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

.. d" SAA ANAA
THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS
Were made by MIR. RANDOLPH, on sa'
turtlay last, Introductory to his resoiu
ton for repeating the nou'intereourse
law: !.
NON-INTERCOURSE.
Immediately after the decision OF this
question .... 49, =.
Mr.. Randolph rose. He said that sell
dom had question excited so muen sen
sations wltiek .was of intrinsieaiiy iess I'M,
portance than that just now deeidsd-ahc:
perhaps it nigh, be deemed that me p opo'
sition which he was now about to otter was
not ofi,srlf deserving Of higher eon:idera'
zion. He said he would state his ideas as
succinc,ly as possible, because his present
object was dispatrh. We have, said he,
an aef subsistins, which Tor brsyity's sake
win call the non-intercourse law. lhis
act has bSer reprobated and reyiled by eve
ry man of every political description IN this
house and out Of it, from one end OF the
continent 10 the oth.r-and yet, sir, strange
+as il may appear, Congress has been IN
session near FIVE months, and this law IN
rtlltion 10 which every enc seems 10 con-
cur (indesd vie with each oIher) in Its re-
probation, still remains upon our statute
books. To answer what end, l beseech
YOU, sir? Isit sort OF scare crow, SET up
10 frighsen the great helligerents OF Europe
--or is il q toy, rattle, a bare play tnlng
10 amuse the great. children in our political
world? On whatsoever measures the ma
lion may ultimately resolve, be 1t peace, be
1t war, be il (if there be such thing) an
intermediate state between these two, there
is no difference of opinion as to the delete.
rious operation Of this unfortunate law
ought perhaps to call il Fortunate for, al
though it. was introduced into the house
without single friend, although no man
was found to liz, up his voice in its defence,
: i, actually passed by majority of two to
cne, and is. found nearly as difficult to re-
peal as the old sedition law of the former
mai6rity, even after all its abettors have
lscome CONVINCED Of its nischevious ten
'dency. Ihope, sir, that We shall profit OF
former experience, and not pertlnaclousiy
adhere to a measure which is. daily dimi.
nishing the resources Of the nation, and We.
~ Justly impairing the public confidence in
,he wisdom and patriotism of the legisla-
ture-but ! beg Fsrron--l am entering
into discussion, when my sole object is to
submit naked proposition to the House,
and, If possible, TO get the most speedy de-
cision on it. do not mean to reiterate--
because they must present themselves to
every;man of commonobssrvation and COM
mon sense--the arguments by which the
'proprietv OF a speedy decision OF this cues.
zion is enforced. If any member of the
HOUSE, will figure to himself the fair and
bona fds American merchant, whose ship
has been lying at the wharf the greater part
ofthe winter, laden with:a cargo perishable
in its nature--say aax.seed--which if-not
exported now becomes utterly worthless,
he will conceive the situation Of those whom
! wish to relieve. How our resources are
to be enlarged, or the befigerents to be act
ed on by our produce perishing here ! can
70, conesiye--I mean the produce of the
fair and bone fde trader: for the other de-
scriptioa of men will send their produce
when and where they please. We have
had official information. near.fve menihs
ago, that the law 10 whully imperative, sx-
ceps as 20 men of high character for probity
and honor, WHO, eaHnot gain their own
consent ts violate the iaws--I therefore
move .--.. -. ...-5
." That the act interdic.ing the csnnaer-
eial intercourse, SIC. ought to be snsnaedi'
otely repeated" j. ~ 5.
Eye,s IRE Neu, 3ork Eynniur Part.