Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-15
"a dollars per annum.

Its ViitlS.
Yzrf Cd NE1eon'sBHs He labofs tcpro-
duee great effect from pretended dster-
encc Of opinion Oh The subject Of these b-i,s.
Il. says they were fastened on Mr.. Macon
oy 4 cer-2in mana seuleIt. LIS vel kl....n
TO those who read newspapers that they were.
sliiitea from Mr.. Macon end fastened IN Nh.
Gaii'.tn, FORA certain purpose. Here they
remained Tor about q year and a half. con-
stantiy kept in agitation b. one oftwo III Mr..
onlth's newspapers; till, unlike The r;.its:
S'sI'e c@Qehao they were found not 20 wear
mo tlat rock, - Yves intended; and now DIR.
olnith' Tor cercan ether purpose, has shift.
ca t-ic!A aS%nl' and lad them ON Mr. Maui-
son.
But before they are shifted a third tiDle LEI
Us take i9ok at those bids. 1t Is fine they
were vlewed'n their true light. Let Il be -
coAected that tile ncn-iAtelccurse law whicl,
hGd been enacted 70 oppose 5eigerent elicse
was TO expire wiki the session of I,5ns-ress Ne.
lore the last. Ihe question: was whether
complete submission 81 1tl.d ensue, cantf3.r; 20
me ann q unanimous deteTmiu2tiin OF C,on4
gross aAd The sentiment Of the nation, Which
snonissicG wouldg give TO the power Command
( ms, the SEA the comUercial recolonizat;cn Of
sle=e states, and 1t would give heY mdrecver
iiote 81 interest TO perpetGate her orders ii,
/ Council; or |hether a substitute and what
s25sdtu.e. should Dc provided? Forit was
evident mat the non-intercourse would not be
re enacted.
In this state Of things the first Of these bils
was introduced. 1t was certainly good as fay
aS Il WENT II Gid not preclude the adoption.
o. any tutti.er regulations + a rci.l -.
ture that should Je more vigorous: nJ.;f i
Wen known that such were in ccatemplation
oy many as Tar as should be found attaina.
oIe' But mat nothing farther WAS really at
talhabie Is evident from the form in y hich the
bill hnahy passed; the Consequences Of which
are now lending.
WEI reHain our re tdcrs that our remarks
on the oilglE y Dill are not tc imply any CEN
| sure Oh the m2icrity of Congress who reject
| eu 1t. It's s Rerat I7iacilIe was TO remove
ali restricJars from our Commerce end 49,
! CATION. and let them fall on the bellieerents.
ne a3UaHtages OF ibis would be to leave
| no ditileuity at home in enforcing our own
| laws. L ne non-lntercourse had been found
not only oHncuit TO enforce but Injurious and
insufficient. For Great britain nouopoIized
the navigation through Madeira, amelia Is
! land HsAf'IX and Montreal, IS pl.ces of de-
post.
Inc bid proposed to exclude, I. all arm
| ca Fesseis Of Deillgerents, 2. all unarmed ves-
sells OF beligerenrs
It's effect, as applied to England, would be
as follows: her vessels not being adlnitted in
/ 10 our ports, all oar exports and imports from
f., her dominioqs would have been in American
vessels, unless She excluded these: and tn
meet this contingency, another clause of the
| bil was to PROHIBIT importatons OF Enslish
| produce and manufactures, unless brought in
American vessels, and from the place of
| growth CT produce; that is, British rnanufac-
| lures from Great Britain alone, and West IN
Qua goods iroH the BRUSH West India Islands
| alone.
What must England then have done Eli
Their, l. submit TO cur law, in which case all
| commerce would be carried on in our vessels.
setting all her shipping interest against her
| go eTnneht; or 2. exclude by retaliation olr
/ vessels, in which case (byreason ofthe cla,,se
| OF our bill last alluded TOY She herself would
| Forbid the expectation of her manufactures in-
TO the United States, setting al her manu{ac-
turing interests against her government.
/ Inc consequence OF all this would be, 1. as
to ourselves, we should have either mono-
| poly OF commerce and navigation with Great
| britain, or complete and eifectual non inter
! course which need not be enforced by QUE
| own obnoxious laws, and of which domestic
! enemies would not attach the blame to our
own government.
| 2.Asto Great Brit g it afforded the strong
| est weapon TO force her to repeal her orders
! in Council, since she could not keep them
| without offending her manufacturing or ship-
I
3. We could sustain this system for ever.
| thereby avoiding the appropriately and incon-
veniehcies ofPcrpetual northumberland this
being well known to Great Britain would en-
force still more the necessity of repeating her
| orders.
| q. Ii ertangled us with neither power by
! pledges or contingent acts, and left us ON
perfectly independent American ground.
! OyccGsAo. The principal and almost on
| y objection ever cHered to this bill either in
or out OF Congress was syaH! qfeaergy.
On which let us observe:
!. It's opposers offered 10 substitute.
Z. Ihey offered no amendment, but to strike
cut the excluding clauses agreeing at the
same time 20 repeal the non-interconTse ;and
therefore supporting measure slH weaken
than the bill.
) The BIZ was meant as a substitute In the
non-intercOurse, and had no connection with
any other measures which might be adoateo;
such a. preparing for war by practicable
organization Of military force, as proposed
IN su5sequeTSsResssge permitting private
vessels 60 aruffcT declaring war Itself All
which were measures distinct and indepen-
dent, and not inconsistent with the BILL
| T. The feQeFaists themselves, well aware
ofthc efficacy Of the bin, opposed It, voted
uniformly againstit with other enemies and
through their AID alone Mr.. smiths brother.