Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-11-26


mand. Christian slavery is abolished for
eyer; anal Rave IN consequence 3he Cd
tiisiaciion of sending back To their faua
lies l73 slaves, your subjects. | hope
they wili be an agreeable present to Your
Holiness, and that they give me d CLAIM,
TO the efficacy of your PRAYERS.
EXMOUTH."
Lirerpooi, October %.
The di>sresses which at the present
time, visit so severely almost every order
OF the community, may be ascrihcd to
three mainly operating causes. First.
and principally, to the revuls6n from a
state OF continued warfare 10 one OF pro
found peace. Secondly, to the specnla-
tive oYer-irading which has prevailed e
qualify among The agrlr nli,ral and COM
mercrai classes: and, thirdly, 10 the check
which our manufactures have sustained
from the prohibitOry policy of the CONT
mental nations, framed for the supposed
encouragement of their own domestic In
dustry. Upon each of these presumed
causes OF distress we shall venture. with
all humility, TO submit few Observations
TO our readers.
/. The war-in which we have been so
glonousiy engaged during the last three
and twenty years, has undoubtedly. had
the effect of diyerting great portion cf
the industry of this empire into channels
nnsulted for iie busy purposes of peace.
Wars, waged by powers rurelv military
produce immediate impovershmenf.E
But the var carried on BY Great Britain
who swept every sea with her marine.
tended to draw towards her shores tbs
wealth OF the world. In proportion as
becameso interrupted as to prevent Them
from working up home supplies, our fur
tunate country, exempt from invasion and
spoliation, exhibited new productive e.
nergies. Our internal trade, as well as orr
foreign commerce, dilated into extraor-
binary and uneXampled Dimensions. we
were the carriers ofthe globe Thismor-
opoly of advantages enabled us to SIM.
port taxation by means of which the
war was brought TO triumphal terlnina-
ton. But vigorous perseverance in any
one pursuit has natural tendency 10
dlsquailty us for anoth riirecily opposite
to II. The greater part of the skill the
capital, and industry ofGreat Britain has
been actively employed in branches fllat
no longer return the enormous profits
which they formerly yielded. Manv of
those branches have been wisely and PRO
Violently discontinued others are fcebIv
maintained In the face of obvious and IN
ayoidable Acknowledgements. Our Shin
PING. interest is opposed, if not oppressed
by That OF America. Labour has become
redundant III the cofnmuuifv, at 2 time.
when the demand for wrought goods IS
wholly suspended III some articles. and
grevousiy diminished in all. The, aori
culturst shares the violence of the qe,,ergl
shock, and cannot speedily recover from
the sudden depression in the price ofpro-
duce. Such are we conceive, the natu-
raj and necessary results Of the chance
from war to peace.
2. The opening OF the continental and
American markets caused rage for ha-
2zardous speculation, unprecedented per
maps, IN the annals of commerce.. The
high proilis OF the early adventures con
rlOuteo TO spread the contagion ofenter-
PRISE; Our exports proceeded TO such
lengths, rs to Teduce the selling prices Of
our manufactures in foreign markets be-
low The rate ofdOmestlc cost. Some shin
pers submitted to ruinous sacrifices: others
consented TO await the change Of Market.
which IRON added supplies, only flucfua-
lea more dlsastroEsly for the prOcrasfina-
ting trader. This unlucky over-trading
abroad, has been for some time past. re-
acting upon home. Countless millions
have been squandered in Cutting the mar
kets OF Germany and the United States
TO the prejudice of immense fs~mbcrs of
our disappointed manufacturers. Ii has
been computed, that from the port OF IL
Verpool alone, exports to the value Of
eighteen millions have found their way TO
America. Much less arithmetic wonld
enable us 10 ascertain tile millions 1lat
have found their way back. A great nor
ton "f tile distress so keenlv felt in man
u'acturIng towns may be fairly ascribed
to THIS excessive over-trad,ng. Small ca
pltalists have been overiIrowil-w ealfhior
ones have gradually contracted their scale
OF business. This necessitv in one quar-
ter, and prudence in another. both ore
rate 10 eject innocent and suffering null
tltudes from employment.
3. The nations of tie continent. bayir-
no longer the flower of their yopu!atios
engrossed b. military pursuits, arc desi-
rous OF absorbing their surplus hands in
new tasks ofIndusiry. Instead of apuls
lng themselves 10 objects which local "a
cilitics might enable them TO attain, their
reiormers urge them, with perverse
zeal 10 contend with The manufacturing
system OF England. SO far is il from
beng true, that they can cope with IS In
an open narket-tlc fact IS, that va are
enabled, IN most cases, to surmount dir
tculties designed 10 act rs prohibitions.
" our manufactures were not exhausted
bv tie losses just advcried 10. tl.eir IN.
comparable ingenuity and industry would
vanqush every obstacle which The short