The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-25

SATURDAY MORNING. FEB -, 1850.
~NoavoLx AND PORTSMOUTH AasNoT;-
PXTOH. either In Norfolk or Portsmouth,
can BE- Supplied BY leaving tnel. vau WIN
TnoMA A. .. WIes, Periodical ana News ASe"t
Norfolk.
r.. emh.rss and Nsn. lnsercsufxe Acts.
We alluded the other day to the effect OF the
r..,rict,ous laid by the administrations Of
JEFFERSON and MADISON upon our commerce
with Grsat Britain. 1t seems rather late in
the day to enter upon an examination OF those
measures, 70 holly discussed during their ex-
istence, and we are only induced 10 do SO by
the proposition maintained with sufficient We
hemence In certain quarters to institute the
same policy in the South with regard to the
Northern States OF this Union.
The policy of the non in tercourse measures
was nerceiy disputed At the ii Dnd the an
cry passions that were excited> them very
nearly led TO dissolution Of the Union. we
speak here Of the entire body Of restrictive
laws passed during the twt administrations
indicated ahove.) 1t was said that they were
halfway measures, and like all halfway
measures productive Of infinite evil, and not
particle OF good to the projectors. II war was
designed, we ought to so TO war at once
These non-intercourse measures, II intended
TO pave the way for hostiiities, were badly
conceived, and well calculated TO defeat the
object in view. Ii war was TO be ultimately
declared, we ought to prepare tor 1t by giving
every possible encouragement TO an extenoed
commerce, thereby bringing the greatest
amount Of wealth into the country, and ex-
panding our resources to their utmost limit.
These restrictive measures had the opposite
effect. They destroyed commerce, and reduced
the larger portion of the commercial classes
10 beggary. When the war came it would
find us entirely without the means to wage it.
II was not denied, we believe, that we had
ample cause for war, but those who opposed
the admins trations Of JEFFERSON and MADI-
SON contended that war ought to be declared
ut once, although when the question came
up, they voted against it in body
Since that period, the passions of the day
having subsidized, aud calm reflection having
been brought to bear upon the question, many
who sustained the administrations in ques-
ton have come to think that their policy IN
this respect was mistaken. We confess we
are not OF that number. We believe it to have
been conceived in wisdom, and TO have an.
swered fully the object proposed TO be obtain
ed Those who e9Ademn it, look at the i'm
menss loss it 6ccasloned to the country. We
have no doubt that the authors Of it very
well knew that it would occasion great dis
tress and great pecuniary loss. They regret
ted that loss and that suffering, but they con-
sidered them likely to be more than counter
balanced by the effect which they hoped il
would produce. At any rate, they knew very
well that it would not occasion one-half the
ruin and Indebtedness that q war would oc-
casion, and they chose ii as an alternative.
II will be recollected that these restrictive
measures were adopted rs retaliatory steps
against the Berlin and Milan DEGREES OF NAPo-
LEON and the Orders in Council of the British
Government. 1t was supposed that if the COM
merce OF both these countries, especially that
of Great Britain, with the United States was
strictly prohibited, the prohibition would pro-
duce an amount of suffering which would soon
bring their rulers 10 their senses. That it had
the desired eifec, there cannot be doubt. In
the 10Th chapter of ALISoN's history OF Eu-
rope, we find q narrative of the terrible dis
tress into which the manufacturing districts
Of Great Britain had fallen in the year ISL
The workmen everywhere, under the strong
pressure Of hunger, banded together against
their employers. Believing that their dis
tresses had been caused by the introduc ton OF
new machinery, they formed themselves into
societies and commenced a series OF violent
ourrages that extended over the entire district
This wide- spread conspiracy occasioned the ut.
most terror TO the Ministry and they uld only
suppress it by 4 free use Of the military, and
by hanging vast numbers of the unhappy men,
who had been goaded into rebellion by want
ALISON enumerates several causes that led
10 these distressing occurrences each of which
had, undoubtedly, its due influence. "But,"
he adds, above all, the natural irritation of
the American Government, at the unbounde
vexations to which they were exposed by both
the belligerent powers from the operation of
the Berlin and Milan DEGREES, and the Orders
In Council, had produced, on the part OF the
Government Of the United States, the nom
intercourse act in February, ISL, whereby all
commercial connection, both with France and
England, was terminated, and the vast mar
ket of the United States north all other foreign
markets put together, which took of British
manufactures to the amount Of fla, OO0, 600
sterling, (nearly S65,000,N0) was entirely
lostn Thus it appears that one of the objects
of this policy was already accomplished
The next soon followed. In June, lsl2, the
Orders in Council were repealed, and the fore
sight OF JEFFERSON and MADISON, WAS
completely vindicated. 1t is true, that war had
already been declared by us before we had heard
of the repeal but this makes the case none
the less strong in favor of the sagacity which
dictated the system Of non-intercourse.
Vaxcillatins Opinions of Louis Napoleon.
Of all people in the world, the English have
had the credit Of being the most stable in their
ideas and opinions, as we'll AS customs; but i'll
their views OF the character and purposes of
LOUIS NAPOLEON AS expounded by their press,
they have shown degree Of fickleness which 1t
10 hard to reconcile, either with the sagacity or
sobriety Of their public opinion. Their views
Of Louis NAPOLEON seem to change with
every change of the moon. AT first he was
vulgar adventurer, then a sagacious states
man, then again an imperial pirate; anon a
wise and just ruler, then a disturber of the
peace of Europe, and now our far-seeing and
magnanimous ally, and true friend Of liberty
on the continent. 1t is but yesterday that
all England was arming 10 the teeth, and she
is still probably engaged in the organization
Of volunteer rifle companies u protect her
coast from a sudden invasion by the very
men whom she now takes to her bosom with
the most unlimited confidence and friendship.
1here can he NO doubt that not only the pub
TIC NJ large IN England, but its principal states-
me" were, short time ago, thoroughly alarm
"a on the subject Of a French invasion. and
that the Channel Fleet was constantly on the
look out for any hostile movement from the
French coast. The sudden res toration of con.
hdsnce, and the mutations which the English
NINA mas undergone in regard 70 the present