Virginia Argus

If any one will look into Morse's Geography, first vol. page 255, under the head of "Agriculture and Commerce." it will be seen that for fourteen years past, the exports from the United States have consisted of articles not of our own native growth or production, but of articles (such as coffee, sugar, &c. &c.) which we had previously imported, merely with a view to foreign exportation.

Foreign nations now choose to relinquish the products of the East and West-Indies, or to bring those articles for themselves in their own vessels, directly from the places where they grew, and not any longer suffer them to be brought by American neutrals. Have we any right to complain against our own government for a measure, neither we, nor our government can possibly prevent, nor have any right to prevent!

If the affairs of Europe ever became settled, (at least if they ever became settled according to the dictates of justice) foreign nations will not receive from American vessels, any thing but American productions. This will be applied to all nations, and thus every nation will have its own proper share of commerce, and no more.

For many years past the nations of Europe have seen fit to abandon their mercantile navigation to neutrals-and to convert their own merchantmen into privateers; and their merchant sailors into fighting sailors.

The circumstances of Europe now dictate to the inhabitants of Europe a new, and to us unexpected policy. It does not behove us to repine at our enviable lot.-And it is no matter how soon our fellow countrymen are told, that whoever are elected for congress, and whoever is president, we must not expect to see the American commerce half so extensive as it has heretofore been. More than half of our vessels must become useless property-all foreign seamen must be suffered to return to their native homes, if they are disposed to go; and the native young men of our own country, of enterprize and ingenuity, must turn their attention to agriculture, and the mechanic arts -and leave those to roam on the ocean, who cannot find a more permanent and useful employment.

This new state of things will cause many merchants and traders to return to the plough and to the workshop; which it would have been happy for our country if they had never abandoned.

The song of "I that once was a ploughman," ought to be sung at all our celebrations of independence, and the sentiments it inculcates, should be the predominant sentiments of Americans.-Statesman.