Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

TRIBUTE.

A great deal has been said, and continues to be said, in the democratic papers, about an exaction of tribute by Great-Britain, in order to keep up the irritation against that nation in particular, although every one acquainted with the subject must know, that in one of the cases in which the British require duties, the vessel and cargo would in France, be confiscated. That is, a vessel from France may come direct from thence to England, take a clearance, and proceed to America, without being liable to capture by a British cruizer.

Whereas, a vessel from England, that should go to France, would be seized and condemned on her arrival; and if she attempted to proceed direct from England to a port in the United States she would be liable to capture by a French cruizer. We are the vindicators of no foreign nation; but we cannot see under the above circumstances, why all our wrath should be directed against one, while the other escapes without censure on that score. Again, their demand of duty in the above case, cannot be repeated in many instances, because there are few vessels to come from places under Napoleon's control; and the number cannot be increased under the present order of things. If the British have a right to issue their Orders in Council, they have a right to modify them. All the arguments therefore should be directed against the orders, not to the nonsense of tribute, just to gull the people. If England, on the ground of retaliation of the Berlin decree, had a right to say all vessels bound to or from France, &c. should with their cargoes be condemned, she had certainly a right to say one 8th or one 4th of such vessels should be condemned.

The other circumstances in which the duty law operates, is on neutral vessels bound to France, &c. and with regard to this also, most of the foregoing remarks will apply. No vessel from England is admitted into France, &c. therefore none can be liable to this tribute. When the French Decrees are rescinded, the British Orders in Council will be, and as the duty laws are founded on the Orders, they will fall of course. Although this is well known to persons acquainted with the subject, yet our administration play upon this string, as if commerce was, in its ordinary course, interrupted by a sudden requisition of England, that no American vessels should go to any part of the world, without first coming to England, and paying tribute! All these arrangements, as well as that regarding licences, were seriously intended as ameliorations of the Orders in Council.

But our people are deceived, because the democratic editors, try to serve their party purposes in their paragraphs, instead of giving correct information.

[Palladium.]