The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-06-21

commerce" was one OF the great objects pro-
posed IN that memorable instrument; nor can
they bring themselves to believe that in the
national compact, by the power Ito regulate
commerce the states intended to grant a
power to destroy it
Your petitioners are far from imputing to
the general legislature any but the most cur
rect motives in passing the non importation
law hut the consequences of that law, are
peculiarly destructive TO their interests; it
places them in a state of uncommon embar
rassment, 1t ruins their property. il dries up
the sources OF their prosperity; and they
perceive no relief except from its repeal
1.-THE operation of the non importation law !,
thus severe and oppressive not only to your
peitiohe S, but to all persons concerned in
foreign Commerce, does not present one OF
those +" extraordinary occasions" which au
thorizes the president to convene congress !;
your petitioners respectfully suggest, that
such occasion" may be found i'm the chans e
winch hastaSen place in our foreign rela-
tons. he presidents procia III alton, and
the law IN Question, was founded on an en-
gagement OF the French government to re.
woke the Berlin and Milan DEGREES Those
ecrees, IL now appears. have In fact not
been revoked. That power has not ceased
TO violate our neutral rights. She sequest-
ers our property Ill he p rts She burns or
sinks our vessels on the ocean; and what is
stiI more difficult to comprehend, alter such
acts, the aauiors OF these injuries and insults
receive by law hospitabe reception in our
narbours.
Your petitioners, therefore. respectfully
so.icit,he president oi the y. States to con-
vene congress as speedily as his powers will
constitute naliy allow, i'll order 10 nable them
10 take the subject OF this petition into con
slderation. and ofgranting to your teti,ioners
such Relief as the nature of the case REQUIRES.
Aud your petitioners, as in duty bound, &c
PRESIDENTS ANSWER.
10 the Inhabitants of'tse Toz0n of.hesp Ia
l have received. Fellow !Citiz ems, the Pc
;itioh which you have addressed TO mere
presenting the inconvenicnces experienced
from the existing non i'm porta law. and
soliciting lhat The National LIE q lature nav
be speedily convened
l. Is known 10 all. that tha c Commerce of
the United States has, ior a considerable
period, been greatly abridged and annoyed,
ny Ed,cts OF the belligerent powers each
protesting retaliation only on the other, but
ooth violating the clearest rights OF the Uni
ted States as neutral nation In this ex-
traordinary state OF things. the legislature,
cially during the Concurrent aggressions of
two great powers themselves at war, the
one with the other, and determined On the
other hand against an unqualified acquics
oence. have endeayoured by successive and
varied regulations affecting the commerce
OF the paroles, to make il their interest to
be jusy.
In tue &c. Of cGngress on, If which the ex-
istlng non importa ion has grown, the state
OF Commerce was no otherwise Qualified
than by provision, that in case either of
the Oeiiigerents should revoke us unlawl ul
edic1s. and the other should tail to do the
same, our porls should be shat to the YES
sells and merchandise OF the latter. This
provision, which like all our previous o:.ers
repealed the very pretext set up by each.
that its edicts against our traae with Che
otner, was requ red by an acquiescence in
IKE edicts OF .ne Other, was equally pre-
sented to the attention ot both. In cunse
quence OF the coInmunic alton, the French
government declared that it's DEGREES were
revoked. As the British government had
expressed reluctance in issuing It's orders.
and repeatedly sisniiied wish 10 find IN
the example OF its adversary, an occasion
for putting AN end to them, the expectation
was the more confident, that the occasion
would be promptly embraced. This was
Ho' 0oiiC anu thC pSTiOu allOWeu Tor
purpose having elapsed, our ports became
shut 10 British ships and merchandise Wine.
Their the conduct of the French government
mas been, and will be such as to satisfy the
authorised expectations of the u States
or whether the British government NAV
have G.'ened, or Will open the way Tor the
executive removal of the restrictions on
British commerce with, the United State
which it continues In its pow.r to do. by
revOkimg its own unlawful restrictions on
our commerce, is TO be ascertained by fur
Their information which will be received
and employ ed by the executive, with thar
strict impartialily, which has been nvaria
bly, maintained towards the two beli,eer-
ents.
Whatever may be the Inconvenience &c
suiting IN The mean time from the non-im
portation act, it was not TO have BEEN SUD.
posed. that whilst it falls within the neCes.
sary power and practice OF iegu at,ng our
commercial Intercourse with foreign coun
tries,, according to circumstances, the ACT
would be regaI ded as not Warranted by tic
constitution; OF that whilst 1t was a partial
Restriction only, AID had for its O ct, an
entire freedom OF our -o'tme &c, rbr.
5tion OF it from foreign RESTRICT ms uni aw
fully impo ed, il could be view as DESTROY
ing commerce and least o. all, that . like.
ness could be seen between law enacted uy
the representatives Of tn, country, with a
view to the interest of the country land
acts OF government in which the Country
vas not represented, framed with d view TO
fhs. int rpCf nj afftaf 4, -.