Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-04-05

| Pt"CiPle ot SIo|in5 To the new states 6
/ share OF power corresponding to their grow
ing wealth and population, seems fair and
reasonable. New states can be hereafter
formed only of American territory and A
| merican population, of land already in our
possession, or to be hereafter acquired, and
OF people emigrants from other parts of the
union Is It then wise TO close against those
who have retired to the wilderness, and
through whose exertiou the cultivation. the
wealth and the power of the whole nation
IS intellectually augmented Is it wise to
deny them, rs they emerge from pover,y
to opeience, share in governing the fruits
OF their own industry ? l. il Just
TO deny to an American citizen his birth.
right OF political power, because he removes
from the eastern TO. the western sectioa OF
the union I? Or, is it not at once a more Ii
beral and judicious policy to suffer their
political importance to expand. as their
territory ripens in population and improve.
ments
The progress of our history has not
taught US to apprshend danger from this
source. Since the adoption of the constits,
'ion states have been admitted into the u
mon, one IN the nor,h, Vermont one in the
south, Louisiana I; three in the west, Ken
lucky, Ohio, and Tennessee The first
mas SIEGE her admission increased more RAJ
pioiy than aay OF the nothern states, and is
now the third in rank of the FIVE. Ken
lucky Is more populous in whites than any
nothern state except Massachusetts, or any
southern state except Virginia. Tennessee
and ONO have equal population with the
greater part OF the southern and northern
states and VIII no doubt at the next census
exceed nearly all of them. Louisiana, from
It's recent occupation by the United States,
mas population about equal to Rhode Is
ia"a OF Deia"are, but its progress is much
more RAPID; and we may safely calculate
enat In re" years its population will equal
'nae Oh the sreater part Of the states in the
union From this review, it appears that no
particular section of country has been z
gamer by the admission of new states be-
yond their fair claims by population, and
that the privilege of forming them has
oeen accorded unfortunately to all, in
proportion as their powers have been de-
Veioped. Inc committee, therefore, cannot
recommend the adoption of this amends
ment.
by the next amendment il is proposed hat
congress shall not have power 10 lay any EN-
oargo on the ships or vessels of the citizens of
the United States in the ports or harbors there
OF, tor more than sixty days.
The committee can see little in the pr;ncinle
OF this prop 1sal to recommend it and they fore.
see in practice very serious Inconvenience from
Il. In most other nations an embargo is princi-
Pally used as temporary detention to conceal
or to tacli,ate the departure OF some expedite
on but IN addition to these causes, our ne
cuar situation gives to such n measure
character OF defensive war, we'll as of
| offensive hostility. An embargo may here be
imposed as preliminary to war, for the
purpose oil retaining at home resources which
mi5a't fali INTO the hands of adYersaries, and
| OF warning our citizens to seek shelter from
Impending hostilites. country.
too, stands in a relation to the world which
4 no other nation occupies The United States
| is great gransry from which many other
| countries supplied, and some have been
| occasionally fed. To withhold for 2 time those
necessary supplies from nation committing ar
gressions against us, is a measure OF fair. obyi
Gus, & effectusl hostility, by which the offend.
ing nation may be reclaimed to just course of
conduct Such a measure should therefore be
left, with the other incidents of war, TO the dis
erection OF congress. But it is obvious that the
efficacy of an embargo may depend on its du
ration Approaching hostiities may be aver.
ted or determined in sixty days. Within sixty
days refusal to furnish supplies NAV be pro
ductIye OF no inconvenience to an enemy. IF
1t be SAID the embargo may be renewed, why
the neces sity OF any limitation of time, since
the same power which can renew a limited,
may repeal an unqualified embargo when Cir
cumstsnces require it. But during the long
recess OF congress it would be impracticable to
renew an embargo every sixty days. The more
Judicious plan seems to be to trust the power
where 1T now is-and this the more willingly,
as our recent experience will have furnished
the means Of ascertaining the nature of that
Species of restriction.
Globe concluded in our next.)
argus oFFICE, .4hrR $. 1915.