Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-06-03

SD those tnaI might nave arisen from tenl-
porary circumstances from those that
were of progressive growth, must be sup
posed 10 be more deeply rooted and IN
terwOven With the system oil policy that
has been pursued. In this difficulty the
better and more explicit course was to II
lustrdte his opinion. Ii was true, from
the nature OF things it must be the case,
that the transition from war 10 peace
must have affected many branches OF the
public wealth. Some of a foreign, but
the greater proportion of domestic re-
la: ion. There were two OF these bran
ches that must have been peculiarly in
jured by the change-namely the prori-
sion trade of Ireland, and the manuiac-
ture of military weapons at Birmingham.
The distress arising from such sources, II
was easy to understand, might be tcmpo-
rary; but at the same time 1t WAS to be
recoilected, that the occurrence of this
temporary hardship, at Il momeut when
a general depression in all the other BRAN
chcs, not under The influence OF the same
causes, was SO sensibly ielt-when il was
impossible that the hands thrown out of
employment could be absorbed Ia the
general systeni-when there WAS such
general cboaking of all the sources OF ma
tioDal industry, ii was not unnatural that
distress, under more favorable circum-
stances of transient character, might
grow into permanent system. We had
only 10 look at other branches of trade
besides those depending on war for their
existence, TO be satisfied that the dcpres-
sion was not clrcumscribed. The cotton
trade, unaffected by the cessation OF war
like pursuits, was as depressed as the very
gun manuiactory of Birmingham. In or
der 10 arrive at the true complexion of
our situation, we must sec FULLY the IL
noun: and extent of the evil. The more
accurately we can,assed it, the more we
would be convinced that ii was OF an uni
versal description--,hat II was not only
general, but earohing--tliat there was
not one tilainent or fibre, he might SAY,
in the whole system of our economy, that
did not feel its deadning influence, and
was actually inert in the exercise of its
functions, hear, hear! 1t was almost
unnecessary 10 add, that we had now APP
preached the end OF the third year since
the transition from war 10 peace, and still
no mitigation, but, ON the contrary, in
creaslng calamity; whilst, in half that pc
Rod from the end of all former wars, the
nation had recovered fully from those
temporary effects that the change in DIR
relations bad produced. He would,
therefore, take leave TO mention what
appeared to him, after the fullest invesii
CATION of the subject, to be The real causes
of the unnatural state in which the coul-
try, confessedly OH all sides, was placed
He begged the House, in The first place,
impartially to reflect OIL the line of policy
which for years past had characterised
the public councils of the country. In
referring TO that policy, he should as
much as possible avoid the more debate
able ground of the question as it respect
ed the continuance and protraction of
war, and keep 10 points on which he was
inclined to believe no very great differ
ence of opinion existed. 1t would seem
that the practical politicians of this coun-
Try, as they styled themselves, were long
surrounded by class ofmen, that, blend
ing sort of political feeling with what
was called mercantile knowledge, had
considerable influence in guiding the
councils Ofthe nation; that il was am AK
ION equally sacred as il WAS profound,
with these sage instructors of the admi-
nistra,ion, that they could hardly do too
much in disconraging foreign imporfati-
ons of all kinds, and from all countries.
rest, as it was titled, they invariably adj
hered, by which il was to be all trade &
no partnership-ail selling and no buy
ing-all was TO be done for money, and
nothing for goods, Oicar, hear y In favor
OF this doctrine, exploded years ago by
every Improved and enlightened mind,
by every means, fair or foul, for the mo-
railty OF these sound advisers in SUPPORT
oil constant balance oftradc, was far from
beng rigid IT was marvellous 10 know.
that III this age, and Ia this country, the
practical results of this repudiated iargon
were still existing, and were traced in
broad characters up TO the very last wear,
IN the attachments of the statute book
(hear, hearD Year after year we were
proceeding under such auspices, until at
length, as was natural, We had deprived
ourselves of all the great staples Of foreign
commerce, (hcar, hearD To the subver-
sion of our carrying trade, we had sue
ceeded in excluding from our ware-hous-
ing depots all the productions of foreign
countries. The instances would strike
the House as soon as they we're stated i'm
detail. To the opinion that he originally
entertained on tire corn law, lie still adj
hered; yet, in considering the develope-
ment of that measure, il was easy to per-
eeive the effect of that main Siu in our
commercial system with foreign nations
To be sure, he felt now, as lie did then,
that those injurious effects would be COM
pensated in that case by the higher con
sideralion of insuring TO this country
regular and safe supply of the great ne
cessary of life, which M change of TO
reign policy, no caprice of foreign govern
ments, could impede or disturb, (hcar.
hear, hearD Besiies, it must be admit
ted, that even If that enactment was ex
ceptionable, as ii general branch of per
manent policy, it was fully jusliiiable as
temporary resource. There was, also.
fl,in E1rfl,n, consolidation, fh,4 a. -