The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-07-16
PROM THE NATIONAL IETELLXGENcER
REVIEW
OF ROBERT SMITHS ADDRESS
(Coniinued.


he does not interim Us what is the inference
ne means we should draw from this article
CT his exposition. He says that Mr.. Ma
cison was disple1sed at this letter, aud that
We, the people, should have no difficulty in
discovering the cause of it. Really, this is
cAyinS too high a compliment to our dis.
cernment We cannot discover this cause.
We Thought ourselves pretty good divers,
oat this is going too deep for US We can
not follow MIR. Smith in this leaden plunge
1here IS. however, one solution of the diff
hcaity sufticicurly obvious; it is, chat there
was no cause; and as. in our logic. an eff
rect does not exist without cause, we con-
Guide by denying that MIR. Madison ever
was displeased with that letter. There is
not tue least proof of it existing our pfthe
Cabinet /; and since we have undertaken to
sCrutiMze the statements of Mr. Smith, we
must inform him once for all, that when he
asserts thing that is improbable in itself,
We snail require some proof besides his as
sesiion. This rule is particularly reasona.
Ole, when his assertions are intended to cri
inmate person who cannot answer for him.
aelf, and against whom MIR. Smith. accor-
ding tohis own confession, had great store
OF vengeance in his walls.
arr I'd. lNacon's Bile. He Iabors to
produce great effect from pretended diff
ference OF opinion on the subject OF these
OILS. he says, they were fastened on Mr..
Macon oy Certain management. IL iswell
known to those who read newspapers. that
they were shifted from Mr.. Macon and fas-
tened on Mr. Gallatin, for certain pur-
pose Here they remained for about q wear
and halt, constantly kept in agitation bv
one or two OF MIR. Smith newspapers: 'rilj
1p1lks the Suffo SGhe raSendo, they were
<9und not TO wear into THAR ock as was in
tsbdeds and now Mr.. Smith, for certain
thar n.,rsN t,,.
oInsr purpose mas shifted them again, and
laid them on Mr.. Madison. =
But before they are shifted a. thirdtim
let us look at those bills. IL is time thew
were viewed in their true light Let it be
rscoiiecteo, that the non-intercourse law
when had been enacted to oppose belliger
snt edicts, was to expire with the session
OF Congress before the last. The Question
vas. whether complete submission SHOULD
ensue, contrary to the almost unanimous
determination OF Congress, and the senti
.nene OF the nation, which submission would
give 10 inc power commanding the sea, the
commercial re colonization of these states
eRu It would give her moreover a motive of
interest to Perpetuate her orders in coun-
Gil or whether substitute, and what sub.
-siisute should be provided. For it was evil
dent that the non intercourse would not be
enacted.
An this state OF things. the first of these
bills was introduced. 1t was certainly good
as tar as It went (; it did not preclude the
aooption OF any further regulations of a COM
rrerclal nature, that should be more yieor
GUS; and it is we'll known, that such were
70 contemplation by many. as far as should
De found attainable, Bur that nothing far
tier was really attainable, is evident from
the form ID which the bill finally passed !:
the consequences Of which are now mend.
ing.
We forewarn our readers, that ourremarks
on the original bill are not TO imply any cen
sure on the majority of Congress. who re-
jected 1t. Its general PRINCIPLE was To re :
move all restrictions from our commerce and
navigation. and let them fall on the belliee-
gents.
r The advantages of this, would be to leave
40 Difficulty at home in enforcing oar own
laws. The non-intercourse had been found
DOT only oifhcult to enforce, but INJURIOUS
and insufficient For Great Britain mono
poiized the navigation through Madeira,
hmeiIa.lsland, Halifax and Montreal, as
places of deposit.
The bill proposed to exclude. I, all arm
ed vessels of belligerents; 2, all uuarmed
vessels of belligerents.
Its effect. as applied to England. would
6e as follows: her vessels not being admit
Sed INTO our pnts. all our exports TO- and
imports from, her dominions, would have
heen in American vessels. unless She exclu-
ded these and to meet this contingency
another clause of the bill was to prohibit
imPortations of English produce and ma
nufactures. unless brought in American yes
sells, and from the place of growth or pro-
duce that is. British manufactures from
9. Britain alone. and West India goods
from the British w. India Islands alone.
What must England then have done -
Either, /, submit to nnr law, in which case
all commerce would be Carried ON il, our
vessels, setting all her shipping interest a :
8anst hcr government; or, 2, exclude by
retaliation Our Vessels, in which case (by
reason Of the clause of our bill last aI!ud.
ed to) she herself would forbid the expor.
sstion Of her manufactures mo the Unit
cd States, setting all her manufacturing in
terest against her government
The consequence of all this would be. /.
"a 20 ourselves, We should have either a
monopoly of commerce and nav: CATION with
Great Britain, or a complete and effectual
noo-intercoorse; which need no. be enforc
ed by our own obnoxious laws, and of which
domestic enemies would not attach the
blame to our own government.
2. AS to Great Britain, il afforded the
strongest weapon to force her to repeal her
ordersin Council, since she could not keen
them WITHOUT offending her manufacturing or
shipping interest, or both.