Lynchburg Star

From the Aurora.

FREEDOM OF COMMERCE,

AND

THE NON-IMPORTATION ACT.

In a very few days the virtue of our citizens and the efficacy of our laws will be put to the test—and it will be seen whether those who covered the tables of congress with memorials in support of the rights and freedom of neutral commerce, were really serious or deceitful.

Be you good citizens watchful!—Let us, at the same time (and there is time enough,) state, that by the fall ships, from England, large cargoes of goods not usual for the Halifax or Quebec markets, have been shipped from England for those ports—and that from every thing conceivable, as characteristic of British commercial cunning, these goods are intended to be smuggled, in violation of our laws, into the United States.

After the surrender of smuggled goods to the value of several hundred thousands of dollars to Sir Alexander Mackenzie—goods seized after being illegally brought into the United States—after the return of those goods, there cannot be very great expectations that the United States' officers will be very vigilant, nor undertake much risk of life and health in search of, and seizing, English smuggled goods, on the frontier of the lakes; but it is not, therefore, the less necessary that this warning should be thrown out in a case so important; especially as the intercourse with Russia on our Atlantic sea-board has been deemed of sufficient importance (and it is so) to call for a circular letter to our custom houses.

The motives are very strong and powerful indeed, for pressing the public vigilance to this point—because as a measure of mere defence, it must be followed either by a restitution of American property, release of American citizens, and respect for the American neutral flag in future, or by stronger measures of the same kind: To use the rhetoric of Fisher Ames, the tortoise must draw itself within its own shell—and there we must stand and without intercourse with the power that will not do us equal justice.

That England will not do us justice or anything like justice—we most devoutly believe—that she should so far depart from her detestable policy as to do us justice, we would most ardently wish—and if it were possible that she should even shew the disposition, we should, with the utmost cheerfulness, be among the first to recognize such a disposition, and to signalize the era as a remarkable one in the historical calendar.

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?" Is a question which always presents itself, whenever we hear mentioned the prospects of Britain's doing justice to the United States.

The truths of the declaration of independence have not ceased to be truths yet—neither misfortune nor disgrace—nor national wretchedness, has been sufficient to produce good or wise dispositions in the British government.

Ever since the year 1765, and up to this present moment have the acts of that government been uniformly hostile to America. For a space of 41 years George III. has neither turned to the right hand nor to the left.

Americans, keep this solemn and incontrovertible truth constantly in view. And when you read of the appointment of Mr. Erskine as ambassador, or of Lord Holland, or Lord Auckland (hopeful negotiator indeed) on the claims of Americans. Be not thrown off your guard.

America for 41 years has been knocking and scraping at the portals, nay outside the doors of the British cabinet for justice.

The only answer vouchsafed, when colonies, and after becoming an independent nation, has been an accumulation of injustice—“little hills of promises and rivers of disappointment."

As in 1766 and 1774, by your present partial non-importation act, America has once more put her hand to the plough. We persevered then, and success, liberty, and independence rewarded our courage and constancy.

The measure now on the verge of execution, must be enforced and followed up.

But we may perhaps be told by the British agents, that this is an improper moment for these remarks.

We answer no moment more proper. At the moment when Cobbett has openly proposed to the British cabinet the murder, the assassination of a printer in America who has dared to resist their policy and to defend the rights of America,

At the moment when Cobbett openly declares that millions have been expended by Britain on this side the Atlantic, to further her views—

This is not a time to hang up our armour, to unstring our bow—the editor of this paper wished to retire and take up more obscure pursuits—but when assassination is menaced it would be cowardice indeed to retreat.

Neither can the present monarch of Britain be really just to the United States,

Britain seems to be possessed by strange freaks while she is professing to abolish the slave trade, and redress the wrongs of Africa!—The citizens of America are impressed into a worse bondage—her ships plundered—and her ports and coasts insulted—while so zealous to do justice to the Africans, why not do justice, and acknowledge her wrongs to America!—

Pity, that George III. would not withdraw his murdering myrmidons, his Lakes, and his Wellesleys, from the plains of Hindustan, and also do justice to the inoffensive, to the innocent and unhappy Asiatics.

Then should we say that the age of miracles was restored.

But why after such a career of murder, massacre, robbery and plunder of Africa and Asia for ages—and of America for 42 years, why these qualms of conscience?

Is it merely because Charles Fox has succeeded to the helm of state in Britain?

And are the principles of eternal justice to depend on the cabinet of Britain, or on the life or death of Charles Fox?

Then is not the abolishing of the slave trade, or redressing the wrongs of these states acts of justice in George III. the very terms declare them matters of mere convenience.

It is nothing else in Britain than the dying confessions, the reluctant retribution of an altered robber.

Charles Fox, and his friends we doubt not are more friendly to these states, than the old cabinet of Pitt, Dundas & Co. —as much we rejoice at the appointment of Mr. Erskine—but do we not know that this same Mr. Erskine is connected by marriage with Phineas Bond, as Mr. Hammond a former British ambassador was—and do we not know that Phineas Bond has been the channel through which every ambassador here has been deceived almost since the revolution.

But we do not forget of what discordant materials the present cabinet of England is composed it contains the advocates of justice as does it also the advocates of injustice.

We therefore say that whether Charles Fox is prime minister, or whether William Pitt was prime minister—the principle of the cabinet of George III. is unchanged with regard to America.

Britain must then be treated with, as you would parley with an assassin of any kind—at daggers length—you must be prepared to ward off her secret stabs—not to admit her near, till she is totally disarmed, or till her strength is exhausted; or her contrition and penitence is sincere and evident.

—These remarks have originated in our ideas of the necessity of every American enforcing the non importation act, just the same as if negotiation was not going forward.

We some time past informed and warned the public of the plans intended by the British agents, to avoid that act.

We now repeat it to the administration, that large quantities of prohibited merchandise of every description have been sent out from Britain to Halifax and other ports in Nova Scotia and Canadas purposely to be smuggled into these states—the custom house officers particularly to the east ward, will doubtless be charged to be duly diligent.—We know that there are some men who even yet affect to depreciate and despise newspaper information their appreciation has been carried too far...

This non importation act, is reprobated by all the anglo-federalists and British agents—exactly in that proportion, let every American enforce it.

We know that Britain has but little foreign trade except what is dependent on this country. It is inevitable in the course of the events that she will have less.

And we hope that the administration and congress will act at the moment of meeting of the next session, if ample indemnity for the past and security for the future be not by that time given—as if no negotiation was pending—that is to stop all importation.

Let Americans once more as in 1776—be no longer the dupes of procrastinated negotiation—of timid, incompetent, or mercenary commissions—of apologies this day and robbery again to-morrow.

No true American, or friend to his country, could ever wish an union either with Britain, or any other foreign nation.—The effusion of Alcibiades is given as found. It is however presumed to be rather ironical than serious.