The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-23

what injuries should be found to flow from il -
These commercial regulations, Mr.. p. said, of.
ten produced embarrassment, and never ought
~ be adopted but upon urgent necessity and
then with cautious hard---and it was Ger.
tain that our commercial regulations for several
years past had injured own citizens more
than foreigners. If such law was passed, it
ought to be so modified as not TO prevent our
citizens from taking the customary Gcence from
Denmark TO pass the Sound.
Mr.. Newson said that this bill was only design,
ed to prevent our citizens from taking a hcence
from one foreign power, for instance England, to
trade with another foreign and Independent pow.
er, say France. The only legal trade which he
knew OF, that would be prevented by. thu bill was
the trade from Batayia-to Japan, which did not t.
mount to more perhaps than one voyage year.
With respect to passing the Sound, Il was well
known that all nations passing into the Baltic
paid some duty there. He conceived the bill
would not affect this trade.
Mr.. Pckntan said that if the bill were as the
gentleman described it, he should not perhaps
object to 1T. Fit was emily to prevent our ves-
sells from taking Licences from Great Britain to
trade to France, it was much too vaguely and
generally expressed for the trade to the baltic
was clearly included within the bill.
Mr.. Shefey thought that this bill might do n
great deal of mischief by cutting up the car
Tyng tradc--not the colonial trade sometimes so
called, but the real carrying trade. 1t was well
known that foreign nations regulated their com
merce, ard that in many instances certain foreign
productions were only permitted to be carried in
their own vessels, unless in particular instances
where relaSations were made, which relaxati.
ors must be manifested by licences or permissi.
ons. Unless therefore gentlemen would cut IN
this trade, which he had understood it was not
intended to surrender they ought not to pass this
bill. It did nos appear to him, either, that this
bill would prevent the evil against which it was
intended to guard. 1t the giving the neu.
trat color to foreign cargoes which he under
stood was complained of This bill did not come
up to that object, there was no provision in Il
tending to prevent it but the amendment lust a
greed TO. The short discussion which Il tn
ken place he said would turn the attentioa of
gentlemen to the bill and he moved that the
committee should rise to give time for further
consideration. before they agreed to pass bill
which would cut up half the tr ade of the Uni
TED States. Whether or NOT license was ne.
cessaiy on all occasions where it was used il
was certain on some occasions it was Where
ever there WAS a relaxation By any nation i'm lis
navigation laws, there must be something like
licences or permits issued. He wished to see
some modification of the bill or some better def.
milton ofthe mischief to be guarded against.
Mr.. Netvton said he did not know of any car
ryng trade intended TO be abandoned by the bill.
The committee of Commerce and Manufactures
IN reporting the bill before them had confined
themselves to one object, viz-to proven, the
prostitution of the American flag. Would
~.
from Denmark to any port in the celtic Den
mark was herself n commercial nation and car
RED on her own trade The trade hence to Rus.
sia was direct trade, and did not interfere with
the trade from one foreign port to another AS
10 permits to trade, he knew that licences had
oeen gwen by nations having colonies to fsyorites
TO trade with those colonies. And this bill would
not prevent that species of trade, being only de-
signed to put an end to the trade in American
vessels 10 one independent power under permits
from another.
Mr. Shcfey said that if permits were given 20
pass INTO the Baltic after payment of the duties
this bill would certainly cut ND tl,at trade A.
to a nations never giving trading licences or per-
hts except to ITS colonies, the gentemIn was in,
correct England had often given licences to
import particular articles from abroad. Sumo
sing that the importation of corn to England were
generally lnterdicted, and necessity Should com
pei her to give licenses to import corn from the
United states. Such trade would be interdc
ted by TINS bli Thsse crude ideas Mr. S said
he threw out to induce gentlemen to reflect ON
the subject. He had !limslf no eninitv TO the bill
for he really wished for remedy for the evil M
which it was aimed
Mr.. PickHlan said there was trade carried OF,
IN the Baltic which'wss immensely valuable to
the Unitcd States, ard which could not be pros
ccuted withou, the consent of the Danish row
eminent. Large parcels of cotton had been late
ly sent to- the Baltic and had found n favorable
Ii this bill should cut up the trade to the Bqltic.
1t would do more injury 10 the trade OF the Uni
ted States than every other regulation of com.
merce which had ever been made. He was con-
hdent he said, that on reflection the bill would
undergo great modification before passed. or
woald never be passed
Mr.. W Kim said tina; if doubt existed a 10 A.,
interference with that trade, he had no obiec ton
TO the Introduction of an amendment expressly to
exempt IT from The operation of the bill He
sad that he as merchant had no knowledge Of
any such licences as those which Mr. Shoffev had
meRtioned. He explained what trade he wished
to affect by the bill England, having West In.
Ola Colonies, shut out from the continent.
and her own ports were filled with West India
produce. She had prohibited the vessels of tie
United States from going to the continent. for
the purpose of smuggling this produce there
herself American vessels, however were en-,
played in this smuggling trade, and furnished
with permits to proceed on their voyarcs f,; that
purpose. They then proceeded un.er licences
on voyage which every independent az lion nd
right to prosecute without licence or pe!ruissi.
on from any other poser. This he was d sirous
to prevent AS to the committees rising. he
seid he had no objection TO it, for he ,gas con.
yinced the more it was considered, the ,nore
evident the necessity Of the measure would AN
pear.
Tue committee then rsse 50 TO So, reported
progress and obtained leave to sit again.
PREVIOUS QUESTION.
The House again in committee of the whole
Mr.. PITEIN in the chair, on the rules and
orders reported for the government of the House
Mr. 9aiHcy's motion yet under consideration.
ylz to amend the rule respecting the previous