Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-02-19

It the country, from which il may be
h,oueh.. The only danger 10 be appre
bended is. that the cultivation, losing the
british West India market for the sale Of
b,s;exDort-, would lose with il the sbIli-
~ TO procdre the commodities he former
=, received IN retura. The extent Oi
iris danger depends upon the correctness
Il tie position laid dOwn--that this COM
ro,rcs is ESSENTIAL to the British West In
dn lads, AID only cOAreRIeHr to the U.
Safes. If the ntcesSaries OF lite can
ooIy ne, ~ are procured on terms infinite.
" r,nre advantageous here than any
vhe.e else, it follows they will still be
carried to the British West Indies, il not
dirrs,ly under a convention, ciTcuitously
throp.h some mstGally friendly port. Ii
:, r.rf.ctIy true that the West Indian Is.
lands are capable Of producing all that
isn necessary tor their own subsistence )
but ibis lu,t be at the expense OF their
commercial importance-the abandon
ment Of the most profitable, tor, to them,
an Improbable cultivation. The general
use ard consequent high price OF West
Indian produce will ensure continuance
of the usual course Of agriculture, and
will, a. heretSiore, operate as bounty
upnn the growth o. bread s'utfs IN the u
nited States. H. favorable seasons and 10
peaceful times, Europe affords a surplus
Of human aiment, and supplies are to be
iouni oa the African coast OF the Medi-
terraneau; but these come loaded with
the Increased expenses and the dangers OF
the heightened transported on OF heavy
articles In the eYentor one of those de-
solaling tpmprsts, Of bu! too frequent &C.
currenCe in these otherwise favored re-
gions, destroying IN al instant the labOrS
nf lite, aad scattering tue boards coll
lected by prudence tor the subsistence
II the colony, the distance from these
places oil relief render some timely assIs-
lance the unfortunate possible The
North American colonies cannot furnish
these necessary supplies The naSiga
tiOn Of the principal river which carries
the greatest portion Of her stores to the
ocean, is closed the BET r part Of the
year, and Is not practicable at that sea
sou which is usually marked 10y these
ca!amIties. Ii Is believed, too, that BY
tar the largest portion of he apparent
exports of Canada OF bread-Stuffs. and E.
ven ut lumber, &c. are carried from the
United States. There must be at all
times a dependence to a certain extent,
upon tins country. And il conve ntion-
ii relaxation is act 2 oduccd by prohi-
oition OF this direct intercourse. or the
imposition OF such charges as shall a.
mount almost 10 prchihi'ion, II follows
that ;hs trade will be circuitnus. In this
event he export trade, instead OF being
carried on exclusively in British bot onls,
will De prosecuted in American vessels,
aud the yeSse,S VI that foreign nation in
whose ports the parties NAV, by tacit ar
Tangssaeat, meet for the exchange Oi
their commodities. The return carsoes,
il ct British 9 Owth, will. under the ma
vigation act Of the United States, be bro't
wholly 10 American vessels.
The only question remaining to be ex-
amineh, Is as 10 the mode vt cf"cting
this desirable respl-By total prOhibi
TIA Of all intercourse, or bv hurthen-
some charges ON the trade, il confined to
British vessels ? The committee believe
the latter is to be preferred, and have &C.
cnTdirgly reported bill. There is no
essential difference between them, ex-
Cept as the one or the other is more or
less announcement in its execution. The
effect OF OneyOus duties Is more slow,
bu; equally certain; the pressure will
son De felt, aud the beneficial conse-
Quences gradually follow. The stream
Of commerce viii easily and naturally
R,S into the desired channel, without
the risk OF those dangers which a suddeG
aud violent effort to divert it might pro-
dGCe. A short time will prove the eff
.acy Of this arrangement, and Justify its
Continuance, modification or abandon
meat. IL is recommended too by its ia
CiliCy OF execution. 1t requires TO fur
ther alteration in the existing laws. II
is not necessary to arm, tor its enflrce-
meHt, the petty officers Of the customs
" with pIwecS dangerous and 0diOus to a
free people,
For further and more detailed in
fIrmatiOp Oa the subject Of this report.
the commit ee refer the House to sdocu-
ment marked +. furnished from tie a.
partmcnt OF state.
TAccomrauiag this report was the biz
which has been already announced in the
National inteiIigencer, ny the tue Of a
bill supplementary TO the act regulating
daties on imports and tonnage :" and
the SEVERAL statements, the substance of