The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-06-28
MR. PRESIDENT


iure last year, il was TO have been expected
shat gentlemen would have taken course
somewhat different from tha. embraced in the
Answer TO His Excelency's Address. Taught
by the errors of the past, IL WAS to be expect
ed that they would have been careful of the
future. Finding that they had neither provok-
ed the people to opposition, driven the Gov
ernment from their ground, nor obtained the
grace and favor Of the enemy, it was reason.
able TO hope that gentlemen would have been
cured of their frcnzy--that His EXcelicncy
would have confined his observations to the
business of the Senate, and that the Answer
of the Senate would have been of the same
description. But we find that gentlemen are
not yet discouraged. Though their inham-
matory course was utterly discountenanced by
the people, still they persist. We have a
mother manifesto 10 be published in the Brit
jsh papers, as evidence that Massachusetts
has seeded from the Union and yet we find
you, in this very Answer Boosting OF the for
bearance Of the Legislature oil Massachu-
sets. Forbearance, Sir What is this for
bearance which you boast OF All that could
be done svas done, 10 excite the people TO op-
position. lie tiers and emisaries were sent
from this town to the remote parts OF the
State, informing the people that they were op-
pressed, urging them TO get up meeIings,and
10 pledge themselves TO support The opposi-
lion which the Legislature had projected
And what was the success Some twenty or
thirty towns, out of more than i've handrcd,
and many of those totally disconnected with
commerce, were induced to complain. And
how did you obtain even these Sir, the peo-
pie were imposed on. Even the poor Usher
men were ashamed Of the business, and sign
ed a rccantation.
This was the forbearance, so full OF merit
You .Jor6ore, to be sure, but it was because
you were afraid to do otherwise. The last
Legislature missed their aim. The people
were not dissatisfied with the Embargo. 1t
was a measure approved by both parties at
the time. Spectators were purchasing pro-
visions for the enemy the country was about
&c be drained (; this temporary check was sa-
lutary-But it disappointed two descriptions
Of people. The contractors, because they
could not get the money, and the British, be-
cause they could not get the provisions and
these were the authors of all the complaints.
But we find it again repeated, that the ru-
lers Of the nation have discovered an invcter-
ate hostility TO commerce. BY this charge
coming SO often from This STATE, we should
be led to conclude that Massachusetts was the
grand mart of the trade of the world, and
that Boston was the commercial centre. And
we should further conclude from the modest
assurance Of her merchants; that mercantile
knowledge was exclusively confined 10 the
people Of Boston.-Sir, il is with much diff
dence, confess, that attempt subject OF
which, il you take these gentlemen at their
words, they are such complete masters. How
ever, if these exclusive gentlemen will par
don me, viii! call the attention OF the Board
TO an inquiry into the relative commercial i'm
portance of the different sections OF the Unit
ed States. If the southern or middle divisions
of the United States have an interest TO de-
stroy commerce, if they view Nesv- England
as their competitor, there may be good ground
for this charge. 1t will scarcely be believed
that they would destroy commerce, when
their manifest and immediate Interest requlr-
ed its preservation nor will it DO for gentle
men TO pretend that the rulers Of the nation
are opposed to the interest Of the people in
this thing An administration, surely, which
has discovered a uniform hostility to COM
merce for more than twelve years, must, 1t is
presumed, act conformably to the wishes of
the people who created them. The question
returns, what are the interests OF the south
err and middle divisions of the United States,
in regard to commerce Let Us look at
their exports. take the year 1905, because
If I remember rightly,that year was peculiarly
favorable 10 the Ney- England States. The
exports from .IeIv- England we're about twen-
~ millions OF the Middle States, forty-nne
millions; and the Southern Stairs, twenty y-one
millions. / give the millions entire, though
shere were fractions Of million TO each divi-
sion the largest fraction, il I mistake not,
was i'm the Southern division. But in this pc
riod, the exports of domestic growth and man.
ufacturc, were in the South, double those Of
the Ncw.England States. What portion Of
these Northern exports we're the products OF
the Southern and Middle States, lesyc to the
merchants to determine. ne.--Further in the
wear ending in September, 10, the exports