The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-05-26

nice to Vienna and there is little or no doub,
OF It's being correct. She was laden with
stores, provisions, and troops, for Corfu and
was armed'en flute. One of our frigates
whose name We have not yet heard, laid
her on board in the most gallant style. The
action was long and severe. She had most
OF her masts carried away, and 400 men eli
ther killed or wounded.
HOUSE OF. COMMONS, Friday, April II.
ORDERS IN COUNCIL.
Mr.. WH6er/ortc presented two petitions
from WILLIAMSBURG dH:! Sheffield, in York
shire, against the Orders III Cuuncii-or
dered to lie on the table.
Ser Z. M0rdaunt presented a petition
from Birmingham against the Orders in
Council.
AZ. Barring felt it to be impossible, When
such petitions were presented from, oui- most
popuious manufacturing towns, to refrain
from calling the attention of the House to
the subject. Those, 1t was to be observed,
did not come from persons who were infiu-
enced by desire to obstruct the measures
OF government, but from persons who had
not come forward till their own ruin and the
starving state of those under them forced
them to come to that house, and state tie
iatai results OF the system which had Of late
unhappily been pursued. The Honorable
gentleman proceeded to comment on the e.
Wis which had been brought on this coun-
try by the stoppage of the trade with A
merica, and OH the failure of our Orders in
Council, which had ended in our granting
licences to permit the importation Of near
ly all the manufactures of the enemy, which
1t was our interest to prohibit.
Sir G. Mordaunt offered q few obscryati
ons ON the present state of Birmingham, as
when such hard words as ruin and starva-
ton - ~, nSa1 he tbn,,erht
go unanswered. The town was not in that
deplorable state in which it had been sup
posed to be. If however, much was felt
here, much also was felt on the othe,
side OF the Atlantic. An Americas, could
not shave himself, nor catch his mice for
want OF our commodities. He concluded
by observing, that if it were shewn the
people of Birmingham that the presen,
system ought to be.perse~credin,t they would
quietly go to their gardens and dig patatoes
Mr.. Barring explained.
Mr.. Whitbread said the Honorable Baro-
net was wrong in what he had said respect
ing America. If America were shut, Bir-
mingham must be idle and if idle, its popu-
lation must starve. America then must be
kept open, by her necessity, or by our poll
cy, and latterly it has appeared to be our
policy to shut it. they had, however, been
told that America could not "catch her
mice" and "could not shave herself.'' The
lion. Baronet might have told us, that till
lately America could not {" ride her horse. -
"couid not shoe her horse" "had not nail
to drive ;" but he would find that the last
orders from America called for no nails
(though nails were formerly articles OF
prime necessity having been driven to ma.
nutacture them for herself. Thus would i,
be found in other things if the present sys-
| tenn nprSeVerSn in. th,,c l.
nutactures increase and improve to the an
limitation OF our trade. The accounts which
he daily read of the rising of the people a,
ohemeld, at Manchester, IA l. eds, and a,
tiudSersheld, were such, that if they came
from Ireland, it would be said they were il
a state OF rebellion, while from their novelt,
IN this country they seemed to be consider
ed but OF little Importance. He hoped, how.
ever, that becausethey were famished, they
would not be treated with severity, and he
hoped, II man wrote temperate letter cal
ling on his fellows to apply to Parliament 6
to the Prince Regent for relief, if to affort
It were possible, that reasonable intention
20 excite others to violence would not be
imputed to him.
| The Chancellor Of the Ecche1rer said he
did not rise to enter into any general discus.
Sion on the Orders in Council (: but afte,
what had passed, he felt himself called N
to make few observations. The Hon
Gent. had stated, that the petitions came
from persons who had an opDortun;tv -
forming their opinions by experiment. upon
the evils resulting from the Orders in Coun
CHI; now this he appi'ehends they could not
Tor the point upon which he and the Hon
Gent; were at issue at the present moment
was, whether those evils proceeded from
the Orders in Council, or from other caus.
es lie would say, that not only our diff.
culties had not increased since the adopt;or
| or these Orders, but that the whole trade al
the country was in a better state. He was
surpassed to find the Hon. Gcntleman's know
ledge OF trade so far overborne by his zeal
against the measures of Government. as IN
say, the Orders in Council were to prevent
neutrais from trading with the enemv.
ne YOU'D maintain that the end was to a.
pen all trade, even to France itself, if France
would trade with q. Britain. France had
prompted trade with O.. Britain, and G.
Britain had prohibited all trade to France
out what should go through G.. Britain The
result was pressure upon France, such as
competed her to open her ports to the
trade OF this country. He would state thai
the very system of licences Which was r,-
presented to be departure from tbf. Or
ders in Council, was a proof of their ,effca
cy and efect.---Fhe Honoursble Gentle
man had recommended that the subiect
should be referred to committee, but the
House should recollect that this was case
involving great political question, which
IT was not the practice of Parliament tn de-
iegatc to any circumscribed Committee. but
to determine In Committee of the whole
fiouse. n detailed examination of evidence
did not appear TO him to snit q suLiec. -. 81,