The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-08
NAPOLEON.
LONDON. Nov. z

q.
We give in this days paper an Ordnance
. OF the King of Denmark, issued the Goth ult
regulating the transit OF articles of colonial
produce between the Duchess OF Hossein
and Schieswig, and the Contiguous line of
French Gus ON houses His Majesty, it will
be seen, enters fully into the spir,t OF bic
French decree, to which this orduauce is in
some sort accessory. In affording all posi-
bic facility to the operation of Bonaparte's
decree, the Danish Sovereign has conirived
10 secure some little advantage to hi'nself -.
de has availed himself of this opportunity
TO double the duties on The expectation of CO
ionial produce. Another ordinance of the
same date adopts and applies to the scale of
duties established by the French decree of
the 5th of August to all colonial produce
imported or warehoused in the Danish de-
ninions.
We have already spoken of that monstrous
novelty in commercial policy, Bonapar. e's
decree for burning prohibited merchan-
dize; but the pro Visions of it seem not u be
rightly understood. There are TWO kinds
OF goods to which 1t extends the one abso-
lutcly prohibited, which when discovered
are to be burnt; the other fairfield at so per
cent. by the antecedent edict, which when
smnggled, and taken by the custom house
agents. are to be sold as heretofore. The
vic ed, TO be branded and sentenced to ten
years of hard labor those of the last are on
iy tobe subjected TO the same punishment
for four years: an humane extension of the
criminal code, certainly in the benevolent
legislator Of the Continent and happy
are the subjects of SO tender-hearted sovc-
reign!
1t may be here further observed, that the
PARTICLES actually hrohi6ited cannot, we APP
txs.n fh.r fIaFx ~ u. A..
ufacture; tor, upon reference to the former
decree we find that the following are inclu-
ded in the comprehensive list OF those tariff
fed :--Cottons OF every kind, those from Ma
pies remaining at the old duties raw and
loaf sugars; hyson, green, and all other teas
indigo, cocoa, cochineai, white and black
peppers, Cinnamon, cloves. nutmegs, ma
hogany ;--Pernambuco, Campeachy, & dye-
woods.
But the most singular clauses in this strange
decree, and to which we earnestly request
public attention, are those which inciiden-
taily open tou the really pertarbed and al
most barbarous state of the continent, in ref
erence toits commercial operations. It an
pears that the crime OF contraband as it is
called is perpetrated by armed force. by bo
dies of men acting under leaders. and re sist-
ing the civil and military power stationed
for their suppression. One of the clauses
IN tue ueCiee gives DOnapaIte'S new Courts
authority to take cognizance, exclusively
of all other tribunals, both of the crime of
contraband erecuted by an armed force, and
of the crime OF entering into speculations
for a contraband traffic, alledged against me
cliffs Of bands, conductors, or directors. Of
companies of smuggiers"
And this IS not the only extract we could
make to the same effect for we have thro'.
out the whole decree +, 0eated and me
9nivocal testimony of Complete civil and
militsry organization lin defiance of what
Bonaparte lays down as law) for the sale
of prohibited merchandise. Such are the
effects Of the tyrant's malignant and futile
efforts against our commerce upon the ha
bits of his own people. A horde of wan
deriDg Arabs would with less Difficulty. he
Kept by their leader from rushing forward
ard quenching their thirst at the scanty
springs they meet with il the desert. than
},e can preclude his subjects from supplying
their necessities upon Colonial and British
merchandise, wherever they can be obtain
ed He may burn whatever he can seize.
and may sentence those convicted of ira
ding 10 it to four or ten years labor yet
ill he can block up the avenues To pity in
the human heart, that maxim of political
wisdom will prevail over all his brutal ma
chinations which asserts, that excessive
punishments only tend to prevent detect =.
on.
PApJc OF o.