The extent to which we can exercise this
fishery is limited to that of the barren island of Nantucket, and a
few similar barren spots; its duration to the pleasure of this
government, as we have no other market.
A material observation must be added here. Sudden vicissitudes
of opening and shutting ports, do little injury to merchants settled
on the opposite coast, watching for the opening, like the return of a
tide, and ready to enter with it. But they ruin the adventurer whose
distance requires 6 months notice. Those who are now arriving from
America, in consequence of the Arret of Dec. 29. will consider it as
the false light which has led them to their ruin. They will be apt
to say that they come to the ports of France by invitation of that
Arret, that the subsequent one of Sept. 28. which drives them from
those ports, founds itself on a single principle, viz. `that the
prohibition of foreign oils is the most useful encouragement which
can be given to that branch of industry.' They will say that, if this
be a true principle, it was as true on the 29th. of Dec. 1787. as on
the 28th. of Sept. 1788. It was then weighed against other motives,
judged weaker, and over-ruled, and it is hard it should be now
revived to ruin them.
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