Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-02-10
From the Connecticut Conrant.
CONSPIRACY AGAINST Commerce..

Undef tne triple burden OF war;
taxes and embargo. hard as it Is. it
would be toIcrable if there was any
reasonable hopes Of the return Of
the good old times. Bat that can
never be, so long as the same men,
or others Ofthe same east. shall have
the rule over our country. it is q
position clear as the light of Heaven,
that The policy ef the sonIherp and
western parts Of the union is .aHti-
commercial, 50 far as respects foreign
commerce, and Of course ruineus to
the interests ofthe navigating States.
In support Of this assertion take
the following facts, and weigh them
IN the scales Of eyen-llanded justice,
IN the days Of our great and good
Washington. when it was proposed
in congress TO give preference 10 IA
anericon tonnage orsr Earopean, the
southern states, Che western ones
not being then in exi.tence) stPenu.-
eus!y opposed it. And why? Bes
cause the northern states. owning
seven-eights Of the shipping. weuld
be greatly benefited by that meas
sure.
Again, when the plan for building
an armed navy for the protection Of
commerce. was proposed and argued
at the seat Of government, one OF
the southern members Of congress
thanked God that the timber for IL
WAS yet ia T.. forests.
Mfr. Jefferson declined reHe iB4
what had gi.en lif. ~ cur navigation
and traae) he treaty If commerce 7eifb
frglGrd--and soon after ii had bes
come extinct. he cOntriyed to have
passed hou.;mportalion act.
Not very iorg subsequent to The
passing OF that act. he. at o tina
when our commerce was yet eonsiz
deea',ly EoGyishing, hurried through
congress the act Of sene,.,l embargoj
Which he meant should be durable
esoush to break dean Our naviga.
ton and commerce, and TO chhDg6
the occu,a ions aaG habits og;he PEGS
pie upon tee At!anlic--as i, appears
from his answer to tie petitioners
from, New hamrsbirc--io Wit. that
the time might come VIXEN il would
be eApehient 20 a5aadon the Oeead
altogether,--or words TO that effect,
1t WAS foreseep, and it Was fore.
shown, that the war w!sirh now lies
SO heavy upon us. would be peehii4
arly caianitous TO the people iipon
the seSbGard. This considerations,
however. seems TO have had no liz.
Guenee with our sovereign lords and
masters, unless ts'guieken their paee
toward the Object in view. Nay they
laughed at our expected calamity
and treated cur fears 1i,h Doekerys
For instance, whilst the question Of
war was agitating in congress, re-
presentation was made Of the wide
spread distress il would bring Upon
the hahiters Of our coasts. oae Of
the western members eerin ely rsa
piled. that they could tiee beyond the
m0nnlains.
In the paper employed by the adj
ministration, namely, the National
lntclligencer. OF the 25th Of last
November, it is affirmed. that /" No
sort Of commerce is favorable to a.
griculture. is beneficial to the farmer,
but e1psrtation alone" And that
importation and foreign trade hre
ruinous.' This sentiment was pubs
lished under the eye Of Mr.. Madison,
ofwhose late message some express
sions have an awful squirting the
same way.
Putting these facts together, and
giving them fair construction, il
must appear plain to every sensible
person, that the policy
Of the present rulers Of America
speaks practically, Just as Nspoleoa
Bonapsrte oD certain occasion. by !
word OF mouth" 1 hate commerce. I
and all its concerns"
But why do these lordlings Of the
south and Of tho western woodlands Z
hate commerce First becanse IL
that part oftlic uHion, which
it is their wi,i. to make peer, srryilcs
aud dcpendani--and Of course tho
more okedient 10 the proud sway
they are determined always To hold
over tho nstion-And secosdiy, be- !.
cause commerce has been put bn8sr
the ban Of the Emperor Of Frshsss