Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-04-14

arain be overrun, Austria compelled 10
make hor peace, and Russia driven, 10
rout and ruin, back to her own "frigh''
full climate" state OF things VIII 2,
pain exist favorable to our experiments
If commercial restrictions ii the En-
o.ror of France should again be aole 10
subdue, or to humble every power III
Europe bat one, then will be the !ihe
Cor our hitherto fayorite policy again 10
develops itself, snd to aid in the last Ia
Dor of imperial ambition. ! trust ina.
no such state of thingsis near, and tnat
Heaven, in its wise and mercitul order
ing of eysnts, will save Us from tlia1'
from which we have seemed hitherto oci
DESTROYS Of saving ourselves i nope
also, tina, the immense losses and suner,
ipgs, which the people oil the Cnilea
States have endured, uselessly endured
under the operation of the restficlife
system, will ensure long abhorrenceof
its Iremoiy.
By the sudden abandonment of all tbs
policy, thousands will be unatoldaoiy
ruined. a, other thousands were ruined
at itx commencement. In CONNER
eial country, nothing can be mere o.,
iectionabIe than frequent and 'ioient
changes. The conserns OF private busi-
ness do not endure such rude shocks,
but with extreme inconvenience ana
great loss. 1t would seen, however
tina, there is class OF politicians, TO
whose taste all change is suited 10
whom, whatever is unnatural seems
wise, & all that is violent appears great
IF great and sudden changes do not a.
aree with their taste, they are at least
necessary 10 their system. They must
naturally happen in every course Oh Po'
litjc, that consists altogether in shifts,
and projects, snd expeaients. lhere
has been, for some Of the last years, no
calculating in the policy of the govern
ment. No man has been able TO say
what principles would govern It any mo-
ment beyond the present: What mas
made it worse, is, that the standard by
which some Of it's leading measures now
seem 10 have been governed, has never
before been acknowledged: 1t has not
been before confessed that they depend
ed on events in Europe. On the con-
trary, we lave beer thousand tunes
told, that they had nothing to Go with the
quarrels Of other nations, and that to re-
Ter TO any such criterion was uncharlta-
bic and unjust. Who, OF all the sup
por,ers Of non importations and embar-
goes, ever yet told US, frankly and ho-
nestly, that they would al! be abandoned,
Whenever the power Of France should be
crushed!
Looking, sir, to the language which
has been holden. to the votes when
have been given, aud to the measures
which have been adopted, SO recently
who could have imagined that any 60
yernment could thus suddenly have a.
bcogsted its whole system Since the
commencement Of tho session, we re-
ceived. Inc message recommending an
universal embargo, and more rigorous
provision. fer enforcing the non impor-
tation. An embargo law Was accord
ipgly passed, annihiIating, at one blow,
all the trade Of the country, foreign and
domestic, and containing provisions x
penalties, without example in the lie
gislation Of this or any free country.
In pursuance of the same policy, aud
further to enforce the system, this
house has since passed bill, relstive
to trials in the admiralty courts, which
abolishes ancient and settled Csagss OF
law, and introduces novel and inconve-
nient regulation, in their stead, We
have received also, iron, the other house,
another bill making still further provi-
sions for strict and unreienting execu-
ton of these laws. So essential was 1t
deemed to the vital interests OF the
country to prevent all importation OF
British goods, that WOODEN and cotton
fabrics, and spirits distilled from cane
were to be excluded altogether, como
from what quarter they might; because,
as they were usually the product OF the
enemy's country, their neutral charac-
ter might be colorado only, and false.
1t was but the other day, that an homer.
able gentleman from Maryland, (Mr.
Wrigh;) who usually votes with the
majority, moved a resolution for re-
pealing the embargo, but failed in OBJ
tanning from the house the favor of tax.
ing his resolution into consideration
| As little success attended a resolution
subsequently movcd by my honorable
friend from North Carolina, (Mr. Gas.
ton). After a whole days discussion,
the house rejected a bill grsnting liber.
ty to Paul Cufiee to cross the Atlantic
for the most honorable purposes Of cha
rity and humanity, because it would en-.
danger the safety of the country by vio-
iating the embargo. No safe provision
could be devised, no adequate security
could be given even the discretion oil
the president, so sale to ths heohle when
| 81 l.. L.. L. ~.f,scal L !.