2547. EMBARGO, Enforcing.—[further continued].
The great leading object
of the Legislature was, and ours in execution of
it ought to be, to give complete effect to the
Embargo laws. They have bidden agriculture,
commerce, navigation, to bow before that object,
to be nothing when in competition with it.
Finding all their endeavors at general rules to
be evaded, they finally gave us the power of
detention as the panacea, and I am clear we
ought to use it freely that we may, by a fair experiment,
know the power of this great weapon,
the Embargo.—
To Albert Gallatin. Washington ed. v, 287.
(May. 1808)
