Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-10-18

which IS essential 10 the social system OF tl's
continent cannot be maintained. The SOUTH
ern NATIONS can no longer exchange the
wines, their oil, their silk, &c. for the corn,
the hemp, the linen, the timber, the iron,
and the tallow Of the northern. In every
country there is an accumulation OF their
surplus produce decaying and Perishlne.'-
They are unable TO purchase with II the
most necessary foreign commodities and
I thus they lose all motive and all inclination
10 exert their own powers OF productlon.-
Another source of distress TO the continent
is, the want of many articles England fur
nishes, & the privat!on OF which has thrown
many industrious persons out OF employ
msnt. Raw cotton and yarn, dying goods
and different drugs, were articles OF this
sort /: and what adds TO the evil Is, that the
continent is not suffered 10 purchase from
America those of them which she could
supply. The m!schievoss effects of this pro-
hibitory system do not conGne themselves
to one or a few branches, but the trade and
industry throughout the whole continent
are effected by it: every department. is per-
vaded by embarrassments, distractions and
expressions of various sorts. The very
means of corr espondence by the post Offices
whether upon topics OF trade, ofliterature,
or of private business or friendship, are re
strained by it. Upon the coast the inbsbi-
tants are precluded from their Old occupa-
ton in the fishery; they lose their mari
time skill and habits the natural nursery
of seamen is rendered reproductive, and
all hope IS taken from the continent OF again
Becoming able to establish navy, military
Or commercial, capable Of contend:ng with
that of England.
It is By no means the merchant alone who
suffers by those multiplied and complicated
restraints. Every person connected, how
ever remotely, with commerce, or who has
directed any portion of his capital or indus
try to any of its various branches, partlci-
pa,es in the calamity; and by the operation
OF these measures, in restraint OF freedom,
we see the very sources Of wealth and pros
peritv, one after another, dried up. thus
persons Of every scriptlon, monlcd men,
manufacturers, brokers, clerks, agents OF
every kind, persons connected with the sea,
barge owners, packets, carriers, and per.
Sons Of other occupat;oes, whose bread is
taken from them, those who were employ
ed in the manufacture of clothing, furnl,
ture, &c. in short, the whole of that nu-
merous set of persons who subslst upon the
wages Of the labor which the rich have
been accustomed to require from them. sen
sib!y feel the interruptions OF the calculations
of commerce, and are already involved by
it in different degrees Of distress. Nor is
the agricultural part of the community by
any means exempt from this distress she
husbandman in vain looks for those GUS
toners who heretofore Accked to him with
ready money, 10 purchase his wine and o.
Their produce of his soil.
It cannot be wondered at that in such
circumstances, the countryman is disheart-
ened from sowing his fields, and planting
his vineyard, and that his neglect OF cult
walton should prejudice, for years, the pro-
ductve powers OF the soil. 1t would be
easy to enlarge upon those topics, but sure
" enough had been already said to prove,
thar the continent cannot continue to sup
port the stagnation which has taken place
in the ordinary intercourse Of life.
But more, than this, how is i. to be ina.
gined that nations can continue 10 pay tax
IS, impositions and contributors, after the
channels of income have been closed? It
was wise observation ofprince Eugene OF
Savoy,* Nobody complained OF q very
great, but a very..q uitable distributed tax,
which proposed throughout the whole
kingdom, because at the same time afford
cd it means of increasing its commerce,
which had no, before Been thought Of"
Thus then it is to the interruption of
commerce that we must refer the extreme