Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-08-03

the Southern Staples. they coUd open no vieyl
that ere not familiar TO the intelligence of the lie |
giSlature oiihe Union There Is no principle bet /
ter estsbshed Ia commercial iuierc urse, than that
II nations will not buy. they canno; e-lI The ef-
feet OF our national legislation deprive us era
dually OF our stesdies; asd veal hest customers
There is no magic or mystery in the pursuits OF
iTsde-lts laws simple its ends are tsnefi
cent. The exchanges Which mutually enrich ma
tions those of Barter, and the great dictate of
Nature, with the law OF human wants and human
necessities, teach this truth, that Legislators cam
not create the elements of individual wealth and
public prosperity, but they may prevent their full
developmet and healthy action by artificial combs
aaiicns and unnai ural arrangements Ii il inpos-
sibe to foretell 10 what precise extent we NAV
De deprived OF the foreign demand Tor our staples.
by our persistence ia the fatal policy of high du-
ues; i ne depres--cn from contracted market is
reached by successive steps in this artificial career
ihe connection OF business not suddenly dis
solved-the arrangements Of commerce ere no,
wi'sout some dhicuity broken up but nations will
not' any more than individuals, continue to trade
on unequal terms We may profit for the moment
oy our prohbitory policy we Insy sell without
purchasing, until fresh markets are sought out
and opened; but the law is not more certain that
oinSs huids TO their level, than that Nations can
not permanently and prohtsbly trade together,
unless II is by the reciprocal inter change of their
respective productions
aour MemorIalists are OF opinion, that il the
principle OF legislation lately set up as the rule OF
conduct on this subject for Congress- is to be acted
on and carried out in practice to its full extent
general depression and deterioration of property
IN the Cotton growing States, may be predicted as
| 'he POSITIVE results. That principle is, that Con
eress possesses the power OF efreciing a new dis
triouton OF the National capital, and by forcing it
INTO channels different from those into which il,
Would naturally flow, 10 produce corresponding
change IN the industrious pursuits of the citizen -
against sucn an exercise OF power your Memorials
Is's solHrnn!y protest. Commercial retaliation ha-
Oeeh limited III the previous practice of the Ma
uonaI government, TO The yindication OF the dig.
my OF honour OF the country, or with the view
10 produce The relaxation of foreign edicts or STA
'uies that did violence TO soms principle of COM
mercia reciprocity. But the exercise of the rig ht
10 retaliste, as relates TO countries which may
choose to close their markets against certain de--
! cripuon oil our produce, would involve the power
10 Ieuuce 10 common level OF poverty mslor-
rune, those who still preserve the foreign mar
kei Tor their productions, aud those no by the re-
VoIu'lons OF trade, originating ia the accidents of
poltics or the changes OF foreign legislation have
unfortunately lost that market II would be to
| MAKE portion OF the people of this Union bear
Tue ourihen to certain extent OF The British Corn
Laws TO visit, in short, large division OF our
population, the pains and penalties of British le-
| glsiation II such sacrifice were Necessary to
| assert or vindicate the national honour or to sus
rain any interest, intimately connected with natio-
nal defence, IT would be submitted TO by your Me.
morislists, with the rest of their feIlov-citjzens
| as common blrthen tor common benefit They
cannot therefore, conceive the proprety or Justice
! Oh the plea, which is employed to justify an IN
reference, that will lead 10 the depression OF one
interest, Tor the relief of another The Southern
Agrculturist had no agency in producing that stae
| oil law, or OF circumstances abroad, which chang
ing the channels OF trade, left the Western and
Northern cultva,or, to struggle with contracted
markets and reduced prices. But il is fact which
does not admit of denial, that when the Farmer
He audi
joyment OF open markets and profitable prices the
Planter OF the South had almost reached the last
eOo OF his fortunes, from the closing Of the orua-
| ry vents Tor his produce. He claimed no protec,
'ion when he saw himself al the brink of ruin Ibis
estates mortgsged, and the produce of hia n,anta
tons perishng on his hands, from the severe visi
stion OF The accidents of war, felt in those chan
ges OF The channels OF trade which Invariably fol-
| low in their train
! Your Memorialists would beg leave 20 Suggest,
whether would not be within the proper province
and legitimate purposes of State legislation, 10 efs
iect that more equal division of capital and eu,pIoy
ment between Agriculture and Manufacturers with
10 those Siates, which desruus of producins
such result. This mil hi be effected by bounty
or premium on manufactured produce, within the
local Jurisdiction and the subsisting arrangements
IN the other States, would not be exposed to dis
turnance These arrangements, haviog their Origin,
in that master principle of improvement the saga
city OF se-interest, in deserving the true path 10
i'NhSo -I4n'ni loi lutuIey as TOT the TO
DE LETT TO the voluntary and unfettered acicn o..
the same principle.
Your MemoTislis's would also intreat your Ho
nourabie Body to pause, having already entered on
a war OF commercial restrictions, before we
are too deeply committed in that false and fatal no.
cy. They feel convinced that the British want
only the cooured preiext of retaliation to imnose
countervsiling duties which Will alike reach the
Eastern Shp-owner, and the Southern Aericu!tu-
faiist The Bill agains' which your Memorialiss
protest, viii most amply afford this pretext. The
Commercial Convention Of 1915, between tiis
country and Great Britsin, expires by its own liz
imitation in October, s2S j. it not 10 be anne.
hended, II we pass t.iis Bill, and it becomes law
that the British government will refuse TO rops,
mat Convention! The leading principle of that
Treaty, your Honourable Body knows is the mn.
ia"i abolition OF discriminating duties, as regards
the intercourse with British ports in Europe oo ,h
ships and commodities OF the partis. respectively TO
That compact. We, however, possess the LARGO,
share Of advantage from that arrangement. Tbe
carrying trade betwe the ports OF Great Br;,.in !
and those of the United States, is eni,led Drinc,.
paily by American shipping. a higher dniv on |
American Cotton imported into British MORT. IN |
Europe, in American, than IN Brush sbin.. w,Il |
be ia effect discriminating duty IN favour of Bri |
tsh navigation, under the ustfable plea of retsyia
zion, which would leave u. without the po,ys- of
inficiing corresponding injury Such discfirn. (
nation could not place The British ship-owper in (
worse position than he nOY ocespies as reaards /
his share OF The carrying trade bsi,reen the tyo
counties; 1t might improve that position Ii ,yould
preserve resemblance in be form merely of du |
tes, which profess TO counieryail by iafirtine an !
equivalent evil: bur i'm subsaucs