Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-08


dened with debts which they are unable TO pay.
Specie is no longer brought into our vaults
tribute is no longer paid at our Custom IIo use
and bills for remittance can only be- pur-
chased at very great advance. In short,
| our commerce is nearly gone--our agricu!-
ture naturally suffers with it--and our canal
and other public improvements, attended with
so much expense, appear to have been made
almost in vain.
Now If this sacrifice of our interests could
in any manner promote the welfare of the
Union, your Memorasts might find some
consol alton for their own suiicrings, in the
general prosperity of the nation. As mem
beers ola great community, indeed, they cannot
expect or wish that their local interests should
be regarded, cxcep, in their just relation to the
advantage of the whole. And they may APP
peal with confidence, they trust, to their past
history, for ample proof of their readiness,
at al, times, 10 bear their full proportion of
those burdens which are necessary to maintain
the rights and honor of our country. But, with
all due Difference To the wisdom of Congress,
they cannot perceive that these Acts, which
fall 50 heavily on themselves, are at all like
" to benefit the United States.
The object of the restrictive system which
they establish, your Memoralists understand,
is TO promote the shipping interest Of the coun-
y
vessels and seamen. Ii is not discovered, how
ever, that it now produces, or can ever pro-
ducc this effect On the contrary, as far as
the direct trade with the British colonies is
concerned, it is obvious that the expulsion OF
British ships from our ports does not create
any new demand for our own ; and we only
lose the sale of our produce without any equi-
valiant. Aud as to the indirect trade which it
promised 10 open with the British West In
dies. through other islands, this is found to be
fettercd with so many embarrassments, from
circuilies of dealings, and additions of charges,
as To be altogether unworthy of our pursuit
But we are to he Unidentified, it is said, for
our present loss by some future gain that is,
when our laws shall have driven Great Britain
to abandon her colonial system, and admit
our vessels TO share with her own in the trade
with her colonies. Bat for themselves, your
Nemorlalis,s can see no ground 10 hope for
such result. That colonial system, it is
well understood has been deliberately adop-
ted by that nation, maintained for a long course
OF years, and become an essential part of her
policy, inwOven in the very texture of her
laws, and mtwined with all the habitual feel
lngs and reasonings of her statesmen. She
has accordingly often and openly avowed her
determination not to abandon it but with her
existence and all her pride, as well AS all her
ifs support. After this, it is quite clear, your
Memorialists conceive, that she can only be
driven from it by actual force. And is it then
in the power of this country to apply that
force
On this point, 1T is sometimes asserted, that
| our articles of commerce, and especially our
brcad-stuifs, are Indispensable to the very ex-
istence of the British colonies. Your Memo
rlallsts, however, are by no means satisfied
that this opinion is correct. On the contrary,
IT may be assumed, they think, maxim,
that no nation Is of SO much consequence in
the world as that her commerce is absolutely
essential To the support of any other. Indeed
1t is clear from history, that all the various
nations OF the globe have existed, and not I'M
comfortably at least, without those actual
commercial connexions which are of compa-
ratively modern origin. And our own former
restrictive measures, it is believed, have gone
tar to shew the fallacy of the opinion on which
they were founded. ii the acts in question,
therefore, could have full and perfect opera
tion according TO their spirit, they would pro-
badly only drive those colonies TO End out
new sources of supply for their wants. And
thus we might teach them, against our true
policy, to clear their woods, plant their fields,
and look out for other markets for their pro-
duce.
|
at least, are Indispensable to the British colo
MES, may they not continue to draw them from
us in spite of our laws, and in manner less
lavorablet To our interests 1t is well known,
at least, and experience is proving every day,
| lnai Hour, and even lumber, may be tax en- from
this country to Great Britain, and thence con-
veyed to her colonies i'm her own ships But
this new course of the trade, it is manifest
can only operate to favor British shipping,
and not ours, by giving them a double freight
instead of single one. And at the same
time, 1t is well known, that no small quaint
ties of flour are constantly finding their way
INTO canada, for the more convenient supply
OF the West Indies from that quarter.
1t Is clear then, your Memorasts conceive,
that our restrictive system will never compel,
Great Britain to give us any share of her CO.
lonlal trade. And if So, in what other way
can it operate to increase the employment,
for our ships and seamen Why, it is conjec-
tured, it seems, that it may stimulate the en-
terprise of our citizens to find out new mar
kets for our produce; and it cannot be denied
thar this event is possible enough. But vii
the new markets be better than the old, than
those which are now open to our sails And
IS it certain that we shall obtain larger share
of the trade of the globe than that which we
now enjoy ? The truth is, it is evidently i'm
PossioIe 10 say what course the commerce
of the world may take, when it is thus
forcibly expelled from its present channels
and made to flow in new and strange d.
rections. And what portion of the genera
trade of nations may fall to Our share, in tht
novel arrangements of rival interests and lea.
lous competitions to which our system may
lead, is obviously beyond all political sagaci
ty to divine. And are we not then encounter
ing present and certain loss, for the mere
prospect of a future and most uncertain gain
il a ..l 81. L g. :. !.