let us not deceive ourselves, this
~ is no. navigation act.
But is there not danger that the bill
might have the effect ef'destroyins the We
ry interest which we profess by it to en-
courage? What let me ask would be the.
effect of retaliatory regulation by the Bri.
fish? 1t is said indeed that there is no
danger of retaliation-psrhaps not. Indeed
, the advantage which the British would re-
ceivc under this law would probably rem.
der it a favorite with them for if | mis-.
{ take not in connection with the Fr.nch de
crees and the French practices under these
decress, will max. Great Britain our ware
house and her people our factors, and this
is one reason which induces me to vote J.
eainst the bill as it went from this hous~ %. But
as to retaliation we are to recollect that
Great Britain is much governed by her own
lutSISst, dau IL SuC SCCS tSi III
we must expect that she will rstaliats.
Put tie case that The English adopt cor
responding regulations, that they prohibit
| any expor.s or imports in American YES
sells, what will then take place to the opera
ton of this system !? Some gentlemen who
are friendly to the restrictive regimen up.
pear to think that i. will give an embargo
more efec.ual than the former, because it
will be enforced by the British navy. But
it will not be an embargo. The few las,
! years have afforded Us some experience on
this subject. Notwithstanding our res,ric-
tive regulations our productions found their
way out OF the country and British goods
found their way in. Such assurrdly would
be the case ftaese conflicting systems were
put in operation. Our productions would
be deposited in Amelia Island on the south
| and Nova Scotia and Canada on the north
to be carried away by the British vessels
and the British merchants would have there
| a supply Of goods which would find their
| way into the country by stealth and SNUG
glins.
In sach state of things what would be-
come OF the shipping interest Is it not
obvious that our ships and sailors would be
permanently thrown out of employment and
that all our trade would be carried off in
British bottoms, the thing we appear to he
so solicitous to guard against? And what
| would render our situation the more into
lerable and oppressive, is, that we would
not have it in our power to shift off this
system as We did the embargo. 1t must
continue not merely as long as we choose,
but during the pleasure of Great Britain,
for we must bear in mind that if she does
not lead the way in these " navigation"
projects, but treads in our own footsteps,
we shall have mo- just cause to complain,
either of the commandment or the CONT
nuancs OF the system by her. 49,
Nor will the evil be confined to the shin
ping interest; it will BE- fel. By every por-
ton Of the community, and particularly by
our farmers and planters. We know thar