Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-09-05
From THE NORTHERN WHO.
British Influence.

Of2E1SH HHueHCc.
The following paragraph is extracted
from an article which originally appeared ia
the democratic paper printed at Catskill /;
and is most admirable specimen of the
manner in which the democrats attempt to
establish their charge of 6 British influence"
in this country. The correspondent of that
payer says to the printer
81 beg of you to give to the public all
the information you have received or pos
sess on the alarming conduct of British
agents, who are endeavoring to lead from
the United States every ship carpenter in
it. Already have they taken from this vii.
lage nine, and am told from Hudson 80,
and if my information is correct, they have
engaged one thousand American ship car
penters,to build ships for his majesty. pre-.
sumo some Of his majesty's dear and good
friends in this country, will consider this a
special act of kindness. After having de-
stroyed our commerce they consider we do
not want ship builders, and very generously
take them eff our hands. All this may be
correct, and l presume there will not be
wanting newspapers who stilc themselves
Americans, to advocate it, for after their
support of that accomplished gentleman
Jackson, what may not be expected from
such traitors to their country"
Sure enough-what may not be expect
ed from such traitors to their country" as
in the character Of its legislators, recon-.
mend and adopt measures that drive its ho-
nest artizans 10 seek employ in foreign coun-
tries? To the embargo and non Intercourse
it is that the industrious ship carpenters are
to attribute the evils that have resulted to
them at home. In consequence of the ex.
tension oe British commerce, and the in-
creased demand for British shipping, owing
to the restrictions laid upon our commerce
by our own government, the value OF Bri-
fish ships have increased in the ratio of
three to five; that is, British vessels which
sold for three thousand previous to the en-
barge, are now worth FIVE thousand pounds.
This enables the ship-builder in Canada
(where previous to the embargo ship-bulld-
ing was hardly thought of to give twice
the wages to his carpenters that the Ameri-
can builders can and hundreds. if not
thousands of them have consequently been
induced .o leave Tile Uuited States. where
for two years, until within a few months.
10y could not get employ at their b,e;nae.
sufficient to keep them from starving.
The British government are indebted to
the benign effects of the embargo and non
intercourse for this monstrous accession of
useful citizens. 1t is these acts of our ma.
iIonal government that have played the
parts OF British emissaries and agents in en-
t'clng away our citizens, by the spriag they
have given to business in the British pro.
vlnces. The American government by the
imposition of their wicked system of Gre
strictve measures" have contributed more
IN two years towards the growth and in
crease of wealth in the provinces of Cana
Ga, than the government C. Britain could
have done, by any exertions whatever of its
own, in twenty. Previous to the embargo,
the extent of merchant ships from foreign
ports which annually arrived at Quebec did
not exceed twenty-five or thirty. In the
course OF few weeks past. we have motto.
ed in the marine list of the Quebec Gazette,
the arrival in fOe days of ninety tzvo ships
from foreign ports. 1t is Jefferson, with
your Smiths, your Eppes, your Campbclls,
and your Bidwells, that have been IS the
traitors to their country" in generously
taxing oHof our hands" our citizens, by
driving them into foreign ship yards and
warehouses.