Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-02-24


virtue of no power. 1t is not wonderful,
sir. if this should be viewed by them
as state of things, not contemplated when
they came into the national compact.
Let me suppose, sir, that when the con-
vention of one of the commercial states,
Massachusetts for example, was de1oerat
ing on the adoption or this constitution,
some person., to whose opening vision
the future had been disclosed, had appear
ed among them He would have seen
there the patriots who rocked the cradle
of liberty in America He would have
seen there, statesmen and warriors, who
had borne no dshonorable parts in the
councils of their country, and on her fields
of battle. He would have found these
men recommending the adoption of this
Instrument, to a people full of the feel
ings of independence, and naturally Jes-
lous of all governments but their own
And he would have found, that the leading,
the principal, and the finally prevalent ar
gument, was the protection and extension
Of commerce,
Now suppose, sir, that this person hav-
ing the knowledge of future times had
told them This instrument, to which
you now commit your fates, shall for
time not deceive your hopes. Admins
tered and practised, as you now understand
it, it shall enable you to carry your ia
vorite pursuits to an unprecedented ex-
tent. The increase of your numbers, of
your wealth, and of your general pros
perity, shall exceed your expectations
But other times shall arrive. Other coun-
ellis shall prevail In the midst Of this ez-
tension and growth of commerce and pros
periety, an embargo, severe and univer-
sal, shall be laid upon you, for eighteen
months. This shall be succeeded by non
importations restrictions and embarrass-
ments, of every description. War, with
the most powerful maritime nation on
earth, shall follow. This war shall be de-
clared professedly for yo@r benefit, and
the protection of your interest 1t shall
be declared, nevertheless, against your ur-
gent reno insurance. Your voice shall be
heard. but it shall be heard only to be
disregarded 1t shall be a war for sailors
rights, against the sentiments of those to
whom eight-tenths of the seamen of the
country belong. 1t shall De war for
maritime rights, forced upon those who
are alone interested in such concerns
1t shall be brought upon you by those to
whom seamen and commerce shall be "a
like unknown who shall never have heard
the surges of the sea and into whose
minds the idea of ship shall never have
entered, through the eye, till they come,
from beyond the Western hills, TO take the
protection of your maritime rights, and the
guardianship of your commercial Interests,
into their skillful and experienced hands
Bringing the enemy to the blockade of
your ports, they shall leave your coasts
to be undefended, or defended by your
selves. Mindful of what may yet remain
of your commerce, they shall visit you
with another embargo. They shall cut
off your interc curse of every description
with foreign nations. This not only :;
they shall cut off your intercourse of E.
very description by water, with your sis
ter states This not only they shall cut
off your intercourse of every description
by water, between the ports of your own
states. They shall seize your accustomed
commerce, in every limb, nerve, and fibre,
and hold it, as in the jaws of death"
| now put it to you, sir, whether if
this practical administration of the consti.
sullon 1dO Dcen Idlu uoWh OckOFe tneu,
they would have ratified it. | ask you,
if the hand of Hancock himself would not
sooner have committed it to the flames?
if then, sir, they did not believe, and from
the terms of the instrument had no reason
to believe, that it conferred such powers
on the government, then, say, the pre-
sent course of its administration is not con
sistent with it's spirit and meaning.
Let any man examine Qua history, &
he will find that the constitution of the
country owes its existence to the com
merce of the country. Let him inquire
of those who are old enough to remem
Der, and they will tell it to him. The
idea of such compact, as is we'll known,
was first unfolded in a meeting of Dele
gates from different states holden for the
purpose of making some voluntary agree
ments respecting trade, and establishing a
common tariff see near me an hon. and
venerable gentleman Mr.. Schureman, from