Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-09-07
RICHMOND, SEPTEMBER !, 1927.
AMERICAN RESTRICTION LAW.
To he E,l;iors Of ibe E,,av;r.. i

| GENrLEMEs,-I have thrown roueh-c.t ON parer
some crude suggestions, Arising from the persa of :,
letter hiyour paper upon the 'Amcricam restriction
law The Intelligent writer, has been, either TOO
much occupied, in furnishing oigtt or has been too
eTcnuispect IA expressing his conclusions, perhaps
from regard 10 the ecliugs OF those vhu nre ti.
advocates OF restriction. Ii is time to be isii-
dious. IL should present single idea, winch may
assist u deVcopemCnt OF the causes, tina: occasion the
prevailing distress and thereby aid in obtaining my
ieiioW citizens relief shall he excused. you NAV
make what use You please OF M remarks, OF any part
of them)
lie observes aireidy shipments OF American nro.
ducc nave heen made from Great Britain. 10 the West
India colonies He should have said that the trade
began and became very extensive from Liverpool in
iour, Ia 1913 aud tins accounts for the quaniitic
thot article sent 10 that port since the average nrce
| oil wheat declined below the standard which aioyys
ITS Importation. Hes Hoard Of ,7ode "a practical aid in
her councils much needed in ours) with polite
view, TO the activity and emolumen; of her navigation
to the colonies, often going enpty, Tor return clrgoes
OF crop, stated well as to keep down the value
oil our Hour IN her colonies while she afford TO
export bread stuiis OF her growing allows an
entry for eTpoTtEi0n, in trnsu free of charge Our
nour, mus serves remittance her az ltr, at
less freight too in her vessels than our own but al
lords no mercantile profit to remit,er The rate
OF exchange being usually above par-now 8 10 per
cent we having no sufficient for our surplus of
tins article, 1t is thus made a meduni-noi a pro-
hiabie commodity Her system forbids Foreigners, to
import produce into her islands
| We have lately seen in our prints an account of
corn (lndian) brought into the British islands from
Their own settlements on the of Africa OF very
good quality, aud at the price of - cents Der I'm se
Besides what the islands have been forced TO raise
within themselves, by measures here is more evil
dence that we are fast placing them above dependence
us, and that too by strengthening her remote and
useless colonics-Nay, hitherto drawing heavily upon
her Tor their support, military posts, or naval
resorts Tor her CrulZerS aud prizes time of war and
converted now 10y our MEANS into powerful resources
within herself, for future wars-does this look like
coercg her TO abandon her long established colonial
system Her policy, does not devclope itself more
iGly IN the 0Hect trade, than il does in those cOie-
t channels, which 10 almost remote TO be
| discerucd.
What greater object can Great Britain have in view.
an 10 counterN AL the future rivashp of the United
Statcs Where else does she apprehcnd danger
! from commercial aud naval competition To foster
her population and resources in the North American
colcnies our left flank 20 promote independence
upon there, as in her West India colonies nv
nourishing future habits of interchange between
them-aro equally objects OF primary importance to
her interests, whether with Il view to augment her
own resources around Us, or TO diminish the growth Of
our own. She provides ready nursery OF scamcn
| iorour coast of soldiers for our frontier
have unfortunately mslaid paper conta ming the
| eApsrs from Canada ior the last Year IL would o.
hcrwiSe furnish one OF the conclusive texts 10
expose the suicidal effects OF restrictions, by
comparison oil ATS amouni with that OF the years. be-
lore our act was passed. But IL cannot escape the
nouce oil The n;tny Ot Intelligent Citizens who ira
vel into thai country that there is now rapid Access
sion OF wealth, population and commerce hitherto un
knOwh-chiety the fruits of the trade, in -four TIM
exported by ourselves hut now driven mo the ST.
Ldwreuce-Hhy has Great Britain 30 long submitted
10 n heavy taxation, 10 support that colony and
empted Its population there from il entirely bv which
they are made as loyal my paIt Of her dommions
Is II not ltOm never-winking policy towards the
United States ID: In the mean while, lie colonies are
oyersoced with ali kinds OF provisions and lumber
they get all and more than they want Is the
same tonnage employed by her and the number
OF seamen or more Does this look like stan Wing
| her Does Il eicieaSe Our navigation
Of
now and then, letter To be written from West
India island, TO which free to trade las ST
Barlholomews) which goes the rounds, Of news
papers, encouraging hopes OF the ultimate of
our measures. IL the policy of Great Britain To
eneebc us, and In which view, she has too many
rea(y abetturs among ourselves, will her sub
JeCts assist deluslon which allows time to fix and
| confirm new channels Of commerce; while we are
suspended betwXt hope and fear for the result of
our projects Ask The of hisory, If Tyre, We
nice, Genoa and downward TO Holland have ever re-
covered single branch of commerce, driven,
seduced, into new channels I? Ask where they have
all conccnFed Nearly all, | should say, for in
spite OF ourselves, we have retained participa
t0n-thahks to individual encrprisc-nott to the gis
OF our laws. Instead OF their regulating or protect
| ing commerce, they destroy it. Is this the meaning
OF our constitution We profit nothing by history
we Vdinly believe, that natural and ply steal pow
ers VIII achieve every thingeven to survive the most
dangerous experiments, from which no nation ever
did recover, though know none, that has set so nit
ny examples and many have decaycd under much
inferior The most vigorous constitution often
Tails a victim, To temerity and experiment | am
happy in believing, that have a stronger consti-
uoD-mo'e natural strength and advantages than C.
yer were combined, under government. But we
waste them with the prOdgality OF youth Expcdemis
and speculation are characteristic of our legisa-
ton, and influence from that source all the economy
OF the nation-unt they have tainted every artery
and vein, through the whole body polite. Ii is the
province OF legislation to wholesome and neccs-
sary laws-to revise and amend such detective
to repeal such useless, or do not accomplish
their end, produce effect different what
vas meditated. IL IS great evil but hope the only
one, amid so many benefits result from our system
repres enation that rotation of men, render those
who make the laws indifferent and irrespective
consequences-ind every member who takes
his seat IS wholly occupied IN originating something
neio, TO subserve his own particular interest Hence
II occurs that seldom any repeal OF existing acts how
oppressive, is obtained ill public suffering and
c amour COerce a change.
\ worthy representative, now a steady advocate for
restriction, from this section of country once hapDy
said on the floor OF Congress, " commerce is a sensi-
tive plant-touch and it withers How soon alas
do the sound maxms of experience, Weld to chmeras
when the mind is permitted TO wander into regions Of
theory and romance We are too ready 10 leave the
smooth path of progressive wealth. for one of sudden
ness crcunyen,ioD--toia failure is too often the
consequence OF this eagerness-instcad Of adapting
our measures to means, we adopt the means Of
others, whose and therefore whose policy
differ from our oWn--whether they achieve or not
forgetting that may be dazzod and cheated by APP
pearances, unrcol-l- this (rHg1tiy? Let no
MAN anticipate uncertain profits lest they prove
shadows, which will shrink 20 nothing IN he erpe
But We have ample testimony, that much Of the re-
stcivo policy, of Great Britain is oppressive TO her.
when she has longer the ability 10 throw IL OFF
those who feel its INJURY, speak loudly ~ her parlia
meni, or As pamphc crs-bui tho number is limited,
compared TO those various ntere SIS, which form,
wit, tie government, reciprocal support OF the
prodgdlty and inxury Of one class and the slavery
and Wretchcd ncss OF the rost Of society There is
but one step, from virtue TO vice.
For ~ tifat blt couceiyes 81 crime in Thought,
H.F.fFf NUf N.ffn corr lf H. f.fat fffNHN