Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-05-17
From the scme, March %.
AMERICAN TRADE.

- From, the same, lHQTCH 20.
AMERICAN TRADE.
| Conn of a letter addressed TO q member
Of Parliament.
/ beg to call your attention to the We
~ important and interesting discussions
which have re Gently taken place, re.
I spsctine the commercial intercourse TO
he permitted betwixt this country and
the Uni,ed States Of America, during
the war.
1t is very generally admitted, that .
commerce with an enemy is IS impolilc
as Illegal and that II any be iicenceo
or allowed, it ought 10 be strictly im';ed
10 articles of first necessity which can
not he procured elsewhere,
When the hoard ofuade lately came
to the positive determination, to hcence
no fapthcr commercial intercourse with
The Unised States, not even In the art!-
cies ofprovisions. and consequently re-
fused the solicitations of the merchants
for licences 10 Import hem thence into
Britain the produce Of the United States,
even under the condition of an equiva-
lent prdyisus export of British ranufac-
lures. the conduct of government was
generally apNauded.
This vigorous policy encouraged the
expectation of a permanent adherence
to the g and principle, Of distressing the
enemy BY every possible commerciai
priration, which our extended trade a.
loved US to adopt. aud which our naval
superiority enabled Us to enforce. .
1t will not be denied, that enc OF the
most selid sources otriches to any coun.
try, consists in the expor. of the super
abundant productions Of its soil and IN
du.trv-nor that the United States have
realized annually, many millions steci-
ing from the tobacco, csrn, rice and cot
ton, exported to Europc, and chiefly to
Great britsin-end uNiess the present
war cause a stop to the export OF those
articles, abe southern provinces, where
they are entirely produced, will never
feel the pressure of state Of warfare
and the inhabitants theresa viii! continue,
as heretofore, the STRENUOUS supporters
Of the French, or War party III Amerl-
ca, who have, for years past, and who
still gogcm ttat country.
The yr,;c!s OF so;ton was ordered from
the Eas,-fndie.. from the West Inches
from Sou,h America, and from the Me
dilerrsDcsn shores and, as 1t was tao,
we'll ascerjsiped that these countries are
capable efy,e'ding annually, f,r our use,
more cotton than our trade and manu-.
facturas can require or consume, no a.
larm was created ny this understood pro-
hibition 10 the import OF Gotten from the
United Statesmen did any very materi.
al rise taE,a place ia the prices nfthe
stock on hand, the same biting declared
more than sufficient in quantity and as
sortment, without further supply, foNa-
bout Is months eonsumPtich. 1t sp-
pears that the government, the ner-
chants, the spinners and the manatsc-
turers, continued for sort tine under
these agfee,bie and satisfactory delu.
sions; wien, after ali arrangements
|. were made for this new stste of affairs,
sdvices were received from the United
States, tho, in the unbleekaded parts of
that country, neutral ships were loadips
cottops and other produce fer the Bril-
fish ports, %hen they could claim legal
admission TO entry under the old act Of
Parliament. which never was enacted to
legslize az seeh trade. but which from
adubio.ity OF terms, bad beer avsiled of.
in few Instances, by tic custom house
departments, to ADMIT cotton wool in
neutral ships. from enemy's ports. This
occurrence naturally created very great
degree of anxiety. The merchants re-
monstrated loudly against the policy of
receiving from an enemy, ia neutral
ships, or in any shape, an article which
could be procured in our own colonies,
and from friendly countries. The ship
ping interest, with equal justice, de-
claimed against neutral navigation in
trade which British ships might carry
on from other quarters and the finan.
cial gentlemen reminded the minister,
that cotton frsm the United States could
only be paid for With gold and silver,
while cottons from all other quarters OF
the globe would be paid for by return for
British prodace, industry and manufac.
lures. These reHonstrances called forth
the jealousy Of the American party in
this country, and likewise of some Of the
great spinners of cotton, who seem to IL
mite in their endeayors to sound an a.
Iarm, that without the continual supply
Of Gotten from the United States. our
manufactures would be stopped, and the
weayers thrown out of employ.
Tie Lords OF Trade appear 20 have
given very patient hearing TO all the
PARTIES, who thought proper to state
heir opinions ard wishes to the board
.nd as result of these conferences, il
was rumored, that government was in.