Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-17
From, the Federal Republican.

PriorstO the embargo, Tue CouihiSl oiai wa
the most powerful interest In the country
The responsibility, wealth and numbers OF the
merchants, gave weight to their Opinions
always commanding the respectful attention
of government. The extensive and lncreas-
ING influence Of this class of citizens, forever
hostile to the oblique policy and occult de-
SIGNS of Jefferson, he resolved to curtall and
ultimately crush.-It soon became popular
maxim among southern democrats, that COM
merce was not worth the cost OF its protection.
1t was represented as the mean OF embroilng
US with foreign nations. We should be the
happiest and most independent nation on
earth, if we retired within ourselves we
should soon rival England in her manutac-
lures, and in time, like China, we should have
all the nations of the world seeking inter-
course with us in their own vessels. In such,
sentiments originated the terrapn system, and
under some pretexts and IN some shape or o.
Their, it will be persisted In until the great o.
riginal object is finally accomplished. Com
merce will disappear as it has done on the
ccrtinent, and our greatest cities Will gradu-
ally decay as the full-bearing fruit tree, expos
ed in dry season to vertical sun-beams.
Believing settled design to be formed to
DESTROY commerce, who Can read the ensuing
extract from the report upon tho naval estao-
lishment, aud not feel indignant at SO gross an
attempt to practice still further deluslons upon
the commercial world 1t is by such hypo-
cricv, such deep receptions, that merchF nts
have been caioled into blind acqWescence
in the hostile measures Systematically adopted
against them.
That the subject referred to your commit
tee in its several relations presents ques-
| ton of the highest Importance to the interests
| of the people OF this country, IN as much as 1t
embraces one of the great and leading o6yects
| oftheir Government /; that which, above all O.
theirs, laid the foundation of the happy union
! of these states. Your committee need hardly
| say tHey mean the flrotection OF pardt1ne
| commerce ; an interest which, though when
| specifically viewed, secrls to affect only the
Atlantic portions of the country, yet really ex-
tends as far as the utraos limits OF It's agricul-
! ture, and can ONLY be separated from 1t, In the
| opinion of your committee, by q total blind
| ness to the jus, POLICY Of government. The
| important engine of national strength and ma
tional security which is formed by naval
l force, mas DILUCllO III lpS OPItiio' - VIZ
mittee, been treated with neglect hlghly nm
| tolitic, or supported by a sttbW so tang"a,,
.nl,ila it has nreserYed the existence OF
the establishment, has had the effect OF Ioading
it svith the imhutations Of zyGstefui erfense g
| comharitipe ine6ac;ency'
There are some wholesome truths and pre-
cious confessions in the above extract, but the
diabolick purposes for which they are uttered,
strip them of all value A higher compliment
could not be paid to the principles oftederal-
| lists, those principles which have been for so
many years, the theme of obloquy and malgn
traduction by the democrats--but they fatter
to ensnare and destroy US. With one hand
they affect to uphold commerce, while with
! the other they hold the dagger which is to
pierce it's vitals. Commerce is to be annihi-
lated. The non-inportaton act will be en-
forced, and2if congress rise leaving on these
restrictions, which they will do, We sayJare-
zveH to commerce.