The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-02-05

wEDEEsDA7 MOANING 'rsBRuARr S



the writer, and only in complisnce with
his request, we publish the following
obsetyationsin the Evening Post, which
have already once appeared in the Com
mercial Advertiser. We mean 10 be
understood as taking, at presents per
fectiy neutral ground respecting the
great question of national policy here
involved. Better information and fu,
ther reflection are necessary to enabi,.
US to pronounce decided opinion.
'" Tie bill now before congress, but
particularly the communication from
your commercial friends for the re
suscita,ion" (ss be calls it) of our de-
pressed commerce. and set forth IN
your paper OF the 9TH inst. cxci;cs my
serious apprehension. Inasmuch as,
disguise II as we may, it is aimed at
Great Britain, and the very measures
Eoposed are calculated to prove high
ly and permanently Injurious TO US, and
beneficial TO the colonies Of Great Bri-
tain In North America--I would sub
NIT to the serious consideration Of!
Syery commercial man-have We a sin
gle article of export that cannot br
found elsewhere by Great Britain
Vessels coming from the British
settlements in the West Indies, bring
here no article of manufacture, but al.
articles OF prime necessity, and which
contribute largely TO our revenue, and
ihey carry away In return the produce
of our own soil. Are we TO suppos,
England Will throw open the trade win.
her colonies, for fear that we will 20,
supply them with lumber, horses OF
-four { and is II not evident, that by our
increasing the charges upon vessels
clearing out of our own ports with the
produce OF the states, we are thereby
imposing tax upon our exports, aDG
holding forth premium 20 those YES
sells to proceed to other places AID load
these articles. Has not this polio,
greatly diminished the loading of lum-
Der in our ports; has not this policy
tended TO restrict our agricultural iAi,
provements, oy imposing high du,ies
upon vessels carrying plaster, now St.
important manure.
"This war of imports 10 which the
multitude look Tor making us all a..
once, not only an agricultural, bu, :.
commercial and manufacturing people
is fallacious. But in the presen, fervor
of mind ia favor of protecting duties,
fear my feeble voice will be raised in
vain bur have the consolation to re.
hect, that l have called the attention OF
able characters to the subject; and
solemply declare, that view all mo-
nopoIies, all protecting duties. prejudi-
cial TO. the nation that adopts them !;
and in pursuing this plan, we are driy
Ing Great Britain, TO find out oihe,
sources of supply, as was the case dur
Ing our late unhappy circumstance
Great Britain and her colonies take Inc
productions OF our soil we take tn
labor of her people at full one less than
We can have that of our citizens, and
that labor bears off from US taxation, by
the imposts payable thereon upon i'm.
port.
"Let us reflect, that every man in the
community, on an average, pays an in
direct tax Of sixty, if not Of one hue
dTed dollars year, as premium or
encouragement of our domestic mana.
tactuFesi for we're it not for our pro.
tecung duties, as they are called, we
should have our cloathing and prime
articles of consumption 50 much cheap.
er. ] perceive that the trade between
Grea, Bsi;aiH aud the United States is
carried on almoN wholly in American
bottoms, and that by looking to a war o.
lmposts to renovate our trade, we are
only following the course .hat has pro-
duced what we now deplore.
81 observe ii stated that TO be dan in
dependent nation" we should have all
within ourselVes--pursue this phantom,
and perish foreign cons erce; we may
as well say that family to be indepea-
dent, should have shoemaker, a tay.
!or, blacksmith, a carpenter, school.
master, and so on,ail within themselves.
but why should | make one of my
sons manufacturer, and oblige the
rest OF my mily to buy of him, while
they wouid be served by poor man
who can afford TO work cheaper, and
that sdn could by another pursuit make
more of his time and talent. DurIng
The war weavers were paid thirty dol
lars week wages was this propriety?
IL might be so Tor the weaver at he
time, bu; ruiUous to the manufactures,
and In thu end ruinous to the weaver.
i recolicci 4 saying Of the late carl Of
Chatham, when i; was proposed to Ic-