Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-26
MIR. TAGGART's SPEECH.
CONTINUED.

i
house for a few minutes, to an enquiry what
,bere is IN the present situation OF the United
States which so inperiously calls tor thls war
ills said to be necessary TO goto war. tor enG
nurpose of securing our commercial rights, Oh
openine way for obtaining the best hlaFkes
for our produce, and in order to ayenge Tue ~ IN
snlts which have been offered TO our Ha9,--
But what is there in the present situation o.
the United States, which we could reasonably
exnec- would be ayneliorated by war! In
situation Of the world which is perhaps with,
o,,f a parallel in the annals OF history, 1t Woaid
he STRANGE indeed if the United States did not
snffer some inconvcniences,e specially IN their
mercantile connections and specplations. In
> war which has been pnequalled Tor the
chances which Il has effected in ancient exist
inoe establishments, and for innovations mthe
sncjent laws and usages of nations, 1t would
he equally wonderful ii, in every particular,
the rtghts of neutrals were scrupalousiy re-
snectsd But upon the whole we have reap
ed Greater advantages and suffered fewer IN
conyeniences from the existing state OF things,
tban il was natural to expect. During con-
siderable part of the time in which SO large
and fair portion of Europe has been desolat-
ed bv the calamities of war our commerce has
RouSshed to a degree surprising the most
saneuine calculations, Our merchants nave
been enriched beyond any former example
Our agriculture has been greatly extended,
the wilderness has hlossomed like rose, and
cities and villages have sprung Up almost as
if were by the force of magic. 1t Is true that
this tide of prosperity has received a check
The aggressions and enCroachmentso OF foreign
nations have set boUads to our mercantile spe-
culations heavy losses have been sustained
by the merchant and the cotton planter OF the
south and west eaa no longer reap those enor-
NOUS profits, those immense golden harvests,
from that species Of agriculture which he did
q few wears. aaco. Bot if the shackles which
we have placecsnpo6 commerce by our own
restrictive system we're completely done a.
way. and tie enterprze of the merchant was
left free to explore rev channels, 1t Is proba-
BILE thar it would at this moment be more eX-
tensiye and more gaiainl than in times of pro-
found peace In Europe. During the opera
lions Of the war much greater proportion of
tbe. commerce Of the world was thrown into
the hands of the Americans than, in times less
turbulent, would have fallen TO their share.
They became the carriers for Spaniards, Por-
tuguese, French, Dutch and Danes, and in
deedfo every European nation which had not
d naval force sufficient to protect It's own flag.
By tbs means, mercantile speculations were
extended, and shipping increased with ra-
p,dity which bafied all previous calculation.
Bat in time Of general peace those nations
will do their own carrying, and the United
States can only enjoy theft proper share.
TIER shipping business VIII of course be IN
great measure restricted to their own proper
commerce. The consequence will be that our
mercantile speculations will be curtailed and
properties OF our shipping thrown out OF en-
ploy, which viii probably be sold to foreigners,
by whom it is to be expected that merchant
ships will be 10 great demand at the close OF
the war. With respect to eAr agriculture,
with the exception of the cotton and tobacco
of the southern and middle states, and the
products of the northern fisheries which Rave
been the dependence of many as substitute
for agriculture, which are articles that have
suffered some depression, the agriculturalist
has found as ready and as good market
for his sUpplus produce, as be could have
expected, or as he could wish, mueh better
thas it is p obable that he can enjoy, or ever
will obtain Ia times ofprofound peace Look
ports of articles of domestic growth and ma
nufacture for the last year. | speak merely
from recollection, as | have not taken pains
to consult the documents oflate ;but they are
or have been IN the hsnds of every gentleman
il the house. And never was the export
trade 1.-The United States in a train of more
: successful experiment than when it was sud-
denly andiunexpectedly arrested by that dead
Iy incubus, the embargo. have sometimes
heard the northern merchant dcnominated the
spoiled child of commercial, and the southern
cotton planter called the spoiled child of agri-
cultural prosperity, As 1t respects the mer-
chant, ii may possibly be admitted to be true
to a certain extent Before the interruption
Of the colonial trade il 1906, commercial
prosperity was advancing by strides perhaps
more rapid than had been ever before knows