Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-05-07
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
II RICHMOND:
THURSDAY, MAY Z, 1919.

The London prints are so rejoiCed that
Bonaparte has iet in a little English trade
by licence, that they propose to interpolate
the law of nations with complete Hiber-
nansm. They insist that no nation shall en-
joy the advantage of heace, except those
that are at 7var: In other words, that the
benefits of peace ought only to be enjoyed in
aperiod of war. This perversion of common
sense and the maXims of civilized life, this
recurrence to the barbarian code, is the
phantom of a disordercd intellect. 1t is
suggested in order TO inspire the people of
Eng and with a hope, that they will find i'm
a licensed trade between France and Great
Britain a substitute for lost commerce with
the United States. This illusion will soon
vanish The British public will before long
perceive, thar the belligerent license trade
IS nothing more than a scheme devised by
Bonaparte TO convert to the advantage of
France the colonial system of Great Britain,
and to atone to the French empire for the
loss of It's West India possessions. The po-
Icy of the measure is easily penetrated
The French islands of the Western Indies
were of no further benefit to France than as
they supplied her with certain articles of
luxury, and bought up for consumption GER
tain articles of French produce and manu-
facture. If, then, as is the case, Great Bri-
dia islands, she has added to her stock of
coffee sugar, &C. on hand, the whole stock
that formerly constituted the source from
whence France drew her supplies and If
France, by license, permits the British TO cx-
port into the French empire, no more than
what the French West-India islands pro-
duce, and compels the British to take i'm re-
turn as much of French produce or manu-
facture as France formerly exported to her
islands, then France enjoys, Notwithstanding
the loss her islands, all the benefits which
she derived from the possession of them and
that, too, without the cost and trouble of de-
Tending them. The gain is all on the side of
Frarce--the loss all on the side of England.
And thus, the barbarian doctrine of the Lon
don journalists, would, if established, be I'M
mical 20 British commercial interests.
e+-
Mr.. Pieasants,
observed, with pleasure,
a publication in your paper of last Thurs
day, calling on the Magistrates of Henrico
to enforce the penal laws of this common
wealth on those scenes of vice commcnlyex
hibited at the Fairfield races. This writer
observes, that he has been on Grand Juries
when 1t seemed to be lamented by MANY of
the members, as well as himself that while
presenting many of the gambling houses
within this City, and while the Magistrates
ofthe City were Selling their money and ia
bles, that the jurisdiction of the City did not
extend to, or take in, the race field take
the liberty to- observe that, in that particu-
lar, the writer is mistaken: The Legisla-
ture has wisely given the City, on the north
side of James river, n jurisdiction of one
mile round the same from the Corporation
line; and on the south, over the waters of
James river to the south margin within this
district.
l can, with confidence, assure this writer,
rs well as the Magistrates of the City, (the
Polce-Master not excepted,) that most, if
not all the Booths at the race-feld, are with
IN the jurisdiction of the City of Richmond !;
and hope that they will consider them
selves equally bound by their oaths to act
accordingly.
To prevent mistakes, Gas have not seen
the race-held this season,) all Booths which
are situate west of Hickory tree, standing
ON the quarter avenue, are within their ju-
yisdction.
A SUBSCRIBER.
Richmond, 1zay 6, 1912.