The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-02-12
in. 49,.

merce. The po.icy pursued by the goy crr-
nent Tor eight or len Years past had been
to deal IN commercial restrictions and &c
! they had been found inadequate, it was high
ume TO tbinS abodt laying the:n aside For
! the purpose OF being understood. Mr.. NJ.
begged the indulgence of the House whilst
lie gave little summary of the course,
which had been pursued. It commenced. in
1904, when the Euglsh determined To inter
fere with neutral vessels CARRYING he pro,
dnce of the colonies OF one of the belize.
rents. At that time the merchants of he
seaports almost stunned our ears with thei,.
complaints or oppressive violations of on.
commerce. Congress were told at that
time that trade was annilrila,ed that it's
prohts were en- irely los; that it was i'm
sussib.e 10 pursue 1t any longer with a pros
pect OF advantage aud Congress were So
lici ed to- mterteIe. | well remember (said
Mr.. M the course OF events; because from
my tuation at that time. many melnnrials
passed through my hands. In consequence
: OF this ciamor trom the seaports, and the
representations from the merchants hat
their case was forlorn the government,
willing to do something to relieve them in
their distress, and not willing to go TO the,
extent OF authorship them to arm, went in
| Il system OF commerciri res ricti, rs and ex-
petiients OF this sc:t-and out OF the, Sc cir
cumStances grew tn first bill for a ncn-in-
portation. Whatwas il 1t was a bill to ex-.
clude the import ion of unnecessary arti.
cleS. voted for the bill, because / had a
disposition to take those things which. IL
not as good as l could wish. were the best
we Could get, and we could agree uprr tn {
Dill when We could agree upon nu'hins e e.
What was the consequence OF this mea ur
The law produced no effect uDcs the cr,,n-.
try to whom 1T had particular relation. al :.
though seconded at tn s. me time by a minis
ter extraordinary TO negotiate undtr Exccu-
tive directions. The next step m the bis.o
ry of coercng foreign nations by commercial
restrictions was the embargo, in which t,,r
people were t"ld that the state of thinrs 9
so desperate on The ocean, hat the II, It
proper course for our cirCumS- ances was to
stay at home This expedient was tri.d =.
and 1t was an effort of independence: II was
an act which would have endered MS not on
w uom'naiiy independent, but indepen ent
~ tact IL was found impossible 10 cary it
into effect; and unGe, that conviction it was.
repealed. From that repeal sprung the non
intercourse, which after a year was laid a.
side. The operation OF that system was to sI-
low trade, net permitted direct TO be car.
RED on through Intermediate ports. We
have since had the law of MAY 80. prouo-
sing an alternative to the b iligeren s: which
mas brought us into the situati in which
We ind ourselves-one ration profe ssiup 70
repeal these DEGREES and the otber o;s,e,
gardng the ,ffer.
What is our situation with regard 10 the
nation repeating its DEGREES The detent;ot,
or our property al st. Sebastian's is extreme.
ly oppressive to us. We have ALREADY nc
sed an act this session appropria.ine n arIv
an hundred thnnsand a:.!a;.s in ,ii re-
tund for the relief Of sc men &c in orr p m
bringing nome Our seam,u thrown adri!t i'm
that and Other ports We are told b, he
documents fable tbat
Continue and it seems to me. from all he
circumstances, that the times are MT Chan
ged Tor the better. 1t was wholly inmate.
rial, MIR. vi. sid, whether our nrocl. mi;
on reached France previous % the late seI.
cures or not il became them to ca rv int,,
effect their own declaration. Whether then
had received our engagc meat or not, tn ride.
Crees ought to nave been anng!!ed oil the Isl,
| or November. In taking review of the cir.
cumstances, ard finding these Commercial,
restrictions not to have answered The purrose,
fr winch they were Designed he was in
chned TO vote tor the resolution on the tabIe
gong 10 produce change which he thc.ght
desirable.
1t seemed to him there were but three
ways IN which it was worth while TO treat
this subject.
ihc iirst course presenting itself was q
determination on The par, of this peoole IN
stay at home. In that case thew Womb ne.
perfectly FREQ from tie assaults of the heIIp.
8 rents, unless indeed they should come 20
invade our territory. This course had ben
tempted by the embargo; the experiments
had failed 1t had been given up in desDair
The second Course, was to go on in orr non.
nercoure, subjeci to the restrictions of 70
reign nations, subject t. the stIpuIatjnns of
the bel igerent powers. and to snbrn sal a.
to those regulations which stronger or more
warlike powers might think proper % inter
pose. his Course is the one hat he suDnnsa
ed we must come to, of allowing every one,
who chuses to make an adventure of his per.
sonal property Co do so, his own optioo
and personal risk. n third mode rema;n-
ed, and that would perhaps form an interest
ing subject for discussion viz whether the
persons and property Of individuals should
not be saved from rapine and plumber. bv
some protecting arms This, it may be : ri
will produce war II seems 10 me ON ,e.
viewing the conduct ofthe bellige rents. tI,e,
are both at war With u.s. IF the car,,ur, nf
property, its seizure and seqaestration if
tile imprisonment OF persons, and in many
cases the death OF these persons, do not nr,r.
woke war, know not what is the cause of
war. 1T we consider VIII st sort of prCtectior,
should be given to property, IT may se in t,yo
modes; one, III which the nation in a ns,;-
onal form, shall think proper 10 extend pro.
lection to the persons aud property Off in
zehsj or, that protection which he arm, of