Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-09-12

| would have been this 4ay i'm his Mace.
! HAD ne not been dciain d in The country
ny very severe domestic calamily.-
those petitions stated the general com
mercial distress which prevailed, without
pointing out any immediate remedy for
that distress. And, indeed, considering
the STATE OF our cOnnexion with fortigu
countries and the nature ortbe Comnes-
! cial system which had SO long prevailed,
IL wouldbe vain, he feared, TO expect any
immediate remedy. With respect 10 he
soundness Of The principle contained i'm
those petitions, with respect 10 The ces-
| siiy OF throwing open the channels of
trade as widely as possibie--no doubt
could be entertained. No person cowd
deny That commerce ought TO be remder-
ed as Tree and unshackled as circum stan,
ces would allow; but he regretted that
this principle could not, from various
causes. be acted on 10 Tie extent which
many individuals desired. The commit.
Tee had not been able 10 enter so Guly
INTO The subject as they could have wish
cd, III consequence of The late period of
The session al which il was referred 10
them. They had, therefore chiefly So
iec'ed those points which appeared 10
them not the most important, bu, the
most general in their application TO this:
great overwhelmingly, that all resirc-
,ion On trade, OF whatsoever nature, was
iiiegai, and only TO br justified by some
great political expediency ; and where
such expectancy was not clear and niat-
Hest, That the restriction ought to be re-
moved, as far as il could consisieniv
with the good faith OF this country,
pledged by the treaties with foreign states
or by agreements With the subjects OF
tins country, or with reference 10 the prG~
lection due 10 different branches oil trade
mat might have grown up under the cx-
Using system, aud which projections
could NOT be withdrawn without great in
justice. Gentlemen knew that thoseex-
ceptions contained The substance of the
law by which the commerce OF this
country was regulated. With respect 10
Africa and America, all goods, The pro
duce OF those climes, must be brought
here directly aud exclusively in British
ships.-Wiiil respect 10 Europe, lis con
modi'ies might he introduced either in
British vessels or in The vessels OF those
states IN which the article was produced,
with The exception of Germany and the
Netherlands--Ceriain articles, the pro-
duce OF those countries, not being allow
Ell TO be imported under any circumsian-
| ces whatever. This restriction did moi.
however, appear 10 The committee TO bs
founded on any just principle OF expcdien-
cy or necessity. The sum, therefore, of
their recommendation on This head was,
that the navigation laws should be so lar
| relaxed as TO permit all articles 10 be i'm
| ported from all parts of the world, prov-
ded such importation took place in Brit
| ish ships. The next point TO which they
| turned their attention was the warelous-
ing system. That system was al present
limited 10 certain articles. Ii, however,
this country were meant TO be the great
emporium and great mart of The world,
il was impossible, if such were the view
Of the legislature, that too wide an extent
could be given 10 The system of ware
housing. Their recommendation on This
second head was, tina, all goods, The pro-
| duce OF all countries, manufactured or
nnmanniaciuFed, should be permitted 10
be freely imported and exported, except
| TO our colonies, with as little inconven-
eDce 10 The merchant as possible. There
was, however, an exception OF one ariI~
cle-le meant iincn--which was 90 ex-
copied from the general rule on account
| OF political rather than commercial
| view OF The subject. He would not en-
! ter into lie reasons that induced the
committee TO recommend those deyia-
tons from The existing system. When
| regulations founded on their view of lie
| question were introduced, that would be
| the period to go into inmate detail for
the purpose OF showing the necessity Of
carrying those regulations into Effect
| One evil, which appeared 10 lie commit
Tee 10 be OF the greatest magnitude, aud
which required the serious Alteration Of
tile house, vas The extraordinary multi
pllcaiion and complexiiy Of the fave by
which commerce was affected. Gentle
men would conceive The extent Of this evil
| when he Informed them, that he had seen
II stated IN pamphlet published i'm 1915.
that the number OF laws relative 10 mef-
camille transactions amounted at that
lime 10 800, Of which 100 were in full
and almost daily operation. To these
IN the last s. years, many additions had
been made and what The number was
al present he could not take upon him.
sell TO cay. When gentlemen consider
ed that the slightest deviation from The
law often subjected The chip and cargo
TO forfeiture, they would see The embar-
rassment which ibis evil created 10 The
merchant, and the restraint nuder which
II placed commercial enterprise. The
committee were likewise OF opinion. that
tie alterations which they had thought
fit 10 suggest ought TO be made gradually.
with great caution, and a due regard 10
tie interests which, having grown up I'M
der the present system, were placed under
the protection OF the good faith of The
country. II would be perhaps some time
before the benefits OF these alterations
would b. perceived but that was The
price which the country wa TO paw for
It's fault in adhering so long 10 the pre-
sent bad and defective system. The re-
Communications which The committee
had suggested might appear 10 some inn
dlviduals mol TO have gone FAR enough,