IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // «> 1.0 I.I 1.25 I m ^ iiiiiii^ ■ 2.2 ^ 1^ 12.0 VI /I y /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 1 •N? \ iV rv 6^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian institute for Historical f\/licroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. □ D D □ D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endnmmag6e Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul^e I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other materia!/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrde peut causer do ''ombre ou He la distortion le long de la marge int^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 fiimies. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires: Various pagingi. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a M possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiquto ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes |~~| Pages restored and/or laminated/ D Pagas restaurdes et/ou peliicuides Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tacheties ou piqu6es The< toth Y The! possi of th filmii Origi begii theli sion, othei first sion, or ill( □ Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es HShowthrough/ Transoarence Transparence Quality of prir Quality in6gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du materiel suppiimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I — I Only edition available/ Thai shall TINU whic IMapi diffei entiri begii right requi meth Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'e.vata, une pelure, etc., ont M fiim^es i nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est fiimd au tpux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X • I 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here hes been reproduced thenke to the generosity of: L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grAce A la gAnirotitA de: Scott Library, Yoric University The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in Iceeping with the filming contract specifications. Scott Library, YorIc University Las images suivantes ont AtA reproduites avec le plus granc^ soin, compte tenu de la condition at de la nettetA de rexempiaire film6, at en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustreted impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est in;primAe sont fllm6s en commenpant par le premier plat at en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iiiustration at en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^(meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles sulvants apparaltra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols —► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols y signifie "FIN". IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes sulvants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE COMMERCE [ 1 OF AMERICA WITH EUROPE> fARTlCULARLV WITH FRANCE AND GREAT-ERITAIN; COMPARATIVELY STATED AND EXPLAINED, SHEWING f^HL IMPORTANCE OF "HE AMERICAN REVOLUTIOIfli TO THE INIKRESTS OF FRANCE, AND POINTING OUT THE ACTUAL SITUATION OF THK UNITED STATES OF NOR.TH-AMERICA5 IN REGARD TO » Trnde^ Manufac^iuns and Population, ^j; J. P. BRISSOT PL Warvillk, AN n ETIENNE CLAVIERE. Tranflated from the laft French Edition, P.cvifed by Brissot, ancej wherein his active genius found ample exercifc. Chymiftry was his favourite objeft of piirfuit; but his circumftances were too limited to indulge much in it. The fmall patrimony which he inherited froai his father did not exceed forty pounds per annum. In the year 1 777 he made his firft tour to London. During his ffay in London he became engaged in the condu(^ of a French nevvfpaper, at that time called the Courier dc V Europe^ but fince the Courier de Londres. Some mifunderftanding having happened concf rning the (lamps (at the (lamp-office in Lon- don) for this paper, the proprietor took a refolutioa cf prir.ring it at Boulogne fur-mer; and BrifTot wa» appointed the Editor, and refided at Boulogne for that purpofr. He continued in this capacity at Bou- logne about two years. From thence he went to Paris, and was admitted Counfellor in Parliament. — i^"iarly in the year 1782 he went to Neufchatel to fu- perjnte/id the printing of one of his books (mentioned hereafter). This was ihe memorable period of the revolution at Geneva. Here he became acquainted witli M. Claviere and M. du Rovray, who, with a numcror.s pxrty, were expelled that city, and fough^ .>n nfylum in Ireland. In the sutumn of this year, he married a daughter of Madame Dupont of Boulogne. This young lady had been recommended to the celebrated Madama de Genlls, wiio obtained a fituation for her in the n\irfery of tlie Duke de Chartres, late Duke of Or- icaiis, who fufFered under the guillotine; in which iitnation (lie continuethon^ being fimilar to our W. Thus Outvville is pro- nounced Jfarville in both languages. \\\ a very (liort tii.ie after his releafc from the Hal- tile, he very honourably difcharged his pecuniary obl'gation to his friend in London. In the year 1787, which was the era of the foun- dation of the French revolution, tiie Duke de Char- tres, now become Duke ct Orleans by the death of his father, embraced the party of the parliament againft the Court. Upon the princij.le of grntilude .Briflbt attached himftii to the Duke of Orleans. As an honeft man he could not do othcrwife. We fliall here })afs by his tour to America, and fome other circumftanccs, becaufcthey are intimate- ly connerted with the account of his writings, which is fubjoincd. Upon his return to Fralice he found that his cele- brity had not been diminiftled bv his abfencc. He was eleiled a member of the Conilitutnt AHcmbly, and was much engaged in the committees of refearcb, of which he was the reporter.' He was alfo elei^tetl ajnember of the.Legiflatlve Airembly for the depart- ment of Paris.. It muft be obferved, tlial the revo- lution caft a veil. over the crimes of all thofe who had been obliged to leave their country. In this group who returned to France was Du M . He oppofed Brilfot in his election for Paris, but BriObt was elected by a majority of more than tliree to one. However, Du M 's party were excefiively morti- fied; and they unceafingly calumniated Briffot in the mod opprobrious terms. M. Petion, mayor of Paris, and who was Briilbt's friend and townfrnan, contri- buted much to ftren2then his intereft and afcen- dcncy. Briflbt now diftinguidied himfelf as one of the Jmh ihs JSoirs (friend of tlic Negroes) of whom he \y;as OF J. P. BRI8S0T. IX was a mod zealous .idvocatc. In a fpccch which he tlelivcred in the AiTembly in the year 1791, there is a ftrong trait of phiiantliropy. Of tills fpeech the foHov\inj; is a fliort extract: ** You have heard of enormities that freeze yon with horror; but Thabris f^oke not of his brazen bull, lie lamented only the dagger that his own cruelty had raifed againil him. The colonifts have related inftanccsof ferocity; but «ive ine, faid he, an in- fornii-d brute, and I will foon make a ferocious mon- ger of him. It was a white man who Hrd threw a negro into a buriiing oven; who daflied out the brains of a child in the prefence of its father; who fed a Have with its own proper flefii, Thcfe are the monlk'rs that have to account for the barbarity of the revolted favages. Millions of Africans have pe- riflied on this foil of blood. You break, at every ftcp, the bones of the inhabitants, that nature has given to thcfc iflands : and you fliudder at the relation of their vengeance. In this dreadful ftruggle the crimes of the whites are yet the mod horrible. They are the offspring of defpoiifm : whilft thofe of the blacks originate in the hatred of (lavery, and the thirfl of revenge. Is philofophy chargeable with thefe hor- rors? Does file require the blood of the colonifts ? Brethren, flie cries, be juft, be beneficent, and you will profper. — Eternal flavcry mufl be an eternal fource of crimes; — diveft it at leaft of the epithet eternal ; foranguifa that knows no limitation of pe- riod can only produce defpair." Upon the abolition of the French monarchy, in the month of September 1792, the Legiflative Af- fembly difTolved itfelf. The conftitution being dif- folved by the abolition of the King, they conceived that it was the inherent right of the people to choofe a new reprefentation, in order to frame a new confti' tution, fuited to the wifiies of the people, and to the neceflity of the exilling circumftauces of the times. X SKEtCH OF* TH£ llfFE In this general elet^ion BrifTot was eleded one of tHtf' deputies from the department of Eiire and Loire. His abilities ant! talents became every day more con- fpiciious. He was chofen the Reporter of the Com- mittee of Public Safety; in which fituation he con- duced himfelf withoiit reproach, until the treache- rous conduC of Diimourier threw a fufpicion on the whole of the Gironde party. Although afTailed on all (ides by his enemies, his charaditer afperf^d and depreciated by the bafeft of c:>Jumnies, BriiTot fhewed hlmfelf confiftent willi his public principles of philanthropy. In the dreadful madacre of the 3d of September, his opponents, particularly Dli M , fought every opportunity to accomplilli his def}ru<5tio!i, by ac- eufing him of being a principal inftigator of thofe horrors. And it muft be owned, that thefe repeated and continual calumnies weakened him in the pub- lic ef^ciem. Da M was perfe<^ly acquainted with the Englifli method of writing a man down. When Condorcet moved for the abolition of roy- alty, BrifTot was filent. When the motion was made to pafs fentence of death on the King, Briilbt fpoke and voted for the appeal to the primary aflemblies. When Fayette was cenfured, BrifTot defe.^.ded him. When the Duke of Orleans (M. de Egalitc) was cenfured. Brifll^i; df^fended him. The two firil feera to have arifen in principles of humanity. The twolai'r,unqnertionably,arofe in theftrongeft ties of gratitude and friendf dp. A confcientious man cannot fuffer a more fevere affliction, than when his private honour places him againlt his public duty. Of OP J. p. BRIMOT. *l i Of Briffat^s Writings : atid particularly of this JVork. Upon the fettlemeat of the American government lifter the war, he became an enthufiaftir admirer of the new conftitution of that great country. But fome French perfons, who had been in America, and iverc returned to France, had pubHfiied their thoughts and opinions of America, in a manner that was no- thing {hort of ilHberaiity. The reader will find the principal names of thefe writers in the thirty-fecond chapter of the firft volume. Brifibt was fired with indignation ^t this treatment of a people, whom he conceived could ..ot in any .wife have deferved fuch reproach ; and, imagining that the general peace ia 1783, had opened an honourable and free commu- nication of reciprocal commercial advantages be- TvVeen America and Frrmce, he wrote //vV volume with the view of fupportingand eliablifliing that primary idea, or theory of a French commerce with the Unit- ed States. Upon this point it is no more than ordinary can- dour to obferve, tiat all which Brifibt recommends, explains, or relates, concerning a French commerce with the IJri^ed States, applied equally, and in fome points more thm equally, to the Britifli commerce v/ith them. Every Biitifii merchant and trader m^iv derive fome advantage from a general view of the principles which he has laid down for the eftabRfh- znent and regulation of a reciprocal commerce be- tween France and America. The produce and ma- nufaftures of England are infinitely better fuited to the wants of America; and therefore all his theory, which is directed to the welfare and improvement of France, mud ftrongly attach the attention of the Britifli merchant and mechanic; who, in this great point, have not at prefent any fuperiors, but have feveral rivals. Brifibt's ambition was to make France the- ■r-~r3?? jtii SKETCH OF THE tlVB the greateft and moH powerful rival. And every c-ndiu peifon iiuift allow that he dcfervcd much cre- nit oi his countrymen for the piogrefs he made, in this firtt atiem))f, to open the eyes of the French nation lo profpe^ts of new fources of advantage. Ali that is furtiier necefiary to iay of this work, is faid by BriiTot iiimfclf in the introdudion, from the tenth to the twentieth pait;es. In the laft French edition of Briflbt's Travt.s «ii America, publiflied by him- ielf, icbour feven or eight months before his decapi- tation, this volume is placed the laft of that work. We have followed the Author's arrangement, and collated the wlioie by the laft Paris edition. Of the precediuii, volume, entitled, " New Tra- vels in th<» Unlied Statts of America," we have no- thing to add : the whole of the French edition is now before the reader. Of BrifFot's other works it is proper to mention the following. 77/6' The'.ry of Crlmival Laivs^ in two volumes — Al- though M. la Cretelle, at the conclufion of his Effiy on the Prejudices attached to infamy, fpeaks in flat- tering terms of this work; for he fays, that it exhi- bits an extenfible knowledge, and Ihews the writer'?, ambition afcends to great principles; yet to thole perfons who have read Becaria's Eflay on Crimes and Panilhments, it will not ap;)car that BrilTot has added much novelty to the fubjecl. The NecfJJtty vf a Reform of the Qlminal Lavjs. Ulirt Reparation is due to innocevt Ferjons uhjufly accvfed, Thefe v.'ere two difcourfes which were crowned by the Academy of Chalons fur Marne, and were pr.iied in the forng, of two pamphlets. The minif- ters of Louis XV 1'. were a good deal offended at the principles they contained, and they forbid the Aca- demy propofing the difc uffing of (imilar fubje£ls aE any of their future meetings. Thi« OF J. P. BRiwor. every B ch cre- ^B ide, in 9 French H ^e. All faid by e tenth 1 edition ', ,\ )y hinfi- decapi- t work. 1 lit, and i w Tra- i ave no- ^ is now fl nention 1 es Al- is Effay ; in flat- it exlii- writer'f :o thole 1 mes and IS added nus. ■.'' ' in.jiijlly :rowned nd were '■■'% e iTiinif- :d at the i he Aca- bje<^s ai: rw^i • "ft This check ferved but as a ftimnlus to Briflbt to continue his fubje<^. He therefore, in two years afterwards, publifties \\\s Phihfophical Library of the Crimiftal Lazus. This work is now ten volumes. Bril- fot's view in tnis work was, to difFufc and explain thofe grand principles of freedom which produced the revoUition in England in the year i688, and the revolution in America in the year 1775. Before the dilTolution of the monarchy in France, thofe princi- ples were almoft unknown to the French, and are ftill almoft unknown to the other parts of Europe. But as feveral of the monarch* of Europe approved of the American revolution, it may be prefumed that their fubje fliop in rendered : to Lon- » his free He pro- lally, un- and Arts ded to be srvations folicitcd :o be re- 3 favour ; ibers, or ited, not tie injury IS at that diflil<.e to 1 not ei> ^ part of be pro- difcover, eparating e, might govern • iTient or J. p. BRISSOT. AV nient at home, and prove extremely dangerous to a defpotic monarchy. Notwithftanding he was thus difappointed a fe- cond time, lie ftiil purfued his defign ; but under a fecond change of title. He publilhed two volumes under the title of Philofophlcal Lett en on the Hijicry cf England. The title did not attrad the public atten- tion; becaufe two volumes under a fimilar name had been publifhed in London, and had, with fome ^7, been impofed on the public as the production of Lord Lyttleton; but they were written by Gold- fmith, in fupport of tyranny and arii\ocracy. Every circumftance of cruelty and oppreffion met with the obiervation of Briflbt. When the late Em- peror Jofeph was puniHiingHoriah, the leader of the revolt in Walachia, and ifTuing his lliocking edi(fl againlt emigration, Briflbt addrefTed tivo letters to him npon thofe uibje6ls, which were read throughout Germany. In one letter he affirmed, that Horiali was juftified in his revolt; in the other he held^ that a privilege to emigrate from one country to another, was a iricred right derived from nature. He was an enthufiail in his admiration of the American revolution, and of the conduct of the Americans in rifliing every thing to emancipate themfelves from tf^e tyranny of Great-Britain. Upon comparing the new conftitution of America with that of England, he changed his opinion of the lat- ter — he ctafed to approve of it. Some French gentlemen, who had vifited America, having, when they returned to France, written fome fevere remarks on the Americans, BriiTot defended the Americans, particularly in his book called A Cri- tical Examination of the Travels of the Marquis of Cha' ielleux. But as this work has been already mentioned in the preceding volume (fee chapters 31 and 32), it is not neceffary to fav any thing more otit here. It mufl never be forgot, that during the period of b 2 the «vi SKEtCH OF THE LIVE the French monarchy there were more intrigues al- ways going on in the French court than in any court in Europe. At this time (the year 1787) the court was full of intrigues — libidinous as well as political ? for though the King had no miftrefles, the Quceft had her favourites and her party. Neckar was dif- miiTed, and Calonne was appointed by her influence. Montmorin fucceeded Vergennes, and the Duke of Orieans was at the head of the party that fought the overthrow of the new miniftry. When Calonne afTembled the Notables at Verfailles, Briflot publilh- ffd a pamphlet entitled No Biutkruptcy ; or Letters to a Creditor of the State concerning the Inipojfib'tlity of a Na^ tional BauJcriiptcy^ and the Means of reforhig Credit and Peace, This pamphlet, which contained many fe* vere obfervations on Calonne's meafures and plans, md feme arguments in fupport of certain privileges t:ia;med by the people, the Duke of Orleans was highly pleafed with. Pie made inquiry after the author, for the tra6l was anonymous, and having diicovered him, he ordered his chancellor to provide .1 firuation for him. He was made fecretarv-gencral of tlic Duke's chancery. This did not fave him from minifterinl refentment. A letter de cachet was iiKide out againll him; but havin^r notice of it, he ■nflajrly elcaped to the Netherlands. He was for icvcral months editor of the Courier Belgique^ printed nt rvlechlin. It was during this voluntary exile that he. rormed his projedl of vifiting America. He com- juunicated his defign to the Philanthropic Society of tiie Friends of the Negroes at Paris, and was by tlicm afiTillec! and recommended to feveral perfons in America. The produce of this vifit to America was the lirfi: volame of this work, written upon his return to France. The French miniftry being changed before he left Europe, he embarked at Havre de Grace in the month of June, 1788. liiteliigence having reached him in America of the s» ■(» ;^, I OF J. P. BRISSOT. XVll giies al- ly court le court olitical ; ? Qucea was dif- fluence. Duke of ught the Calonne publifh- -tters to a of a Nu' 'redit and nany fe* id plans, rivileges ?ans was fter the having ' provide '■-general ave him chet was 3f it, he : was for , printed rxile that tie com- Dcietv of i was by ^rfons in America -ipon his y being at Havre lerica of the t!ic rapid proijrcfs liberty was making in France, he returned to his native country in 1789, in a confi- dence that his labours might become ufeful to the general intereft. Plis firfl publication after his return (except the preceding volume of his travels in America) was, ^ Finn of Condudlfor the Deputies of the People, His knowledge and admiration of America natii* rally produced a friend^ip with the Marquis de la Fayette, who introduced him into the club of the Jacobins. We (liall pafs by the feveral fteps and meafures of the revolution; for to give an account of all Brif^ fot's concern therein, would be to write a large vo- . lume upon that event only. But the mention of a few circumilances which arc attached to. Briflbt pe- culiarly, is indifpenlible. By. the intereft, or rather influence, of Fayette, he was made a member of the Commune of Paris. He was agent of the Police, and a member of the Comr mittee of Infpedion at Paris? and afterwards a re* prefentative for the department of Eure a.id Loire. He commenced a newfpaper, which he called Pat)iote Frafi^ais) in which he conftantly deft ided the condudV of la Fayette. Hi, attached himfelf to the party^ called Girondifls. ,To the Engl ifli reader this name may require fome explanation. The warm and moft violent of the National Convention, having gained the confidence and fupport of the city of Paris by various arts, but principally by declaring, upon every opportunity, that Paris mull conflantly be the place in which the National Reprefentation muu hold (heir deliberations; to balance againil this power of Paris, Condorcet, Petion, Vergniaux, Brif- fot, Ifnard, and others, all members of tiie Conven- tion, endeavoured to gain the commercial cities in their intereft. Bourdeaux was the principal of thofe ' b i cities v.^ xviu FKETCH OF THE LIFE ►» t cities which joined them; it is (itiiatcd on the river Garoane, locally pronounced Gironde^ which being the center of a department, named horn the river, the appellation ot Gn'ondifts was given to the whole party. • The whole was a ftruggle for power: there was no other obje6t whatever. It is a foolifti, and an idle aflertion, in thofe who fay, that Briflbt and the party- had engaged in a plot to reftore the monarchy of France. Whatever their opinions might have been in fomc of the early ftages of the revolution, perhaps from an npprchenfion that thcpeople of France might hefitate at an abrupt propofition of a republican go- vernment, they were unqueftionably innocent of the charge at the time it was made. Here follow, however, the documents as publifhed by authority, 3n juftification of the execution, which, like all other ilate papers, in every country, confift of the beft npology, or moft t:olourable pretence, for a thing that has been done by order of government. Report againjl Brijfot^ and the other arrefted Deputies i made O^ober 3, 1793. The Citizens of Paris, being informed that Amar was to prcfent his report from the Committee of Ge- neral Safety this day, filled the galleries ai a very rarly hour. As foon as he appeared at the bar, the applaufes were {o loud and continued, that he was unable to begin for more than a quarter of an hour. At length, amidft the moft profound filence, he read his report. He began by ftating, that, before he proceeded to the report which had been expelled with fuch im- patience, and would amply recompenfe the unavoid- able delay that had prevented a more fpeedy gratifi- cation of the willies of the people, he was com* mauded OF J. P. BRISSOT. XIX manded by the Committee of General Safety to re- queft that none of the members of the Convention Ihould be allowed to go out till the decree of accu- fation had been adopted. This requcft was imme- diately complied with, and a decree being parted, the Prefident gave orders to the Commander of the National Guards to allow no members to go beyond the bar. Amarthen affirmed that the gigantic arm of trea- fon had been uplifted to ftrike the reprefentative majefty of the people, and to level w" h the ground the unity and indivifibility of the French Republic. — The arm of treafon had been nerved and fupportcd by the united energies of Briflbt, Condorcet, Gaudet, Vergniaud, and the other Deputies. Briflbt, the leader of this traitorous band, com- menced his political career by being a Member of the Commune of Paris, to which he was introduced by La Fayette, to whole defigns he had proftituted his pen. At this aera of his life he made his ap- pearance three times in the Jacobin Club. In the firfl vifit he propofed thofe meafures which have proved fo difaftrous to the Colonies ; in the fecond, he attempted to produce the afliirtination of the peo- ple in the Champ de Mars; and in the third vifit he moved tiie declaration of war againft Great-Britain. Introduced into the Legiflative Aflcmbly, he im- mediately entered into a coalition with Condorcet and the Girondine faction, whofe defigns he approv- ed and fupported. The confiimmation of the ob- ject of this coalition was to have been produced by the furrender of the Republican body to the viola- tion of the Allied Powers, and by the deftru<5i:ion of that unity and indivifibility which can alone be ex- pected fro combat with efrecft the tyrants who would undermine the proud pillar of Liberty, and deftroy even the veftigc of freedom from the face of the earth. The ^ > Wl:' i tX SKETCH OF THE LIFE The Court made iife of their influence to declare war at a moment when the armies and the fortified places were in aftatc of abfoliite want,orcntrulled to traitors chofen by a perjured King. They protected Narbonne, the minifter, whom all France accufed of the meaUires taken to render this war fatal to liber- ty; and in their Journals they calumn'ated the Pa- triots who had the courage to rcfifl: them. They de- fended Dietrifch, convirted of bcino; an accomplice with La Fayette, and of having offered to give up Stralhoure; and while the chiefs of that fadtion pro- te£ted the confpirators and traitorous Generals, the patriotic folJiers were profcribed, and the volunteers of Paris fent to be butchered. During the time we were furrounded by the fa- tcllites of defpots, when the court was going to open the gates of France to them, after having cauf- cd the intrepid defenders of liberty to be murdered at Paris, Briflbt and his accomplices did all they could to counteract the generous efforts of the peo- ple, and to favc the tyrant. During and after the unhappy infurre6lion of the loth of Auguli, tiiey endeavoured to prevent the abdication of Louis XVI, and topreferve to him the crown. In the night of the lath of Auguft, Petion, fliut: up in the Thuilleries, confulted with the fatellites of tyrants the plan to mafllicre the };eople, and gavt or- ders to Mandat, Commander of the National Guards, to let the people come in, and then to cannonade them in the rear. A few days before, Genlbnne and Vergniaud engaged to defend Louis XVL on condition that the three mlnifters, Roland, Claviere, and Servan were recalled. Petion and La Source made ufe of all their means to fend the federates from Paris. Briflbt, K^rfaint, and Rouyer, according to the letters found in the Thuilleries, gave bad advice to the tyrant, and, in defiance of the laws, they dared to loHcit places ia the OF J. P. BRISSOT. XXI o declare fortified rulled to jroteded ecu fed of to Hber- the Pa- They de- complicc J give up ion pro- erals, the oluntecrs y the fa- going to ing cauf- murdered all they the peo- . after the rull, tiiev 3uis XVI. tion, (liut itellites of 1 gave or- il Guards, annonade [^enfonne XVI. on Claviere, ?ir means K^rfaint, nd in the and, ia places ia the 4 the miniftry, under a promife to extend the dcftruc- tive authorities of the defpot. The projeft to overturn the foundation of the Republic, and to murder the friends of Liberty, was put in pra(fVicc in the Legiflir»ivc Aflembly, by lirilfot, in his infidious harangue on the 20th of July, 1792, oppofing the abdication of the throne. We have (ecn lirilfDt and his accomplice's Republicans under Monarchy, and Royalifts under the Repub- lic; always conftant in their defigns to ruin the French nation, and to abandon it to its enemies. At the time the hvpocritical tyrant, Louis the XVI. came into the Alfembly to accufe the people, whofe mafTacre he had prepared, — Vergniaud, like a true accomplice of the tyrant, told him — '* That the Af- fembly held it to be one of their moft facred duties to maintain all conftitutcd authorities, and confe- quently that of Royalty. '' When the Attorney-general, Raderer, came to announce, with the accent of grief, that the citi- zens in infurrcdtion had taken the refolution not to feparate till the AfTembly had pronounced the for- feiture of the Crown, Prefident Vergniaud filenced the applaufes from the gallaries by telling them, that they violated the laws in obftru6ting the freedom of oninion; and he told Raderer, that the Afiemblv was going to take into immediate confideration the propofal which he, Vergniaud, had made, fliewing the neceflity of prefervingtheexiftence of the King. Kerfaint feconded the motion. Geradet propofed to liiierate Mandat, who was arrefled for having given orders to fire on the people; or, in the event that that commander wds no more, to fend a depu- tation of twelve Girondilt members, authorifed to choofe hisfuccelTor, inorderby this means to keep the piiblic force at the difpofition of that mifchievous faction. In that memorable fitting of the loth of Aiiguft, the m\ )l I r (1(1 ii xxii SKETCH or TMK MFB tlic Girondift chiefs, Vergniaud, Cuadet, and Gcn- ionne, look bv turns the chair, and went to the galleries to flacken the energy of the pco[)le, and to fave Royalty, under the lirield of the j)rcr(nded con- ftitution. They fpoke of nothing but obedience to the conllitulional lavvslo ihofecitrzcni) tiiat came to the bar to protect tiieir newly acquired liberty. When the nuinicipality came to invite the Allem- b)y to fend i he pro,^t's-vc'r If a/ oi the grfat o[)eratic)iis of the loth t.f Ani^ull, in order to prevent the calum- nies of the enemies of liberty, Ginulct interrupted I he members who made that demand, by making a motion to recommend anew to the magiftrates the execution of the laws. — He blamctl the Council of the Commune for having confined Petion in his own houfe; though they did it in order to render it im- poffible for that impoftor to make e/en infurredion iubfcrvient to a'iin(t liberty. When a deputation from the I'uburb St. Antoine came to announce tb.e civic alflidion of the widows and children maflacrcj on that day, the perfidious (iuadet cooly anfwered them, *' Tiuit the Aflembly hoped' to reflore public tranquillity and the reign of the laws." Vergniaud,in the name of the extraordinary com- mifiion direded by that fa£lion, propofed the fuf- j'senfion of the King, who had been dethroned by the j^eople, as a fimple confervatory ad of royalty; and feemed greatly atteded at the events -which had laved the country, and operated the ruin of the tyrants. He oppofed Choudieu's motion, tending to exclude from the Convention the members of both the Le» giflative and Conilituent Affemblies; and with the lame cunning he prev^ented the regilters of the civil lift from being depofited on the table. Gaudet wifiied to have a governor named to the fon of the late King, whon^ he called ttie Prince Koyal. Briflbt and his accomplices ahvayij uffeded to OF J. ?. BRIS80T. XX la nd Gcn- t to the , and to led con- becliencc lat came berty. :• All em - atioiis of ! caluni- erriif>tcd lakiiig a rates the (uncil of his own IT it im- irredion Antoine widows crfidious UTembly reign of ry com- the fuf- 1 by the Ity; and id ravtxl tyrants, exclude the Lc' n'th the :he civil d to the Prince affected to I rljii'^ :% to invoke the literal execution of the Connitution , while the people, in the name of the martyrs who fell before the caftle of the Thuilleries, demanded the complete overthrow of the tyrant. Vcrgniaiid oppofed this demand, faying, that the pro[)le of Paris were but a fe^lion of the empire, and atfe(5led to oppofe it in this manner to the de- parlmtnts. — He likevvife refiflcd the petition mide by the Commons to put the tyrant under arrelh He iifed «ll his efforts with BriHot, Fttion, and Manuel, to get Louis XVI. confined in the lAixembourg, from whence it would have been cafier for him to cfca})e than out of tlie tower of the temple, Gf nfonne and Gaudct had the fervility to publifli, at ditferent times, that Louis XV L had commanded theSwifs not to fireuponthe people. Frornthat time, the leaders of the Girondifts (Department of Bour- deaux), compelled to praife the events of the lotli of Auguft, continued, notwithilanding, to under- mine tlic Republic. They publiftied the fevereil fatircs againft the Jacobins, againft the Commons and people of Paris, and in general againft all thofc who contributed to the deftruftion of monarchy. Roland's houfe wns filled with packets of libels, which were to be dlfiributed among the people, and fent into the departments. Thcfe guilty men prote(^eci all the confpirators, favoured the progrefs of Brunfwick with all their power, and were the agents of the Englifli faction which has exerted lb fatal an influence during the coiirfe of our revolution. Carra was in league v\ ith certain characters of the court of Berlin. In his Journal Politique of the 25th of Auguft, 179^1, he formed a wifh, on account of the marri:ige of the Duke of York with thePrincefs of PrulTia, " that the Duke might become Grand Duke of Belgium, with all the powers of the King of the PVench." While Brunfwick was preparhig to decide the fate of the French XXIV SKETCH OF THE LIFE I. Ill French nation by the force of arms, Carra, in the fame Journal, reprefented him as a great commander, the greateft politician, tl.e moft amiable Prince in Europe, formed to be the reftorer of liberty in all nations. — He publilhed, that this Duke, on his arri- val at Paris, would go to the Jacobins, and put on the red cap, in order to intereft the people in favour of this fatellite of tyrants. Finally, Carra was {o audacious as to propofe openly to the Jacobins, for the Duke of York to be King of the French. From thefe and many other fads, too tedious to mention, there refults, that Carra and his aflbciates were iniquitous and deep dilTemblers, penfioned by England, Pruifia, and Holland, to enable a Prince of that family which n les over tlK)fe countries to obtain the crown of France. This fame Carra, to- gether with Sillery, the diflionoured confidant of a contemptible Prince, was fent by the then reigning faflion to Dumourier, to complete that treafon which faved the almoft ruined army of the Pruflian defpot. Dumourier came fuddenly to Paris to concert with Briflbt, Petion, Guadet, Genfonne, and Carra, the perfidious expedition into the Auflrian Netherlands, which he undertook when the PruHian army, waft- ing away by contagious diforders, was peaceably re- tiring — while the French army was burning with indignation at the ina6tion in which they were kept. it was not the fault of this fa<5tion, if the motion often made by Carra to receive Brunfwick at Paris, was not realized. He meditated, in the beginning of September, 1792, to deliver up this city, with- out means of defence, by fiying beyond the river' Loire, with the Legiflative Aflembly, with the Exe- cutive Council, and with the captive King. He was fupported in it by Roland, Claviere, and le Erun, the creatures and inftruments of Brjifbt and his ac- comulices. But thefe perfidious miniHers, having been threat- ened rra, in the mmander, J Prince in rty in all )n his arri- md put on ; in favour irra was {o obins, for h. tedious to s aflbciates nfioned by e a Prince ountries to Carra, to- Bdant of a n reigning ifon which lan defpot. mqert with Carra, the etherlands, my, waft- accably re- ning with were kept, he motion k at Paris, beginning :ity, with- the river' ;h theJExc- g. He was d le Brun, nd his ac- een threal:- cned m ■ \ i' • t)F J. ?. BRISSOT. XXr med by one of their colleagues to hi denounced to the people, it was then that Carra and Sillery were fent to Dumourier, to authorize this General to ne* gociate with Frederick William, to enable this Prince to get out of the kingdom, on condition that he {hould leave the Netherlands without the fufficient means of defence, and deliver them up to the nume- rous and triumphant armies of France. The calunmious harangues that were made in the Tribunes were pn^pared or (linc^ioned at Roland's, or in the meetings that were held at Valaze's arid Pe- tion's. Tliey propofed to furround the Convention, 'vith a pretorian guard, under the name of Depart- mental Force, which was to be the bsHs of their focderal fyltem. In the Legiflative Alfembly they meditated a flight beyond the Loire-, with the Aflcm- bly, the Executive Council, the Royal Family, and the public treafure. Kcrfaint, at his return from Se- dan, dared to propofe this projcft to the Executive Council; and it was fupported by Roland, Claviere, ^nd le Brun,the creatures and inftruments of Briflbt. The faction drove to puto.^ the judgment of the tyrant by impeding the difculiion. They appointed a commiiUon of twenty-four members to examine the papers found in the Thuilleres, in the guilt of which fome of thefe members were implicated; and they endeavoured, in concert with Roland, to con- ceal thofe which tended to difcover their tranfa6lion with the court. They voted for the appeal to the people, which would have been a germ for civil vjar, fend afterward,^ wanted a refpite to the judgment. They incefllintly repeated, that the Convention could do no good, and that it was not free. Thefe declamations milled the departments, and induced them to form a coalition which was near being fatal to France. They patronized an incivic peace, entitled, Z,'<7w« ^es L oix^ On acxvi SKETCH OF THE LIFE On the 14th of January, Barbaroux and his friends had given orders to the battahon of Marfeillois to furround the Convention. On the 20th, VaUdi wrote to the other deputies, ** To-morrow in arms to the Convention — he is a coward who does not appear there.'* BrifTot, after the condemnation of Louis Capet, cenfured the Convention, and threatened France with the vengeance of the European Kings. When it was his obie<9^ to bring on war, he fpoke in an op- pofite' fenfe, and treated the downfal of all thrones, and the conqueft of the univerfe, as the fport of the French nation. Being the organ of the Diplomatic Committee, compofed almoft entirely of the fame fa^ion, he propofed war fuddenly againft England, Holland, and all the powers that had not then de- clared themfclves. This lidion acted in coalition with perfidious Generals, particularly with Dumourier. Genfonne held a daily correfpondence with him: Pelion was liis friend. He avowed himfclf the Counfellor of the Orleans party, and had connexion with Sillery and his wife. After the revolt of Dumourier, Vergniaud, Gua- det, BrilTot, and Genfonne, wifhed to juftify his conduct to the Committee of General Defence, af- lerting that the denunciations made againfl him by the Jacobins and the Mountain were the caufe of his conduct; and that Dumourier was the proteftor oi" the found part of the Convention. This was the ;^rty of which Petion, BrifTot, Vergniaud, St'C. were the chiefs and the orators. When Dumourier was declared a traitor by the Convention, BrifTot, in the Patriote Fran^oife^ as well ; s other writers, who were his accomplices, praifed liim, inMefiance of the law. As members of thr Committee of General Defence, they ought to have given information relative to the preparations that were '■-•!• s OF J. P. BRISSOT. XXVii were making in La Vendee. The Convention, however, was not made acquainted with tiiem till :hp war became ferious. They armed the Se(5lions where Ariflocracy reign- cd,againft thole where public fpirit was trium{)hant. They affe(5ted to believe that a plot was meditated by the Republicans againft the National Conven- tion, for the purpofe of naming thecommiliion of twelve, who, in an arbitrary mantier, imprifoned the magi Urates of the people, and made war againfl the patriots. Iinard developed the views of the conrpiracy, when he ufed this atrocious exprefEon : " The ado- nijQied traveller will feek on vvhat banks of the Seine Paris once ftood." The Convention diflblved the commiflion, which, hov/sver, refumed its fimdions on its own authority, and continued to afl. The fadlion, by the addreflts which it fent to the departments, armed them againfl Paris and the Con- vention. The death of numbrrs of patriots in the fouthern departments, and particularly at Marfeilles, where they periflied on the fcafiold, was the confc- quence of thofe fatal divifions in the Convention, of which they were the authors. — The defe(5^ion of Marfe'lles foon produced that of Lyons. This important city became the central point of the coun- ter-revolution in the South. The republican muni- cipality was dlfperfed by the rebels, and good citi- zens were malfacred. — Every puniflimentthat cruel- ty could dcvife to increafe the torments of death was put in execution. Tlie adminiftrati^e bodies were leagued partly with Lyons, and partly with foreign Ariftocrats, and with the Emigrants difperfcd through the Swifs Cantons. The cabinet of London afforded life and energy to this rebellious league. Its pretext wns the ana; - ch'y that reigned at Paris — its leaders, the traitorous dspuiesof the Convention. c a M' hilft :AaM; XXVIH SKETCH OP THE LIYE i . '■i Whilft they made this powerful diverfion in fa- vour of the tyrants united againft us, La Vend6e continued to drink the blood of the patriots. Carra and Duchatel were fent to this department in quality of Deputies from the National Conven- tion. Carra publicly exhorted the adminiftrators of the Maine and Loire to fend troops againft Paris. Both iheff deputies were at the fame time connected with the Generals of tlie combir cd armies. Couflard, fent alfo as a commiflioner, carried his treafonable projects to fuch a length, as even to fur- niih fupplies of provifions and liores to the rtbels. The miiTion of the agents of this fa<5tion, fent to different parts of the republic, was marked by fingu- lar traitorous meafureS. Perhaps the column of republican power would ere this have ineafured its length upon the ground, if the confpirators had preferved much longer their inordinate power. On the loth of Auguft, the foun- dation of the column was laid; en the 31ft of May it was preferved from deftruct'on. The accufed pnblilhed ?. ilioui'dud ftditious adv.reffes, a thoufand counter-revolutionary libels, fuch as that addrefled by Condorcet to the department of the Aifne. They are the difgraceful monuments of the treafon by which they hoped to involve France in ruin. Duces andFonfrede formed the flame of the rebel- lion, by their correfpondence and their fpeeches, in which they celebrated tl;e virtues of the confpirators. Several of thefe confpirators fled, and difperfed thcmff Ives through the departments — They tllablifli- td there a kind of National Convention, and invefl- ed llie adminiftration with independent powers — • they encircled themfelves with guards and cannon, jMilagcd the public treafuries, intercepted [irovifions that were on the road to Paris, and fent them to the revolted inhabitants o. the former provinces of liri- tanny. t OF J. P. ERISSOT. XXlX tanny. Thfy levied a new army, and gave Wimp- fen, degraded by his attachment to tyranny, the command of this army. They attempted to efFt'fl a jundion with the re- bels of la Vendee, and to furrender to the enemy the provinces of Britanny and Normandy. They deputed afHiffins to Paris, to murder the members of the Convention, and particularly Marat, whofe deilrui^ion they had folemnly fworn to ac- complifli. They put a poignard into the hands of a woman who was recommended to Duperret by Bar- baroax and his accomplices. She was conveyed into the gallery of the Convention by Fauchet,— The enemies of France exalted her as a heroine. Petiou pronounced her apoiheolis at Caen, and threw over the blood-ftaincd form of aUallination the fno wy robe of virtue. Girey Duprc, the colleague of BrilTot, in the pub- lication of the Piitriote Francais, j)iinted at Caen fe- veral fongs, which Invited, in a formal manner, the citizens of Caen to arm thcmfelves with poignards, for the purpofe ci iVabbing three' deputies of the Convention, who were pointexl cut by name. BrifTot fled with a lie added to his other crimes. Had he gone to Switzerland, as the f:dfe paflporc flated, it would have been for the purpofe of excit- ing a new enemy againfl France. Rabaud St. Etierre, Rcbecqui, Duprat, and An." tiboul, carried the torch of fedition into the depart- ment of ie Gard and the neighbouring departments. Biroteau, Rouger, and Roland, projev5tcd tiieirter rible plots in Lyons, where they poured the ample llream of patriotic blood, by attaching to the friends of tlieir country the appellation of anarchids and monopolizers. At Toulon thefe endeavours were fuccefsfui, and Toulon is now in the hands of the Englifli. The lame lot v\ ai i-cfcrved for Bourdcaux and Marfeilics, c 3 The u ■m > '( ^ I A XXX SKETCH OP THE LIFE The reigning fa<^ion had made fome overtures to Lord Hood, whofe fleet they expe6ted. The entire execution of the confpiracy in the South waited only for the junftion of the Marfeillefe and Lyonefe, which was prevented by the viftory gained by the Republican army which produced the reduction of Marfeilles. The meafures of the confpirators were exactly fimilar to thofe of the enemies of France, and par- ticularly of the Englifli. — Their writings differed in nothing from thofe of the Englifh miniftcrs, and li- bellers in the pay of the Englifli minifters. Mr. PITT. Wifhed to degrade and to diflblve the Convention. He wiftied to affaflinate the members of the Convention. He wi/hed to deftroy Paris. He wifhed to arm all na- tions againft France. In this intended partition of France, Mr. Pitt wi/hed to procure a part for the Duke of York, or fome other branch 4>f his mafter's family. He endeavoured to deftroy •ur coloiiics. The DEPUTIES. Attempted to do the fame. The deputies procured the ai^'^iininati on of Marat and Le Pelletier. 'i he deputies did all In their power to produce this tffeft. The deputies obtained a de- claration of war agalnft all na-' tioRS. Carra and BrifTot entered into a panegyric of the Dukes of York ai.d Brunfwick, and even went fo far as lb propofe them for K'ngs. The deputies have produced the dcftrudion of the colonies, Brlflbt, Petion, Guadet, Genfonne, Vergniaud, Ducos, and Fonfrede, direfted the meafures relative to the colo- nics, which meafures reduced them to the moft lamentable iituatien. Santhonax and Polverel, the guihy Commiffioners who ravaged the colonies with fire and fword, are their accomplices. Proofs of their corruption exift in the cori-efpondence of Raimond, thtir creature. Of OF J, P. BRISSOT. xxxl ertures to rhe entire aited only Lyonefe, ed by the lii6lion of •e exactly and par- iiffered in •s, and li- riES. the fame. •ocurcd the arat and Le 1 all In their his tffedt. lained a ie- a'lnflallna- fot entered " the Dukes fwlck, and to propofe Of the numerous fatts of which the fa<^ion are accufed, feme relate only to particular individuals; the general confpiracy, however, is attached to all. Upon this a6t of accufation they were tried before the Revolutionary Tribunal, on the 30th day of O(£lober, 1793. When the a6t of accufation was read to them in the court, they refufcd to make any anfwer to it, unlefs Robefpierre, Barrere, and other members of the Committee of Safety, were prefent, rnd interrogated : they inlifted upon thofe members being fent for; which being refufed, and they fliil refuiing to make any anfwer, the Judge ftated to the Jury, that from the a6t of accufation it rcfulted that, I. There exifted a confpiracy againft the unity and indivifibility of the Republic, the liberty and fafety of the French people. II. That all the individuals denounced in the -.xS: of accufation are guilty of this confpiracy, as being either the authors of, or the accomplices in it. The Jury of the Revolutionary Tribunal brought in their verdift at eleven o'clock at night, on the 30th of October, againft Vergniaud Genfonne Duprat Valaze Lehardi Ducos Fonfrede Borleau Gardien Duchatel BRISSOT, Sillery Fauchet Duperret Lafource Carra Beauvais Mainvieile Antlboul Vigee, and Lacaze, who were declared to be the authors and accompli- *ces of a confpiracy which had exifted againft the unity and indivifibility of the Republic, againft the liberty and fecurity of the French people. The Xxxil SKETCH OF THE tIFE OF J. P. BRISSOT. The Prefident of the Revolutionarv Tribunal im- mediately pronounced the fentence decreed by the conftitution: — That they fliould luffcr the punifii- inent of death — that their execution fliould take place on the fubfcquent day, on the Place ik RevO' lution — that their property flioidd be confifcated, and that this fentence^ fliould be printed and ported up throughout the whole extent of the republic. As foon as the fentence was pronounced, Valaze pulled a dagger from his pocket and ftabbed him- ielf. — The Tribunal immediately ordered that the body fnould be conveyed on the morrow to the Flace de la Revolution^ with the other deputies. At eleven o'clock in the forenoon, on the 31ft, the execution took place. The flreets were lined with foldierr, and every precaution taken to prevent the difturbance oi the public tranquillity. Duchatel, Ducos, Fonfrede, and Lehardi, pre- ferved a firm and undaunted air, and furveyed the engine of death with a compofed and unruffled coun- tenance. The deportment of Bridot was manly — he pre- served a fixed fiience, and fubmitted his head to the guillotine, after furveying ftedfaftly, for a few mo- ments, the Deputies, to whom, however, he did not fpeak. Sillery faluted the people with much refpe»5V, and converfed a lliort time with his confeflbr, as did Fauchet. — Lafource died in a penitential manner.- — Carra, Vergniaud, Geiifonne, Duperret, Gardien, Duprat, Beauvais, Mainvielle, -Lacaze, Antiboul, and Vigec, died with firmnefs, and with the excla- mation of ** f^ive la RepulUque.^' — The execution was concluded in thiity-feven minutes. % CONTENTS, .)unal im- by the punifli- )uld take lie RevO' cated, and ported up e. J, Valaze bed him- that the Dw to the ies. the 31ft, vere bined prevent ardi, pre- veyed the fled coun — he prc- ead to the 1 fevv mo- he did not rpe»5l, and or, as did nanner. — Gardien, Antiboiil, the excla- execution :l CONTENTS. I Page. NTRODUCTION CHAPTER I. Of Plxternal Commerce; the circumftances which lead to it, and the Means of afluring it to a Nation . . . . . • 1 7 CHAPTER n. Of External Commerce, confidered in its Means of Exchange, and its Balance . . 24 CHAPTER HI. Application of the foregoing general Principles to the reciprocal Commerce of France and ; lie United States ^ . . . , 38 CHAPTER IV. That the United States are obliged by their pre- fent Necelfities and Circumfiances to engage in foreign Commerce , . . •46 , CHAPTER V. Of the Importation to be made from France into the United States, or of the Wants of the United States and the Productions of France vyhiclj correfpond thereto . . 64 I xxxiv CONTENl^. Sc^lioft I. Wines . • . . . Scc^lion IL Brandy ..... Section III. Oils, Olives, Dry Fruit?, &c. ScHkn IV. Cloths ..... Seilion V. Linens ..... Se^ion VI. Silks, Ribbons, Silk Stockings, Gold and Silver Lace, tire. Scc^hn VI L Hats ..... Sc^lionWll. Leather, Shoes, Boot-^; Saddles, Cv W> • m « • •• • Se^lioti IX. Glafs Houfcs .... S^i^ion X. Iron and Steel .... ScHkn XI. [cwellerv, Gold :ftid Silvcrfmiths* Articles, Clock-uork, &c. Seffioti XII Dittcrent Sorts of Papc/, Gained Paper, &cc. . . ► . . Se^ion XIII, Printing • . ... Set^fion XIV. Salt Sefiion XV. General Confiderarions on the Catalogue of French Importations into the ■'Jnited Slates CHAPTER VI. Of the articles which Independent America may furnifii in return for Importations .^rom « France ....... MonfieurCalonne's Letter to Mr. JefFerfon, the American Minifier at Paris , . ExpoxTs OF America Sedicfi I. Tobacco- • SccJion II. Fiilieries, Whale-oil, &c. Sperma ceti Candles .... Se^kn III. Corn, Flour, &c. Sedkn IV. Mails, Yards, and other Timber for the Navy .... Sefticn V. Skins and Furs Page. 74 79 80 84 92 96 97 100 103 109 112- 115 117 118 120 ibid ibid 123 139 141 Sefiion CONTENTS. Page. • 65 • 74. • • 79 84 ngS • • dies, 96 • 97 ■ 100 iths' 103 • ined 109 • 112 • 115 • the 117 > the • 118 'rica rom 120 the ibid ibid ma- 128 iber 13s 139 141 Sffiion XXXV Page. H3 ScJlion VI. Rice, Inuigr Flax-feed Sdcllon Vir. Naval Stores, luch as Pitch, Tar, and Turpentine .... 147 Sediofi VIII. Timber and Wood, for Car- penters and Coopers Work; fuchas Staves, Cafks-heads, Planlcs, Boards, 5cc. . .148 ,Scdion IX. Vellels conftru<5led in America, to be fold or freighted . . . .150 Sc^ion X. General Conliderntions on the pre- ceding Catalogue of Importations from the United States into France . , . 1 56 Conclusion, and Reflet that ivhic/i is popcr for us to knoiv.^' It * This airertlon will perhaps appear fevfie and falfe, eve.i to perfons who think that we excel in phyhcs and the exa«iV fci- cnces. But in granting this, is it ihcfe kinds of fcicnces to : :?■• ■ m- le a man ;in he had [held moft of his in- onour of ave reap- Is, we fee ce which \te^ States; licy, the Is, whom efforts \Q >niiexions no doubt, ^ivity ; if I our part, nfequcnt- lorance of itedby the )ry, com- may have doubtedly It people: exhauded ?ry thing; )lous arts, ; women, e elegant nts, deli- led of any we know to knoiv. *^* It Ife, eve.i to ! txixQ fcJ- Ttienccs to ,5 M TNTRODUCTION. 3 ^ Tr wouTd be opening a vaft field to fliew what is P proper for us to know, therefore I will not under- I take it. I confine myielf to a fmgle point: I fay that it concerns us effentially to- have a thorough knowledge of the ftvile of America, and that, nevcr- thelefs, we have fcaixely begun the alphabet which leads to it. What I advance has been faid before bv Mr. Paine, a free American, and who has not a lit- tle contributed, by his patriotic writings, to fpread, ;-fi]pport, and exalt, among his fellcw countrymen, ; the enthufiafm of libertv. I will remark, favs he, in % his judicious letter to the Abbe Raynal, that I have not yet feen a defcription^ given in Europe j of America^ •f ivhich the fidelity can be relied on. In France, I fay it with forrovv, the fcience of commerce is almoft unknown, becaufe its pradlice has long been difhonoured by prejudice; which pre- vents the gentry from thinking of it. This preju- " dice, which is improperly thought indellruil;ible, becaufe the nobilil^ are improperly thought one of Ihe necelfary elements of a monarchical conftitution ; this would alone be capable of preventing French eommerce from having a6f ivity, energy, and digni- \ ty, were it not to be hoped, that found philofophy, m deftroying it infenfibly, luould bring men to the grt^t idea of ejlvniating individuals by their talents, and not by their birth: without this idea there can be no great national commerce, but ariflocratical men will abound; that is, men incapable of conceiving any elevated view; and men contemptible, not in a (late to produce them. B 2 Finally, which a man who reflleds ought at fir.l to give himfelf up? Does not the lludy of his foclal and civil ftate more nearly con- cern him ? Ought not this to intereft him more than the num- ber of ftars, or the order of chyniical atl^iiiities ?— It is, how- ever, the fcience of which we think the leaft. Wc are paflion- ately fond of poetry : we difpute fcrioufly about mufic; that rs, we have a great confidcr?.uon for playthings, and make a plfiything of our affairs. m '4 INTRODUCTION. finally, another prejudice, quite as abfurd, which has been combated a thoufand times, and is always predominant in France, withholds from the eyes of the public precious memoirs, and intereftiug difcuf- (ions, which would inform France of her interefls. Who is ignorant that it is t© the freedom of de- bate and public diicullion that England owes the An- gular profperity which, till lately, has followed her every where, in commerce, in arts, in manufacflures, as well abroad as at home? a profperity which (lie may enjoy in fpite of the fauUs of her miniflers; for none but tkefe have ever endangered it: and it is to the freedom of debate that flic has often owed her falvation from ruin. Who doubts that this liberty would.iiot produce the fan^c happy eife6ls in France; < — that it would not deftroy falfe appearances; — that it would not prevent the deftruftive enterprizes of perfonal interefl; — that it would not alarm mif- chievous indulgence, or the coalition of people in place with the enemies of the pfublic welfare? Go- vernment feems at prefent to do homage to this in- fluence of the freedom of difculTion. At length, it appears to relax ot its feverity in the laws of the preis ; it has fuffered fome fhackles, which retrained dif- culTion, to be broken, efpecially in political matters. But how far are we Itill from feeling the happy ef- fects of the liberty of the prefs, rather granted to pub- lic opinion, than encouraged by a real love of truth! By what fatality are energetic difcourfes of truth ineffectual ? This ought to be pointed out ; govern- ment itfelf%ivites us to do it; tlie abufes which ren- der information ufelels in France, ought to be laid open. It is becaufe the liberty of thinking and v/riting^ on political matters is but of recent date. Becaufe the liberty of the prefs is environed with many difgufling circumftances; and that an honeft man who difdain* libels, but loves franknefs, is dri- ven :1, which 's always eyes of |g difcuf- nterefts. 1 of de- s the fin- wed her failures, hich file flers; for id it is to )wed her is h'berty 1 France; es; — that rprizes of inn mif- 3eopIe in ■e ? Go- this in- length, it theprels; ,ined dif- 1 matters, lappy ef- :d to pub- of truth ! 1 of truth INTROOUCTIOK. ^ ven from the prefs by all thofe humiliating formali- ties which fubje£t the fruit of his meditation and re- fearches to a ccnfurc neceflarily arifing from igno- rance. It is becaufe the cenfor, inftituted to check the elevation of a generous liberty, thinks to flatter au- thority, by even exceeding the end propofed ; fup- prefTes truths, which would frequently have been rc« ceived, for fear of letting too bold ones efcape, witli which he would have been reproached ; multiplies objedtions, gives birth to fears, magnifies dangers, and tnus difcourages the man of probity, who would have enlightened his fellow citizens; whilft this cen- for fan(5tions fcandalous productions, wherein reafon is facriiiced to farcafms, and fevere morality to ami- able vices.* It Is becaufe there are but few writers virtuous enough, fufficiently organized, or in proper fituations to combat and furmount thefe obftacles. Becaule thefe writers, few in number, have but little influence; abufes weakly attacked and ilrongly defended, refift every thing which is oppofed to them. Becaufe the necelfity of getting works printed ia foreign prefTes, renders the publication difficult; but few of them efcaj fr^m the hands of greedy hawk- ers, who monopolize the fale, to fell at a dearer price; who pofl the my fiery, and a falfe rarity, to fell dear for a longer time. Becaufe thefe books are wanting in the moment B 3 ^ when • We may put in the rank of thefe productions which dif- honour the cenforihip, the comedy of Figaro, a fcandalous farce, wherein, under the appearance of defending morality, it is turn- ed into ridicule j and whe.cin great truths are difparaged by the contemptible dialoglft who prefents them; wherein the e.id feems to have been to psrody the greateft writers of the age, in givi.ig their language to a rafcally valet, and to enconrsge cppreflion, in bringing the people to laugh at their degradation, and to applaud themfelves for this mad laughter: finally, i/i giving, by culpable impoilure, to the whole nuior, that cha- radlcr of negligence »nd levity which belongs only to her capitalt fl!' 6 INTRODtJCTION* when they would excite a happy fermentation, and dire6t it properly, in giving true principles. Becaufe they fall but fucceflirely into the hands of well-informed men, who arc but few in number, in the fearch of new truths. Becaufe the Journalifts, who ought to render them a public homage, arc obliged, through fear, to keep filence. Becaufe the general mafs, abandoned to the tor- rent of frivolous liter3ture, lofes the pleafure of me- ditation, and with it the love of profouod truths. Finally, becaufe truth is by this fatal concurrence of circumftances never fown in a favourable foil, nor in a proper manner; that it is often ftifled in iti birth ; and if it furvives all adverfe manoeuvres, it gathers flrength but flowly, and with difficulty; confequent- ly its effefts are too circumfcribcd for inftrudion to become popular and national. Let government remove all thefe obftacles; let it have the courage, or rather the found policy, to ren- der to the prefs its liberty; and good works, fuch as are really ufeful, will have more fuccefs; from which there will refult much benefit. Does it wifh for an example? I will quote one, which is recent and well known: thr law-fuit of the monopolizing merchants againft the colonifts of the fugar iflands. Would not the laft have, according to cuftonf), been cruflied, if the difpute had been carried on in obfcurity? They had the liberty of fpeech, of writing, and of printing; the public voice was raifcd in their favour, truth was triumphant; and the wife minifter^ who had permitted a public difcuffion, that he might gain information, pro- nounced for humanity in pronouncing in their fa- vour. Let us hope that this example will be followed; that government will more and more perceive the immenfe advantages which refult from the liberty of the INTRODUCTION, J the prefs. There is one which, above all others, ought to induce it to accelerate this liberty, becaufc it nearly regards the intereft of the prefent moment : this liberty is a powerful means to eftablifh, fortify, and maintain public credit, which is become, more than ever, neceflary to' great nations, fince they have ftood in need of loans. As long as the attempts of perfonal intereft are feared by the obfcurity which covers them, public credit is never firmly eftablifh- cd, nor does it rife to its true height. It is no longer calculated upon the intrinfic ftrength of its refourcc3, but upon the probability, upon the fear of the dif. order, which may either d' vert them from their real employ, or render them fterile. The liberty of the prcfs keeps perfonal intereft too much in awe not to fetter its meafures; and then public credit fupports itfelf if it be eftabliflied, is formed if it be ftill to be conftituted, and fortifies itfelf if it has been weaken- ed by error. Full of thefe ideas, as well as the love of my conn try, and furmounting the obftacles to the liberty of printing, I have undertaken to throw fome light upon our commercial affinities with the United States. This obje(ft is of the greateft importance; the queftion is, to develope the immenfe advantages which France may reap from the revolution which flie has fo powerfully favoured, and to indicate the means of extending and confolidating them. It appears to me that all the importance of this re- volution has not been perceived; that it has not been fufliciently confidered by men of underftanding. Let it, therefore, be permitted me to confider it at prefent. I will not go into a detail of the advantages which the United States muft reap from the revolution, which alTures them liberty. I will not fpeak of that regeneration of the phylical and moral man, which muft be an infallible confequcnce of their conftitu- tions ; I i ■ »'j ra 8 INTRODUCTION. tions; of that perfection to which free America, left to its energy, wirhout other bounds but its own fa- culties, muft one day carry thfi arts and fciences. America enjoys already the right of free debate, and it cannot be too often repeated, tliat without this de- bate, perfection is but a mere chimera. In truth, almoft every thing is yet to be done in thf fJnited States, but almoft every thing is there underftood: the general good is the common end of every indi- vidual,-— this end cheriflied, implanted, fo to fpeak, by the conftitution in every heart. With this end, this intelligence, and this liberty, the greateft mira- cles muft be performed. I will not fpeak of the advantages which all Ame- rica muft one day reap from this revolution; nor of the impoffibility that abfurd defpotifm Ihould reign for a long time in the neighbourhood of liberty.-— I will confine myfelf to the examination of what advantages Europe, and France in particular, may draw from this change. There are two which are particularly ftriking: the firft, and c;reateft of the revolution, ?X leaft in the eyes cf philofophy, is that of its falutary influence on human knowledge, and on the reform of local prejudices; for this war has occaiioned difcullions important to public happi- nefs, — the difcufiion of the fecial compaCt, — of civil liberty, — of the means which can render a peo- ple independent, of the circumftances which give fanCtion to its infurreCtion, and make it legal, — and which give this people a place among the powers of the earth. Wliat good has not refulted from the repeated de- fcriprion of ti:e Englifli conftitution, and of its ef- fects ? What good has not refulted from the codes of MafHichufetts and New-York, publillied and fpread evrry where? And what benefits will they ftill produce? They will not be wholly taken for a model J b'M defpotifm will pay a greater rcfpeCl, either n erica, left its own fa- d Sciences, ebate, and ut this de- In truth, h? United iderftood : very indi- to fpeak, this end, teft mira- all Amp- ^'f nor of "Id reign iberty.-^ of what lar, may hich are ^ of the y, is that %e, and * war has - happi- aa,-~of ^r a peo- ich give I, — and ►vvers of ited de- f its ef. e codes sd and II they ten fcr efpe<51-, either INTRODUCTION. ^ ither from neceflity or reafon, to the rights of men, hich are fo well known and eftibliflied. Enlight- ened by this revolution, the governments of Europe will be infenfibly obliged to reform their abufes, and to diminifii their burdens, in the jull apprehenfion that their fubjecl^s, tired oJF bearing the weight, will take refuge in the afylum offered to them by the United States. This revolution, favourable to the people, which h preparing in the cabinets of Europe, will be un- doubtedly accelerated, by that which its commerce will experience, and which we owe to the cnfran- chifement of America. The war which procured if to her, has made known the influence of commerce on power, the neceflity of public credit, and confe- quenrly of public virtue, without which it cannot long fubfiil: — What raifed the Englifli to that height of power, from whence, in fpite of the faults of their Minifters, Generals, and Ncgociators, they braved, for fo many years, the force of the mofl: powerful nations? Their commerce, and their credit; which, loaded as they were with an enormous debt, put thcni in a ftate to ufe all the efforts which nations, the mofl rich by their foil and population, could not have done in a like cafe. Thefe are the advantages which France, the world, and humanity, owe to the Am.erican Revolution ; and when we confider them, and add thofe we are obliged to let remain in obfcurity, we are far from regretting the expences they occafioned us. Were any thing to be regretted, ought not it to vaniili at the appearance of the new and immenfe commerce which this revolution opensto the French? This is the moft important point at prefent for us,— that on which we have the leaft information, which confequently makes it more necefTary to gain all we. can upon the lubje<5t; and fuch is the object of this, work. 10 INTRODUCTION. m In what more favourable moment could it appeal^ when every nation is in a jerment to extend its com- merce, feeks new information and Aire principles? The mind is inceflantly recalled in tliis book to the Kafure of things^ the firfl principle of commerce, — At a time when people, which an ancient rivality,. an antipathy, fo falftly and unha:f>pily called, natu- ral, kept at a diftance one from the other., are ii> dined to approach each other, and to extinguiflied in the connexions of commerce the fire of difcord;, this work ffiews that thefe rivalities mufl. be effaced by the immenfity of the career which is opened to ail. — At a time when all the parts of» univerfal j)ol?' cy are enlightened by the flambeau, of philofophy, even in governments whicbhave hit^ierto profefl'ed to be afraid of it, the author of this work has let flip n& opportunity of attacking falfs nations and abufes of every kind. Never was there a moment more favourable for publifliing ufeful truths. Every nation, does not only do homage to commerce, as to the vivifying fpirit of fockty '^ but they employ, in the examina- tion of all thcfc cocnexions and acuities, that lo- gic of fafls, whofe ufe charaflerizes the end of the prefent century, — that art truly philofophical, of confKlering objects in their nature, and in their ne- ceflary confequences: — Never had well informed men more contempt for thofc chimerical fyftems folely founded upon the fancies of pride, upon the little conceptions of vanity, and upon the prcfump- tion of the falfe political fcience, which has too long balanced the delliny of Slates. Never were fo many men feen united by the fame defirc of an univerfai peace, and by the convidion of the misfortune and inutility of hateful rivalities. At length it appears^ that men perceive that the field of induflry is infi- nite; that it is open to every ftate, whatever may be its abfolute or relative pofitions; that all ftates may thrive u\g umtec tendej —he by thj whicl impoj beft know! IKTRODUCTION. St tiirive in it, provided that in each of theiii the fiip- port of individual Hberty, and the prefervation of property, be the principal end of legation. This work ftill concurs with the patriotic views which the fovereign of France manifefts at prefent: he meditates important reformations. He directs them towards the hap|)inefs of the people; and con« fults the mod refpe(5table members of this people, whom he wilhes to render liappy, upon the means of infuring the fuccefs of his good intentions. There- fore, couW there be a more propitious moment to offer to the prefent arbitrators of the national prof- pcrity, a work written with deliberation, on th« means of eftablifhing a new commerce with a new people, who unites to an extenfive foil, and proper to r-ourifli an immenfe population, laws which arc the riioft favourable to its rapid increafe? At firii I had alone undertaken this work, de- pending on my o^va ilrength and laborious refearch- es: I had colleAed all the fa6ts, — all the books, — all the proofs which could be certain guides to my fleps; but I foon perceived the inipoHibility of raif- ing upon obje(5ls of commerce a folid and ufeful theory, if it were not directed by the (kill which praiiice only can give, and poffefTed by a man whofe judgment had been long exercifed by reflec- tion, and whofe decided love of truth and the public welfare had accuflomed to generalize his ideas. I found this man, this co-operator, of whofe affiflance I flood in need, in a republican; to whom I am united by a fimilarity of ideas, as well as by the mofl tender attachment. I have permiflion fco name him, — he confe«ts to it: I have conquered his modiefty by the coiifid-eration of his interefl:, and of the la^v which the particular circumflances of his fituation impofes on him: I have perfuaded him, that the beft means of dcllroying calumny was to make known hisprinciples and opinions on public matters. It '' :m • :'i \V. it V2 IMRODUCTIO'N. '.J" i« , ■f Y^ li- lt is M. Claviere, a Genevefc, exiled without any form from his country, by the military ariftocracy ; which has fubftituted its illegal and deftru£tive re- gimen to the reafonable and legitimate influence of a people, diftinguiflied by their natural good under- ftanding, their knowledge, and their more (imple manners. What was his crime ? That of having defended the rights of thefe people, with a firmnefs and ability, which the implacable hatred of his ene- mies atteft ! This part does too much honour to my friend, not to confine myfelf to defcribe him in this character, the only one which has ever been produ(fiive of public good. M. Claviere has, during his abode in France, given proofs of his knowledge in the philofophical and political part of commerce. It is to his abode among us that the public is indebted for fome ufeful works on thefe abfl;ra, by means of this erhployment of lelfure hours, ar.d is capable of being tianf- ported to dlftant courrtries, without lofuig its original advantage ; even acrofo great ftates, where nature, left to her own energy, would be ft'ilT more favourable to the fame nianufa^ures. f The{e manufa£tures are crouded with individuals^ who having no property, or hope of conftant employ in the country, or who are induced by the allurements of gain and luxury, run into cities, and foon become obliged to fell their Induftry at a mean price, proportioned to the number of thofe who are in want of employ. When cheapncfs of w^ikmanfljip comes from this affli^ing concurrence of the want of moniy in men without employ, It is not a fign of profperity. On the contiary, it is the refult and proof of a bad fecial organization, of too une<|[ual a divifion of property, and confcquently of an unjufl diftr'ibution of neceflary employments, which compels induftry to change, from the fabrication of what is receffary and ufeful, to that which is fantaflic, forced, ind peraicious. Hence It follows, ITNITED STATES OF AMERICA. II Thefe manufactures cannot furniili their prod\ic- tions but with difficulty and uncertainty for exterior commerce, when they are eftabliflied and fupported merely by forced meaiis, fuch as prohibitions, ex- clufive privileges, &c. by which natural obftaclcs, not to be deftroyed, are pretended to be combated. Countries exempt from them prevail in the end, and obtain a preference. It fometimes happens, that obftacles caufed to manufactures by dearnefs of proviftons, burthenfomc imports, diitance from the raw material, and un- fkiifulnefs, or fmall number of hands, are furmounted by ingenuity, or the ufc of machines; which make the work o^ one man equal to that of many, and render a manufafture capable of fupporting the cora- merce of populous countries, where fuch manoeu- vres and machines are not made ufe of, or known. But thefe means are precarious, and fooner or later give way to a more happy fituation, where climate, foil, and government efpecially, concur in favouring, -without effort, all the activity and induftry of whicli men are fufccptiblc.* Thus, that wretchedness in any country is in proportion to tkis cheap* Aefs of workmanfhip. It is equally evident from thefe reafonlngs, that new and well conftituted ftates ought nofto defire manufactures produced by things (o badly arranged : they ought not to be anxious about them till the rate of popu'at'on and excefs of ufeful labour na- turally incline induftry to apply itfelf to improve and carry them on. Thefe reafonings againft low priced workmanfhip do not kinder us from agrecing,thatthere is a real advantage in the meant of exterior commerce) and that in the a£lual ftate of things manufaAuring and commercial nations may perhaps be obliged to feek for it, although it docs not compenf^te the interior evil by which it is produced. * Favovriko, in political economy, fignifice, for the moft fart, not to ihackle induftry with too many regulations} how- ever favourable certain of thefe may be, they reftrain it in fume refpe6t or othert Trade Is never better encouraged than wbta ieft to itfelf. ! <\ » ! srz ON THE COMMEKCB OF TB* Thus, in the final analyfis, the power of furnifti- ing at a low price belongs inconteftably to countries fo favoured, and they will obtain in all markets a fure preference to thofc to which nature has been lefs kind, let their induflry be ever fo great, bccaufc (he fame induitry may always be added to natural ■ advantages. Exterior commerce, more than any other, is in- timidated by lliackles, cuftoms, vifits, chicaneries, and ])rocefIes; by the manner of deciding them, and ^ the folicitations and delays they bring on. The ftate which would favour fuch a commerce - fiiould, in the firft place, deftroy all theie obltacles. M is more to its intercfl fo to do, as from exterior commerce refults an augnyentation af the national revenue. ' All things equal, relative to the piioe of mcrchan- dife, and to the facilities with which direct exterior commerce can be carried on, it is more readily cfta- blifhed between two nations which. ha:yc afimilarity of political and religious principles,! manners, cuf- toms, and efpecially of language: thefe decifive iTieaos of connexion cannot be combated but by evident advantages from which there refults lefs cx- pence and more profit. Commercial people gene- rally place profit at the head of every thing. Nations not having thefe affinities between them, ought, in order to compenfate for their deficiency, to give great cacouragementSj and tolerate to the utmoft ' -f Religious confiderations had formerly a confiderable influ- ence en civilized men, and on commerce. The Catholic fled from the Pioteftant, the Puritan fufpe<£i«d the C^ualcer. A re- eiprocal hatred reigned between the Icdls, To-day, mankind being "lorcenlighteaed, •"UfCsSs connefted by commerce, and experience having (hewn that probity has almoft always been independent of religion, it is no more required to know whe- ther a min goes to the ten»ple, or to confeflion— It is a/ked IT he Fulfils hi3 engagements with honour. Yet this relation muit AIU be counted among commsrciai connexions. UKITED STATES ©* AMERICA. -^ utmoft degree the religious and political opinions of Itrangers, as well as their manners and cuftoms. To obtain the preference in exterior comnjerce, neither treaties, regulations, nor force muft be de- pended upon. Force has but a momentary effect. It deftroys even that which it means to protect. Treaties and regulations are ufelefs if the intcrefts of two nations do not invite them to a mutual in- tercourfe. They are ineffeftual if that attradion does not cxift. Treaties, regulations, force, all yield to the impulfc or nature of things.* This force of things in commerce is but the refuk of the circumitances in which two nations are which nttraft jine towards the other, and oblige them tct I'ntcr into an alliance, rather than with any other nation. Thefe terminate in their mutual intereft.: it is therefore neceflary, in order to create a perpetual commerce between two countries, to give each of them a preponderating interell fo to do. CHAPTER :d • FoRc« OF THINGS. Thc poi'itlcallaw which govcms all, in politics as in phyfics. There ii a general force whofc aAlon is man} fed, which, in fplte of war?, treaties, and th« manoeu- vres of c&binets, govsrns all events, and carries away men and nations in its courfc, Jt is this force of tilings which overturn- ed theRoman empire, when itftood upon a bafli difproportioned to its mafs; which in the 14th century took from the Englifh one half of France, and in the 18th, has taken from them half' r*f the ne*' world — which delivered Holland from the yoke of Spain, and Sweden from that of Denmark. It is this force \v%'ich deftroyed the prcjefts of fuch conquerors as Charlemagne^ Zsngis. and Nadir. Th*y ran from place to place ; they de- flroyed mankind to build empires. Thefe empires died with them. This force afts upon commeree as upon revolutions* It is that which, by the difcovery of the Cape of Good Hope, bc- Titaved the Venetians of their trade to the Indies, and made it pafs over fiicceiTively to the Portugucfe, the Dutch, thetnglHh, and the French. Finally, it is the force of things which will decide the great (jueflion of the cummerc? of America. M aV THE COMMERCE OF THE CHAPTER II. , Orhich pro- duce no more than five or fix per cent ? Is it not becaufe money :is not fo fcarce there as people in France imagine, where the actual ftate of the Americans. is confounded with the diftrefs in which ihey were when they combated for their liberty ? UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ft$ a great commerce may be carried on without money, and that one of exchange is the moll advantageous of any. When a nation pays with money the whole, or the balance of its importations, it is faid the balance of trade is againft it, by which a difadvantageous idea of its poiition is meant to be given. This is a pre* judice eafy to be overturned, although entertained by men celebrated for their knowledge. In effect, whence comes to this country the gold It pays? It is either from it- mines, and in that cafe it pays with one of its own produ6tions; or it owes it to artificers who exercife their fun6tions in a fo- reign country, and even then it pays with a produc- tion which originates within its dominions. As long as a nation pays another, direftly or indireftly, with its own produ6lions, its pofition cannot be difad- vantageous. Therefore, the unfavourable word ba- lance, thus attached to the balance of an account paid in money, offers no exa6t and nice idea of the favourable or unfavourable flate of a nation. Gold is alfo a merchandife ; and it may be con- venient to one nation, according to its relations or connexions with another, to pay with money, with- out its having, for that reafon, an unfavourable ba- lance againft it. There is but one cafe wherein the balance againft a nation can be declared; it is that when having ex- haufted its money and treafures, it remains debtor to another nation. But things could net remain long in this ftate; fo wretched a foil, unequal to tlie con- fumption and exchange of its inhabitants, would foon be abandoned; -..his, however, cannot happen. Importation prefently becomes in proportion to ex- portation; an equilibrium is eftablifheci, and the pre- tended unfavourable balance has not di> ration enough to -give a right of fuppofing even its exiltence. There is as little truth and juftice in faying a na- O ^ tioa I ■' " ' I-' It U6 Oy THE COMMERCE OF THE tioii has the balance of trade in its favour, when it receives in money balances due to it upon the amount of its exportations. This balance, exifting for a certain time, would heap up fpecie in the country, and at length render it very miferable. This has never been the cafe; yet it would have happened if trhjs fyflem had the leaft foundation. The circulation of money depends on too many caufes, to deduce from its abundance a certain lign of a favourable commercial balance; a thoufand combinations and events, which have no relation to that balance, draw money from abroad or fend it there; and in general, coiiiinuedand various motions nf commerce, the tables of exportation and impor- tation, according to which the fign of a favourable or unfavourable balance is regulated, are too uncer- tain and defe6tive for the purpofe, as well as for form- ing a judgment of the quantities of coin or riches .of a nation.* Let * I will give a ftrlking example of the deficiency of thefe .calculations, of the eftimatioii of a balance of trade, and of the quantity of money. This example will prove that political cal- culators negleft, or are ignorant of foreign events which over- turn their calculations. M. Neckar wifliec" to inform himfclf (Chap. IX. Vol. 3d, of his Treatife on the Aflniiniftration of Finance) what was the fum brought to and preferved in Europe from 1763 to I777» He eftimates it at one thoufand eight hundred and fifty millions of livres, according to the regifler of Liiton and Cadiz, com- prehending that even which entered by contraband, and he va- lues at three hundred millions of livres that which v/ent out of Jturope during the fame interval. It will qnij be recefTary to quote two or three authenticated fafts, to prove, the infufficiency of this calculation founded upon the regifters of Cuftom -houfcs. In flating the fum of money entered into Europe, it does not appear that M. Neclcar takes account of the go!'' and fil- ver, which the conqucfl; and poffcATion of Bengal by the Eng- li/h, and their eftablifhments in the Eaft-Indies, have caufed to pafs into this quarter of the wotld. But according to the calculation of the fecreC committee, appointed by the P^rlia- UNITED STATES OP AMEPtCA. 27 Let the tables for comparing the exportation and importation of raw materialo, and of maniifafturecl articles, beincreafed to what they may; let the great- D 2 cil: ment of England, to examine the rtatc of Englifh polTcfTions in India, the fums drawn from Bengal from 1757 to 1771, amount to 751,500,000 livrcs.(a) To what will it amount, if there be added to it thofc drawn from the Carnatic and from Oude, of which Nabobs have the Hiadow only of the propc.;;, from the revenue of ihe Northern Circars, from the tlieft com- mitted on the Emperor of Mogul, from 1771 to the prefent day, of his twenty-fix millions, from the perpetual Incrcafe of ter- ritories and revenues, from thefale made in 1773 ^^ ^^'^ Rohil- lat to the Nabob of Ouile, which produced to the Englifh up- wards of fifty millions ?(b) F.nally, what will be the amount, if there be added to it the CJiormous fums exported from the Indies by individuals, who have there eririf-hed themfitlves? The fortune c*^' Lord dive was beyond calculation j that of Mr. Haftlng3, againft whom a profecution is now carrying on, is calculated at thirty or for- ty millions. Another Governor has, according to feveral well- founded reports, recently paid upwards of two millions of livr?s toijience his accufers. It is true that a part of thefe immenf« riches have be:n employed to dJVay the expsnces incurred by the Engli/h in guarding their polfertion 5 in India; that a nioie confiJeiable one has been f nt into Europe under the fcrm of merchandize; bui it cannot be denied that a third part has bcea brought in gold and filver to our continent. What is the amount of it? This is impofTible to ftare. But whatever it may be, it renders the calculation of Mr. Neckar doubtful.— Lee the in- exhauftible riches of the Indies be judged of by one fa£t, and confecjuently the immenfc f3urc2 from which the Europeans have dra,vn them, and by another confecjuencc, the money which mufl: have come into Europe. Nadir Schah, who conquered Dclly in 1740, took from India abovit forty millions fterling.(c) This money was circulated in I'erfia, and as that unhappy ftatc (a) The detail of this calculation is given in The Defcrip- tion of the Indies, Vol. I, pjge 249. It is necefifary to taUe notice here of an error crept into that work, which is, that I'le fum total is there given in pounds fterling, inftead of livres toui- nois. (b) See Mackinto/h's Voyage to the Eaft Indies, Vol. I. page 340. (c) See Mackintofh's Vojages, Vol. I. page 341, J . ■ *:' (i!,; i8 ON THE COMMERCE OP THB eft cnre and fidelity be employed to rtnder them per- feft, tlie rcfult will never be more certain or deci- five: for as long as prohibitory laws, which are al- ways accompanied by illicit commerce, fliall exift, it will be impoflible to know and Hate exadly what comes in and goes our;'* and if there be a coun- try where no fuch laws exi{l,| are exa£l rcgKters of the IS toin by Hcfpotifm and continual war8,(d) produces but liftle, aoanufat^ures nothing, and is corifequently d«btor to exterior conrmerce, which comes almoft entirely into Europe, it follows that two-lhirdb of the fums (lolen from India by the freebooter Nadir, have palTcd over to ihc fame quaiter. Thefe events, unnoticed liy political calculators, have certainly had great and uiiiveifal influence upcn the riuftiiation and circulation of mo- ney, Tbar which makes it fuj^pnfed that no metals come fiom India, is the opinion that their importation is difadvantageous. But have the freebooters who have pillaged that country for the laft thirty years calculated this difaovantage ? They ftrivc to fccure iheir thefti, and do not fpcculatc like merchants: bulky merchandize would betray them. With r -fprft to the flated fums of money which pafs from Europe or ln.'.ia, theie is the fame defeft in the calculations of Mr. Nrekar. He takes no noHce of the events which obliged the Engli/h to remit confiderable fums to India*, for inftance, the two v/ars againft the Marratas were proijigioufly expenfive, that agalnft Hyder Ally in 1769 was no: lefs fo. A fingle con- flagration at Calcutta coft nearly twenty-four millions of livres, which it was receflary to replace : yet thefe fums are far from balancing thofe which are exported from India. (d) Sec Mr. Capper's Voyage, at the end of that of Mackin* tofh. Vol. II. page 454. • This is a ftrong objcflion mai'e by the adverfaries of Lord Sheffield, to wjiich his Lordfhip has not fatisfadlorily replied. Nothing can be more impofing than the tables of importa- tion and exportation, and of the balance of trade in Great-' Britain, publi/hed by Sir Charles Whitworth. Yet fee with what facility tbu Count de Mirabeau reduces to twenty mil- lions cf livres tournois, the ninety millions which Sir Charles Whitworth cftimatei to be the annual balance of Englifli com- merce j and trull after this to cudom-houfe calculations.— See Confiderations on the Order of Cincinnatus, in this volume. •f Such a country doescxift. There are many States among the new Republics of America, which regifier vefiels as they VMITED 3TATES OF AMERICA. 29 the exports and imports to be found in it? And if they were, would it not be a conftraint which the private interefts of merchants would frequently oblige them to avoid ? Moreover, docs it appear that, in thefe^general balances, which are I'uppofcd to be paid in money, notice is taken of the operation of bankers, foreign government, and thofe who go abroad, in export- ing the public fpecie.* Knowledge is deceitful which is acquired from fuch confequences. But how appreciate — how eftimate the incrcafe of the riches and commerce of a nation? — By lis population. If this fenfibly augments, if eafc and the conveniencics of life become more general, if the|Caufes of indigence in an increafing people be feen to dimlnifli, or are confined to inability to work, occafioned by accidental illneflcs; it is evident, that the revenues of that nation exceed its expences, and that the balance of trade is in its favour; for if the yalue of its exportation were inferior to that of its D 3 importation, «nter, becaufe duties are paid on Inaportatlons) but there arr. Done on exportation* * It is very probable ♦•here are a number of particnlar caufeg which infenfibly diminifii the quantity of coin in thofe nations whicl) have the balanct of trade conftantly in their favour. Were no fuch caufestocxiil, the confcquence would be that fucii nations would be obliged to bury their gold and filver in the earth, to prevent its falling into difufcj yet neither of thefc cafes happen. Therefore money ncceflarily paflTes from fuch countries to others. M. Cafaiix has proved this to be true, with refpeft to En»- Jandjinhis Conlideraticnson the Mechanism of Society. He there explains, hat if the calculations of Sir Charles Whit- worth be true, England ought to ooflTefs at this moment about four hundred thoufand millions of livrcs in gold and filver, as the fole balance of her commerce from 1700 to 1775. Yet it is certain that flie is far from having that enormous fum. She has not even a fum in prop^rtion to her population and contingencies. She fupplies that deficiency by an iaioicnfe cir- ^iilatipa of her bank-paper* ., V 3» CN THE COMMERCE OF THE importation, a confiderable debt and impovcrifliment would foon be the confeqiiences: and impoverifli- ment falls immediately upon population. It is there- fore by rational and well compofed tables upon this fubje^t only, that a minifter of found judgment, pro- found and extended in his plans, will be prevailed upon to govern himfelf. It is by them he will judge of the increafe and advantages of exterior commerce^ as well as of national riches. He will be very cautious of decorating with this title the amalfing of gold and.filver, and equally fo of making it the token of riches, or of judging of their extent by the quantity of thofe metals. All fuch ideas are fordid, dangerous-, and falfe; fordid, becaufe they attach to this fign the reprcfentation of produ6lions, and confequently the extenfion of com- merce; dangerous, becaufe they accuftom men to look upon gold as real riches, to neglect the thing for its ihadow,* and make them ftrangers to their country; * Could gold and filver be prefctved from adulteration and the attempts of tyranny and ignorance, they would have a tr.Mch better tUle to be confldered as rnal riches. Gold being an uni- 7erfai agent, he who poireflet it may emigrace to wherever he pleafes, and take his gold with him. This metal is therefore every thing with nations unhappy enough to make arbitrary ex- ceptions to general maxims, upon which public credit is found* «d« JBuf how dearly do they pay r)r their ignorance of the ad- vantages of public credit ! How dearly do govfruments ihem- felves pay for their errors and outrages i All thnr meafures are forced— nature is liberal in vain } inceffaiuly employed in re- pairing evils which continually prcfent theint'elves, (he. has not time enough allowed her to add to our happii.efs. When it was faid that money had no part'tulair country, governments were emphatically told, that it was nectffary to do without great quantities of it: it will never be icjeited till the ineftimable ad- vantages refulting.from a refpefl for public creJi.: fhall be pro- perly known. The lefs individuals love and heap up money, the richer, more enlightened, and bPtter governed will a nation be. To be attacheii to money, to hoard it up, is a Hgo of an alarminiT crifis, of a deficiency of judgment aiid faith in admi- fiUlrattonj from whence comes the proof of what has been faid UKIfED STATES OF AMERICA. 3« country; falfe, becaufe that difplay of figares an^ noiinces the quantity only of money which conti- nually diCappears; and which, when carried to a cer- tain degree, is of no farther confideration.* Enquiries on the quantity of coin are like thofe on the balance of trade. To eftablifli both one and the other with fome degree of certainty, it is necef- fary to aflfemble notions and details, of which the elementary principles yanifh, or inceflantly vary.f The II vM In the text, that * a writer who extols gold as a fign of riches^ and recominends it to his fellow cicizens, is deceived, or has ft bad idea of their fituation.' In the laft cafe he would do much better, if inftcad of preaching this pernicious doftrine, he en- couraged government to give an immoveable ftabiiity to national cretiu. * It has not yet been remarked, that thoufa^ds of millions 18 a vague expreifion, and does not furnifh a complete idea. The imagination cannot exa£lly conceive for fuch a fum an employ which would ferve as the meafure of its power and effeft. It is known what could be done with twenty or an hundred mil- lions of men, but it is not known what could beefTefled with an hundred thoufand millions of crowns} yet they are heaped upon paper to give an idea of power. "I" In general, the maf; of gold or filver is divided inco three principal parts.— The fiift iinder the form of money, fcrvca for daily and unavoidable expences* Each individual, as foon as'hc is charged with the lupport of himfelf and family, muft have at leail: fome pieces of money for dally exigencies, and the payment of imports. To this mutl be added that fum which is referved for cafualties.— This cuftom is morr or lefa oblerved in ail countries, in proportion to the probability of dif- aflrous events. It is impofhble to calculate this firft part.— • It is however evi<^ent, that it ought to fee in proportion to the populition, and to increafe with itj and that a dccreafe of population would foon take place, were mai^y individuals total- ly deprived of a pecuniary contingency fufficientto procure them fucli neceffaries a:, cannot be difpenfcd with, and which they neith.:r make nor receive themfelves. It appears alfo, that this part of the coi-^ remains in the country by reafon of its con- tinued applicuion in little fums to daily wants, and of the ab- folute ftagnati >n of that which is laid up in referve. The lecond part is defined, under th^ fame form, to (he great opeiations gf commerce. It is ec^uaily imp oflibic to fix '^^n:w -:!*:; m ^■i'm j*& t)N THE COMMERCE OF THE The proceedings in theadminiflration of finances are more ufeful and certain ; by laying a/ide the pomp of falfe riches, and by confidering gold and filver in a point of view relative to their particular pro- perties. They fupply our wants as means of ex- change only; they arc notes to the bearer, which having every where the fame value, are every where negociable. Thus they are ambulatory; they pafs, repafs, are accumulated or difperfed like the waves of the fea, continually agitatCfl by fucceflive winds blowing rts quantity, on acountof an infinity of combinations which continually change and caufe thefe metals to pafs from one country to another. Daily charges, cuftoms, &c. retain a partj but ihcfe objedls belong equally to onr firH: divifion. The thifJ part contains uncoined gold and filver, under what- ever form ihey may have : it is, like the fecond, fubje£^ tc numbers of continual variations, which leave no 'atistadtory means of determining its quantity. To pretend to afctrtain the quantity in the mafs, by pay- ments of uncertain commercial balances, and by the addition ef fpecie produced from mints fince a new coinage has; taken ^lace, is not a more certain means, becaufe it would be equal- ly neceflary to obferve the continual afVion of commerce upon thefe metals, under all their forms, and of the combinations It produces, which fucceiTiveiy arife from one another. In thus cftimating money it is forgotten, that it is an univerfal agent, which, by that charader alone, muft neccflarlly charge its fituation perpetually j fince commerce has produced an af- finity among men, by wants, which they have created to them- ftr'ves, of their reci'prccal produftions. It is equally unob- ferved, that different circumftances reduce gold to the ftate of an ingot; that confeqviently the fame piece may pafs fcveral times under the die in the courf« of a certain number of years. This la a vtRt^'ion which M. Neclcar fecms not to liave made when he ftated the money exifting in France at fo canfiderabie a fum. It will be known when tre recoinagc of the old Lr^ui* is fir^in^ed, what v>.e ought to think of his calculations, Buc the fum is far fhort of 957 millions, as e^imated by that mi- nifttT. It is more than pruL^blc, that it will never amount to more :han two thirds of it. At tills moment, fourteen monchs after the arret for a new coinage, it amouuts to no more than 550 millions, and ever/ tking in,- merce, independent of compleiioa? What other would vUNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 39 wbuUl have been nble to refift, for fo long a time, the chain of mislortunes, and repeated faults of which Ihe has been the victim ? The force of hei" conftitution, rather than her apparent pn)fj)erity, ought to be calculated by this refiftance. France is not what Ihe mipjit and ought to be. There is no doubt but Ihe will become fo if flie opens her eyes to her true interefts, if, unfliackHng her interior, fhc does not neglrft hvr exterior commerce, and parti- cularly that wliieh the United States wifli to open with her. The produc^lions of her foil and indullry are proper for tlieni. She can export in e*r tlifiir Sundaj'i dinner. II fri dil w| 01 UWITEO STATES OF AMEIcICA. 4^' itig continually reprefled, and their being preventeri from trampling upon the citizen, who muft be obc* dient. He is obedient to the law, and not to him who puts it in execution.* In fine, it is the confe- quence of not blufhing to be a tradefman, artificer^ or workman, froin father to fon. In France there are individuals exceffively rich; but the people are poor. The firft have it in their power to pay extremely dear for articles of luxury and fancy, which caufe an improvement of manu* fadtures of this kind. Finer cloths, as it has bee.i before obferved, are to be found in France than in England; but their quantity is not great, becaufe there is not an extenfive demand for thofe of the firlit quality. On the other hand, the property of the people being very inconfiderable, they pay badly, anc charafter and life of lavages, who are fup- pofed to liave no manufa(ilures among them, will be oppofed to thefe reafonings? Men are deceived in judging thereby j fot thefe people, which we look upon as only one degree removed from a ftate of nature, work up and manufa^ute the earth's produftions. Thus from iheir corn, before it is ripe, they ex- tract a gelatinous juice, with which they make palatable cakes. Therefore, before the arrival of Etiropcans, they knew how to make fermented liquors, t< ols, utenfils, arms, ornaments, &c. T/iey .. nfined themfclves to thefe j lumting took them from a f?Mnv ry i;j cer Irly to be found In Virginia ; and when we fpeal- ot \\iX'"y w' :ti rcTpij^ft to free America, it is neccffary to dillingii'fii ■. efuliy the Southern f;oin the Northern States-j Cihc-i from ounfy 5 maricirar cities from interior one*^. By '.h-iC diftindi ins many contrarieties in tiic account o^ fupcriiciaij Udvei eri ma) le e^plalijcd. 'ifcj UNITED STATES OF AMES.ICA. 5 I Ifquors to which he is accuftomed, and in which he places a part of his enjoyments, except we would render him unhappy ? I will not quote hermits, fick perfons, or philosophers, who have had that empire over thenifclves; but let not a like prodigy beexpefl- eti in a whole nation. An alTociation of three mil- lions of philofophers has not yet been, nor will be {ecu to confine themfelves to the regimen of Pytha- goras,* or the diet of Cornaro. Tlie feveve facritice often, which tlie independent Americans made at the beginning of the war, will perhaps be alfo quoted. The enthufiafm of liberty and influence of example were able, during lome time, to overcome their habitudes ;| as religious en- thufiafm has combated, fometimes fuccefsfully, the palfions of an hermit. But there is no caufe power- ful enough to produce a like effect, except in the crifis which makes the facrifice necefiary and eafy. The reafon of the dependence in which the Ameri- cans would put themfelves with refpe£l to the Eu' ropcans, and the fear of diltant corruption, are mo- tives too feeble to carry nien to that point of heroifml It is not fulficiently demonllrated to them that they cannot drink wine from Madeira without being fome day corrupted by it, and without preparing the way for great calamities. The manner in which population is renewed and F 2 increafed * It is not that we ought not to b;lleve that one of the great means of regenerating the olil people of the Continent, and of fupporting republicanifm in the United States, would be to give to children fuch an education as Pythagoras exerciicd at Croto- na.— See the Life of Pythagoras. -f- It is afTured that abilincnce from tea was not every where faithfully obferved, which appears very probable oa leflcd^ing that there was a party which fain would have violated it. I have known fcvcfal perfons whom the deprivation of tea had made ill for a long rime, although they had tried illufive means, hy fub{ll!;ut!n2 the Infufion of .igreeable fimples for that of tJkc tca-kaf. tk^ V'l ^ ^ 1 ' ,^VIS l^' 1 '^ ill : 1 1 Hi!' Mir 1^S:*f I^a ON THE COMMERCE OF THE increafcd in America, ciocs not make it probable that its inhabitunts will t.-ver be able to renounce the want of Enropean productions. A prodigious number of individuals emigrate every year from all parts of Europe to America^ who carry with them wants and inclinations whicU they have from education and habit. If they find them in America, they continue to gratify them ; if they are unknown there, they naturalifc them, and it is the nril thinp: thev 2:0 about; Wr thcv do not fo much perceive tiie new pl'iafures they are <;o- ing to enjoy, as thofe of which they are deprived j fo great is the force of our firfl habits and cuOoms. Remembrance, although frequently mixed with the cruel idea of fervitudc, abandons m?n in the grave onlv. According to this inclination, natural to all men. Jet the immeufe variety of wants and appetites be calculated which are going ^o tranfplant thenifelves from Europe to the United State:; and let it be judged, whether it be poliible to put bounds to or den"roy them. * To fucceed in this, it would not only be necef- farv to fiiut out foreign conmierce from all thcAme- rican ports; American induftry mufl be cfrcumfcrib- cd, ;' idtlie fourcf of their wants flopped np; it would "be necefTary to imitate the Lacedemonian law, which ordained that nothing fliould be. worked up but with the heavv hatchet, the moreefi"e(^uallv to banifh the luxury of elegant furniture. In a word, a miracle mull be operated upon the Americans, to take from them all remembrance of what they have been, of all they have feen, fmelt, or tafted ;, and the fame en- chantment mufl deprive European emigrants of their Ideas; 2? it would be abfurd to hope for a like pro- digy, the force of things^ which drags. the indepen- dent Americans into exterior commerce, muO; be fubmiuetl \ UNITED STATES OF AMr.RlC.\. 55 '■ Kf' \ fiibmitted to."*- Ail is retluced to two words : Ame- rica has wants, and Europe has manufaAures. In the United States Ibmeof the inhabitants fill up the lei Aire afforded by agriciiUure (in which the liii- ropeans cannot hoj^e to become their rivals) with aii attention to manufavftnres. And they ha\'e others confined to the mofl neceiTary arts; connected with cultivation, fiflieries, and the conflruftion of vefiels. But even thefe manufii6tures are but few in number, and infufficient for the wants of the United States. They are therefore obliged to have recourfe to Eu- rope. It is not that they neither have, nor can have almoft all the raw materials employed in our own manufaftures. They have hemp, flax and cotton. f But, if they had raw materials in plenty, they ought to be advifed not to eflablifli ma-nufachires ; or, to fpeak more juflly, manufafiures could not be efta- blijhed ; the nature of things ordains it fo. Let us dif- cufs this qucftion, as it is an important one. F 3 There * It Is with regret that I write this fa£l, on confukiing it phllofophically, but it appears to have been dcmoniirated poli- tically. No perfon wiflies more tlian I do to fee the United States feparate themfclves from all 'he world, anil in this fitua- tion to find again the lufterity of the Spartan rci^imen, with- out it» cruel principles of military difpnfition. It would be a fmart ftroke in politics; but this unhappily is no more Lhan a dream. ^ The four Southern States gather great quantities of cot- tont Their poor are clothed with it winter and fummer. In winter thsy wear cottjn {hlrts, and clothes of wool and cotton mixed. In fummer their /hirts ai^ linen, and their outward clethes of cotton. Women's drtfs is entirely of cotton, and made up by themfclves, wom^n of the richeil clafs excepted j yet a woman of this clafs has a deal of cotton worked up ia her houfe, and this callico equals in beauty that of Kurope. Thofe from the South furnilh a deal of cotton to the States of the North, which cannot grow it, thf^clii-nate being too cold. The»-e is ftarcely any part oi the United States without good flour and faw mills. The Northern States have others for flat- tening iron. It is in the conftrudlion of mills efpeciaily, thaC the Americans diftinguifh themfclves, jn varying their enn]»loy and utility, aaJ in their diiliibution* ( ,'< « 1 I f « i •m 54 O^ THE COMMERCE OV THI There arc many reafons for men's engaging in a new country in agriculture rather than in manufac- tures. There, where two individuals can eafily live together, they marry, fays Montefquieu. The la- bour of the field offers to them more means of living together, of augmenting and fupporting their fami- ly, than working at manufactures: in thefe the de- pendence of the workman, his precarious and changeable ftate, his moderate wages, and the high price of provifions in cities, where moft manufac- tures are eftabliftied, put it out of his power to think of having a companion ;^ and if he has one, the prof- peft of mifery which flie mufl have before her eyes after his death, impofes on him a law contrary to propagation, to avoid the cruelty of caufing children to be brought into the world only to be unhappy.'* In a new country where land is not dear, where it requires not much in advance, or an expenfive cul- tivation, and is at the fame time fruitfuly the num- ber of little and happy families muft rapidly increafe. What a difference in other refpeCts from this pure and fimple country life, where man is conftantiy in the prefence of nature, where his foul is elevated by the fpe£lacie, where his phyfical principles continu- ally regenerate by a falubrious air, and in reviving exercifes, where he lives in the midft of his relations and friends, whom he makes happy : whata difference from that to the life of manufa(fturers condemned to vegetate in difmal prifon.^, where they refpire in- fe6lion, and where their mi ids are abforbed, as well as their lives abridged ! This condu<^ alone ought to decide / \ * Journeymen manufa£lurers, and in general n>en in a ftate of dependence, whofe fubfifttnce is precarious, and who have children, certainly love them lefs than the inhabitants of the country who have a fmail property. The paternity is a bur- th«n, and confequently often odious to the firftj their children are ignorant of the foft carefles of paternal love. "What kind of generation mud arife from fuch a conne£lion4 / \ UWITIDiTATlS OF AMEtlCA. ^^ decide the Americans to rcjc^ the painful (late of manufactures,* Bcfides • The idea of property is one of the ftj-ongcft ties by which man is attached to life, to his country, to virtue, and I will add even to health. The fathfa^ion of a manufafturer, who at the end of the weeic has a guinea in his pocket) is far from that of the little countr> proprietor, who is feidom pofreifcd of fuch a fum} but who gathers in his own field every thing ne- ceHTary. He loves it, fees it always with pleafure, takes care of its cultivation, and, by a coniequence of this fofc difpofi- tion, he attaches himfelf to the animals v/hich a(!ift him in i.h- Cmith, ice. f This Is a great evil, as will be hereaficr proved, and v^hich will contribute more than any other to the ruin of re- publican fpiritc X To be convinced of this truth, look at England and Frahce \ workmanfhip is very dear in London but cheap in Paris. The workman in London is well fed, clothed and paid } in Paris he is quite the contrary. ** It frequently happens," faid an American one day to mr, << that I meet in the United States a ploughman, conducting his K^K'^ ! I I JS Htl l!^ ^ VS THtl COMftTERCE OF THE It IS the revcrfe in America, the workman givej the law, and fomuch the better, he receives it too often every where elfc. This dcarnefs of workmanfliip is prejudicial to manufa6h3res, and dill fo much the better. Thefe eftabhfhments are fo many tombs which fwallow up generations entire.* Agriculture, on the contrary, perpetually increafes population. By preventing, or at lead retarding the rife of ma- nufactures within their provinces, the Americans will (lop the decadency of morals and public fpirit : for if manufactures bring gold into the States, they bring at the fame time a poifon which undermines them. They rcfemble a number of individuals whofe nature and morals are at once corrupted : they form and accuftom men to fervitude, and give in a repub- lic a preponderance to ariltocratical principles, and by accumulating riches in a fmall number of hands, they caufe republics to incline to ariftocracy. Therefore the independent Americans will do wifely to leave to Europe the care of manufaCluring for them, becaufe (he is irre(iftibly dragged into ma- nufaftures; and as their population and confumption muft rapidly increafe, it is not impoflible that Eu- rope may one day con(ine herfelf to this kind of oc- cupation, and that America may one day become her ftorehoufe of grain and raw materials, of which ilie will not be in need. In this cafe nothing will be 'be riav poi the ** plough and horfes, arvd eating a wing of a turkey and a piexe '* of good white bread. I have Teen," added he, '* a vffl'el arrive ** at New-York, full of Scotchmen, not one of whom was un- <* employed the next day," * There arc fcveral manufafturcs at Amiens, and it is re- marked, that the hofpitals are more Klled with nnanufafturers than with mafons or other like artizans. A manufacturing life makes more people ill and their complaints more dangerous | it is becaufe this kinil cf woikmen becomes fooner debauched^ and goes fooner to the Kcfpital, being moftly finglc, and without liny uomeiVic attachment. o o e tTNITEDSTATBS OF AMERICA. f^ be feen in Europe but cities and workfhops; in inde- oendent America nothing but fields well cultivated, V will leave it to be decided which country would have the mod happy fate. Under the fame point of view, the independent Americans will ftill aft wifely by leaving it to the Europeans to furnifh them with neceflary articles ; and in feldom frequenting the cities and fea-ports of the ancient continent. In efFe£t, an European tranfported to independent America is in the pro- portion of one to one hundred, and fometimes to a thoufand. — His example has therefore but very little influence; the luxury of which he makes a parade in paffing by, excites lefs confideration or refpeft than contempt and ridicule. If he leaves a remem- brance of himfelf, it is foon effaced by the general motion : there are, moreover, fome Europeans, who, ftruck and edified by the manners and cuf- toms of free America, have good fenfe enough to refpedt and conform themfelves to them. It is the reverfe when an American goes on fhore in Europe, almoll alone, with his fimphcity of man* ners in the midft of a vorte;?. of men who efteem the eclat of exterior appearance only ; who, agitated and led by the general ton, facrifice every thing to the furor of making a great figure by the brilliance of drefs, equipage, and pomp: this American mud at firft be torn down and tormented, becaufe he finds himfelf thrown into a circle of habitudes contrary to his own. Afterwards he becomes familiarifed by little and little, and if he does not quite get a tafte for them, at lead his attachment to a fimplicity of life and manners is necelTarily weakened. Carrying back with him to his own country this difpofition of mind, he introduces it infenfibly into the minds of thofe who are about him,'upon which it has fome in- fluence — upon the minds of his children;and friends. Their tafte for fimplicity becomes lukewarm by bis example, ■M IVI 1 .;i I l; ^im 60 OK THE COMMSRC£ OF TUI example, and the following age fees public virtue* fall into indifff^ence. It will be lefs dangerous to the public fpirit of the independent Americans to admit the Euroj eans into the United States, than to go themftlves into Euro|>e; from which it refults that it would be very impolitic to encourage the former to become the carriers of theirexterior commerce. I have infilled upon this refle<^ion becaufe there feems to have appeared in fome States a difpofition to give premiums for diflant navigation. They oughi to reflect, that they have but rew hands, and that as few as poffible fliould be taken troni culture. They are in the fituation I have fpoken.of in my principles of exterior commerce, where a nation gains by making carriers of others having lefs foil or employ. They (hould alfo recollect, that republi- can morals are better preferved in the bofom of agri- culture than upon the fea and in foreign voyages, which give to men communications with other mo- rals and governments. It is a general queftion in the United States, by what means it is polhble to put b<')unds to exterior commerce, and flop the progrefs of luxury : flay at home, — cultivate, cultivate, I will repeat to them ; tills is the fecret whereby you will prevent the in- creafe of luxury; a fecret much preferable to fump- tuary laws and prohibitory regulations, which fomc ilates have it in contemplation to make. There is no power great enough to fet, by regula- tions, fuch boundaries to exterior commerce as will not be exceeded : to circumfcribe it, for inflance, to merchandizes of convenience, without the importa- tion of thofe of luxury. The nature or force of things only has fuch a' power. That force has, as has been before explained, tlie union of the natural circumftances of a nation ^ thefe circumftances alone mark the limits of commerce. A nation which cannot I! I ; VNITED STATU OP AMIMCA. -Ol xannot pay for luxuries with its own produftion, does not purchafc them. The favage can only pro- cure with his furs, brandy, gunpowder, and woollen coverings ; he buys neither (ilks nor laces. If, therefore, the productions of the United States be fcarccly fuiiicient to pay for the importations of necelFity and co;wenience fi-om Europe, merchan- dizes of luxury will not be imported : if thefe be carried to it, 'tis becaufe it can pay for them. There is no merchant who likes to ruin himfelf. If, on the contrary, the United States have pro- ductions proper for the ancient continent, in quan- 4:lties fumcient to procure, by their exchange, not only the molt neceiTary and convenient things, but even thofe of luxury, nothing can hinder the latter from being fooner or later imported, by means of dotii: by thefe bands^ of ftrangers, of whom I have already * The fituation of a Tinc-dreflcr ii dlfTerent according to the •'uftom of countries. In Tome he is hired only by the diy, and there he is compfetely wretched. In others, as in Switzerlandf he has half of the produce. But an unjutl and tyrannical tax, laid on by the proprietors themielves, reduces this half to a quarter part. ■f- Such is nearly the fituation of moft of t^he vine-diefTera of AoMS, who are proprietors. They are at the mercy of the rich farmers of chat country. When winter comes, the vine« drefler has neither bread nor money. He goes to the farmer^ aflcs him for both: the farmer fays I will accommodate you, give me your note. The buihel of wheat Is Worth ux livres, oblige yourfelf to return me, at a certain epocha, the quanti- ty of wheat which Ihall be old for fix iivres. He always takes care to fix the time when worn is at a low price* The oblija* tion is paiTed, the moment of payment arrives) the vine-dreuer, who has corn, gives more than he has received* if he has none^ he is ftill more embarrafled ; the farmer preflse him—you have wine, fays he, fell it me. But at what price ? The farmer of- fers a very low one. It is refufed— he threatens— th". poor vine- drefler it ob' ged (0 ruia himfelf, and thU fceae is annually repeated. tflfrrED STATB8 OP AMBltrcA. ^; tlready fpoken, and who come to fell feme days work to the poor vine-drelfer. The cultivation of a vineyard cannot be better compared than to tbofe manufactures, of which the hopes of fuccefs are founded upon the low price oF workmanfliip, and which enrich none but the under- takerS) and retailers or ihopkeepers. The pernicious influence of the vine is extended, in wine countries, to even thofe who do not cultivate. It; for the cheapnefs of wine leads to excefles, and confequently it becomes a poifon for all ranks of fociety, for thofe efpecially who find in it a means of forgetting their forrows. Thercibre, as I have already remarked, induftry cai'cfU'Uy avoids theie dangerous vineyard plots. None of the great manufa1, would have the gr-'itel fuccefs in tht UnT^ti Stores, if they vcre pro- perly prepare*. Thefe wines havj hiMierto been in the iovVefl: icpute 'n thr North, in the Indian an ! American colonies; and that becauCe, on one hand, the fitfer? out of veflVis brought them without chocfing, anM on the '^rh-'r, the rndivl 'uai having no idea of the k;ultur« of vine-, noi of the preparation of wine, mixed the wh'fe (^rape witf the red, V' \ not di^tngni/h ihe plants, th« foil nor fjioatiori; cured it by rcte, without pajinp atten- tion to ttie difference of years an^ qmtitiesj put into hio tubs^ to i^ive, as he p.rt' n^'cil, a higher fljvor.r ro his w:n<», all f^rts of deieAable iOjire'Jients, fuch as I'.ilt, lime, p'aifter, and pigeon's dung; pur "t into ha 1 cafks of chefo.ut-free; left in them a year's fcdlment, aid "ever drew off the w'ne, fo ihat 't was always more inclned to turn fnir han aiiy othci- wipe, and therefore iKcamc little* fit for a foreign voyage. I ^ I ^ OH THB COMMBRCt XfT THt and make the momentary inconvenience of abundant •vintages, which ruin the proprietor and farmer, diiappear. This inftitution, enfy to be naturalized in France, >would have two branches, a depofit in the public magazines of the productions of the earth; certificate or billets of depofit which would form an authentic title for the diipofing proprietor, transierable without formalities at the current price, like all.other public effects. It is thus, that in Virginia means have been found •to fupply the want of money,* and to give at the time of reaping, a real and ufeful value to tobacco, which, without that, waiting for a demand, lies heavy upon the proprietor. This is not the place to examine this idea pro- ibundly, neither to deftroy the obje which Hiould be depofited in the public magazines. •f- If it were wiflied that thii projeft Hiould fucceed, it wouW be abfolutely necefl'ary to pue away all poflibility of an abufe unpuni/hed. It would perhaps be neceHary, that government fhould take no part nor have any influence in it. This precau- tion will be exclaimed againA ; but let us once more call our eyes Upon England. If there be a government upon earth whofe hands are tied, whofe (leps are watched, whofe actions are brotught to light, to public cenfure, and, corfcqueiUly, whofe feciet attrn^pts are lefs to be feared by the pct;p!e, it is that of England, tee what the aAoniihing MinifUr, who ii> now at the head of aflfairs, propofes to hinder the intervention and influence of the Engliih govermnent in the n«;w plan of redemption of the public effe6>i and of their decreafe. He inllils, that the commiflioners who ihall be charged with it, (hall be always inoeperxient of govern- jneot) that they ihaii be public agents, and that no force ihaH ii ■iif I VNITEJ) STATES OF AMERICA. 73 Veople in the United States complain of an abufe in the commerce of the French wines, which abufe it is of importance to remedy in the mod fpeedy manner, if we would not dellroy the commerce in its origin. Illicit commerce produced there before the revolution good Bourdeaux wine, becaufc it is ii property of fmuggUng to give that luhich is of fuperior quality ^ and at a cheaper rate. Now, fince the peace, wines fcnt from France have not been, as it is aflerted, of a good quality. It is impoflible that from greedinefs they may fome- times have been adulterated. But this tranfient abufe, which the merchant may eafily deftroy when' ever he pleafes, by choofing in the United States H com- conftraln them to alienate from its objed the mtney deftined to pay off or lelfen the public debt. This minifter clearly perceived, that the confidence of the people ought to be gained at any price, for the eftablifhment which exi{h but by confidencej and that in fuch a cafe, the facrifice of power would fignify nothing to a government w'^ich 15 really willing to prevent abufes. The advantages refuiting from a plan like this are vifiblc. Public 'epofitories would fupply the defeft of ability in thofe who could not lay up the produ-flions of the earth. They would prevent fquandering, lofTcf, and fcarcity, and eftablifh a more conftant uniformity in prices as well as in quantities: want of confidence would at firft perhaps hinder the ufe of thefe magazines, caves, or cellars of thefc public refervoirs. But this would not long be the cafe, if fincerity, order, and economy, reigned in thefe elUblifhmentSt It is an advantage which might have been procured by means of provincial admi- nlftrations, and which perhaps will never betnjoyed but under tlieir aufpices. With refpe£l to the billets, or notes or commoditih OR productions, it is feen how greatly they would increafe national riches, how quickly the mifery of the peafants would difappear, if thefe notes circulated as value in commerce, and if the vi'ie-drelfcr could change his note of deoofit for produc- tions of which he was in need. The m )nopoly of rich culti- vators would then be overturned j of cultivators wh fuck up the whole fubfiflence of the vine-drefler, and^ by avaricioua . adva.iocs, reduce him to their will. ' f V e" ^ \ ■ i «' ■'■'■■■'; i:. m :lf i .il^ 1 'S ■ M ^ m 74 ON THE CCMMLRCE OF THE • ll! commilfioners whofe reputation is untouched; tliis nbufe, I fay, ought not to Hop the exportations of France. — Wine, if it be good, will always find con- fumers. — Nothing but intelligence and fine erity arc neceflary to fucceed in this, for nature has done the reft for France. The Americans prefer, in general, the wine which i? carried to them in bottles, becaufe they believe it lefs fubje£l to become fnarp, or to change on the voyage. On the firft viev/ \t. feems advantageous to France to furnifli its wines with this envelope, be- caufe it is a new opening for its glafs-ware. But if it be recolle(5led, what a prodigious quantity of coni- buftibles glafs manufaiTtures require, to the fenfible deftru6tion of forefts, it appears imprudent to en-, courage a commerce which cannot but augment it rapidly, itt leaft, before it be encouraged, it would be neceflary to have very certain accounts of the number of glafs manufa(^orics in the kingdom, of their confumption of wood and charcoal, of their produce and exportation, and, finally, of our forefts and mines. ** SECTION II. BranJy. The rapid progrefs lately made in chymiftry has dlfcovered, in moft of the fruits of the earth, the faltsand fpirits which conftitute the efleace of bran- dy; this difcovery has been turned to advantage; there refults from it a confiderabl© abatement in the price of that liquor, that is to fay, a very great evil; this p:-oves, by the wav, that there are difcoveries in phyfics which (liould not be revealed without having firfl confidered their moral and politijcal ef- fects, and having indicated to government the means of preventing their inconveniencies ; it alfo proves, that }i € UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 75 that a chymift ought not to be a chymifl only, but a politician alfo. The brandies of France are generally looked upon as the bed, that ia to fay, the moft delicate and lead pernicious: therefore they obtain the preference with people in eafy circumilances, A great deal of brandy is confumed by the com- mon people; but this is counter-balanced at home and abroad by fpi its drawn from grain, fruit, or fugai-. Rum, which is produced from the latter, has hacf, and ever will have, in the United States, the pre- ference over our brandies, by reafon of its chtap- nefs. The Americans efpecially the Boftonians, i;riport meiafles from the fugar iflands, and diftii it, Uiul independently of their confumption, they re- fell a greaf part of it to the inhabitants of the u.me Illands, who cannot dlitil it for want of combuiVibJes. Btrllde rum, the Americans make ftrong fpirits from grain, potatoes, ^cc. They are indebted for this to the Irifh and Germans who have gone to fettle in the United States. A pnnicious prefent thofe emigrants have made them. In Ireland the cheapnefs of fpirits rr, \de from grain places them within the reuch of the pooreft man. The loweft clafTes of fociety ufe them to a:i inci-edible excefs ; and this excefs contributes not a little to promote that quarrelfome humour which charaiterifes the Irifli, to plunge them into flupidir\', and hinder them from riling to that degree of prof- perity to which the liberty of commerce they have lately obtained ought to carry them. The Americans would already have experienced a part of that degradation of which the excelhve ufe of ftrong liquors is the caufe, if they were not almolt all proprietors, in eafy circumflances, and fathers of families; if inftru6tion and morals were not more generally propagated among them than among any H 2 uhec VI fill i 1 I 76 ON I'HE COMMERCE OF THI Other people; and, finally, if the quick and confi- derable profits which workmen there obtain by the high price of workmanfhip, did not give them a faliitary ambition which keeps them from intem- perance/* Thofe of the United *'iates,f where the peoplff have gone from fimple and primitive manners, where luxury begins to reign, where flarery ftill exifts, * The temperance of the Americans proves, that a man is HONEST WHEN HE IS HAPPY. Hc is neither vicious nor criminal, except when he is wretcheix. What, there- fore, is tlie firll caufe of his vices and crimet> ? The caufe of his wretchednefs. The genealogy of almoft all crimes is— no property or want of employ— caufc of wretchednefs of the peo- ple— wretchednefs the cauie of drunkennels — drunkenncfs the caufe of quarrels, of idlenefs, of mifery, of thefcs. Thefts caufe imprifonment and capital punishments. The firft link only to which a defeft of property is attached, remains to be remarked. It is not necefl'ary to name it. But it arifes from this genealogy, that in the aftual order of things, the people being drawn into vices and crimes, are lefs culpable than they are imagined j confequently ihey ought not to be fa ievcrely punilTicd, and that governtt.ent ftiould fupprcfs too fevere pain;. This truth cannot be too often repeated, and it ought to be joined to every clrcumftancc when opportunity of- frrs, feeing that the lift of bloody executions is every where a.wf»mented, and that narrow minds, which fee the atrocity only of the crime, without perceiving its caufe, inceflantly demand blood for expiation. There would be but few fcaftolds if none but real criminals mounted them, f See Smith's Voyage to tht fouthern United States, where a defcrlptionof the life of the Carolinians is given. This au- thor malceB it appear, that they drink to excels the ftrongeft li- quors, although tiie climate be extremely hot. By this they abridge their lives, and appear old in the flower of youth. This is one of the caufes of the mortality among the En^lifh in the F,att-Indies; they have introduced there the ufe of wines and ilrong liquors, and they are victims to them. The Indians m<^ke no ufe of theie, and live to a great.age. In quoting Smith, the European readers ought to be put on their guard againft Englifh partiality, vi'hich reigns throughout Che work* * UNITED STATfcS OF AM-CRICA. 77 cxifts, are daily witnefTes to the ravages caiifed by the exceflive ufe of fpirits made from ^rain.* A lonj5 habit is difficult, and often impuflible, to fliake off, efpecially when it procures enjoyments. Therefore, it is not to be expeded that the Ameri- cans will ever renounce the ufe of thefe liquors. The philofopher fighs at this; commercial nations, which turn to profit the misfortunes and caprices of mankind, ftrive to take advantage of it. France will have the advantage,f if fhe can reduce the price of brandies to the level r*^ that of rum. Go- vernment, in order to aim at this point, has already perceived the neceflity of lowering the duties on the exportation of thefe fpirits. But ou^;ht it to favour, with fo mucli complaifancc, the diftillation and exportation of brandies? I do rot think fo; this new opinion feems to be a para- <,ox; it will ceafe to appear fo, when it fliall have jeen examined with attention. The diftillation of brandies caufe a great decay of combuftibles: one great evil in a country where combuftibles daily become more rarc.| H 3 The * AH brandies, except thofe from fugar and wine, are perni- cious, efpecially when new. They cannot be drank withouC immediately diferdering the body. The moft trifling exccfs is fufficient to caufe death. -f Lord Sheffield agrees that the brandies of France are pre- ferable to thofe of Spain and Portugal, of which there is nevcr- tbelefk' fonne confumption in the United States. X Ail the provinces of France, thofe eveo to which nature has refufed the means of tranfporting their wood to others, feel thd fcarcity of this article. Lorrain may be quoted as an inflance. The forefts of that province decay, as it is reported in the prof- pe^us of a price upon pit-ceal, propofed by the academy of Nanci— the dearnefs of wood is exceflive there. The caufe of this inconvenience is not diHicult to aHign ; it it the necefTary confequence of forget, glafs-houfes, falt-pits, 8cc, The academy fequires pit-coal to be fought for, to ferve inftead of wood. A more fia7ple means would be to deflroy forges SQ.d glafs-hgufesy and to get iron and gUfs from America* I ;?" f '■'i:'* 1 7^ ON THE COMMLRCE OF THE The exportation of brandy j^rodnces but little to the revenue. To encourage tliis article, it has been necciTary to take olf the inipofl, which iit preient is no more than five fols per hogfhcad, whllft wine pays a duty of at leaft an hundred Ibis, and in the Bordelois, from that Aim to twenty -eight livres.* Governnjcnt ought to iiave done tiie revrrfe, to have reduced the duties on wines, and augmented thofe upon br.\ndies. The exportation of brandies is prejudicial to the confumption of our winer,, for it is the ba'fis of all made wines in countries where wine is not produced. It is put into a great quantity of water j to which are added bay-berries, every where to be found. Wine brandies are indifpenfable in this fabrication; no other can fnpply their place, becaufe they only can give to artificial wines the winy taile which is eflen- tial to make them drinkable. What immcnfe gain to (Grangers in this procefs— \ and what lofs to France! A barrel of brandy which pays a trifling duty on exportation, whofe tranfport cofts but little, on account of its contraded bulk, may be added to five or fix barrels of water, which coft nothing, and by the aid of fugared ingredients, which give colours, may enter into competition with fix barrels of wine, that pay confiderable duties on exportation, and whofe exportation and tranfport are very expenfive. Therefore, in diftilling and exporting brandies, we work for the intereft of our rivals ; we give them means of doing without our wines. What ;afy folly ♦ GovernmenI has, fince this work has been written, fuf. pended the duties paid by the wines of Bourdeaux and Langue- doc. This fufpenfion was granted upon a remonflrance, im* porting that there was an enormous quantity of wines at Bour- deaux, and which the holders dared not export, that, they might not be obliged to advance the high duties* Thi^ proves^ that impofts occaAon a Aagnationi tJ!TITKD STATES OF AMERICA. 79 Ito ?n is inc llie to ted he all ed. are ine no can fen- foliy 1 What would people lay of an alchymlft, who, having found the phiiofopher's (lone, fliould com- inunicate his fecret to his rivals, who would make life of it to his prejudice. And yet this operation, (o prejudicial to France, has been favoured by government. It encourages diftlllers; that is, it raifes up enemies againft tlic meliorating vineyards and wines, and efpecially againft the art of preferving the latter. It would be much more prudent and advantageous to difcouragc diftillcries. In fa<5^, the diftillation of brandies is for the vineyard proprietor a laft refource, which proves his ruin.* SECTION III. Oilsy Olives, dry Fruits, Ct/r. Thefe articles are fo many wants with the Ame- ricans of eafy fortune, and efpecially thoie in the northern States. Our fbuthern Provinces, which produce Inch delicious fruits, cannot in this refpeft fear any competition. They are alfo articles which have hitherto beft fucceeded in adventures made from Marfeilles. Moreover, all that Europe will be able to furnifh of them, will find room in the United States; they will • In the Orleano's, fix barrels at Icaft of >¥ine are neceffiry to make one of brandy. The wjje of this countr/, when it la drinkable, is fold on an average at thirty livres a barrel. The fix barrels produce one hundred and eighty livres, and reduced to brandy they fcarcely produce eighty. Thus the proprietor fufFers a lofs of one hundred. Brandies fent abroad, where they dimi- n'lfti the fale of wine, can bear no exportation duty. Wines, on the contrary, pay a confiderable one. Let thefe calculations be anfwered. The Englifh themfelves ought not to admit the bran- dies of France, becauO, in filling Englind with artificial wines, they arc prejudicial to their wine duty. The prohibition of brandies would, under this double afpeft, be advantageous to both countrieai % i^ i\ 'r ''I-,: -iM w;a I III !.. i I t r I It |1 80 0T< THt COMMlitCR OF THE will ncconipany our wines, and vvc can join with tlie fame cafe and certainly of fulo, perfumeries, anchovies, vcrdigreafe, &c. as well as an huiulrtd oihcr little things taken by the Enj^iini from Mar- feilles, and of which they have created a want to th'e Americans. Lord Sheffield, in his work, makes Spain, Por- tugal, and Italy, furnifli the United States with thele commodities. I wifh he had been fmcere enoupji to give the advantage to France. France is fo ge- nerally known to fell thefe productions in the States of America, that it is equally allonilhing this writer ihould have been ignorant of it, or filent upon the fubje(ft. This fa6t, by proving his partiality, ourjht to put readers upon their guard againft his aflertions. SECTION IV. Cloths, People governH by a free conftitution are natu- rally grave and deliberate. They prefer, in every thing they ufe, goodnefs to elegance, what is folid to that which is fubjeft to the caprices of mode. Therefore, as long as the independent Americans en- joy their excellent conftitution, they will prefer clothes of cloth to thofe of the moft brilliant fluffs. Moreover, its beauty, pliancy, ftrength, and du- ration, render it more generally fit for this ufe in any climate whatfoever: cloth fecures the body from the exccffes of cold as well as from thofe of heat. It refifts rain; in a word, it unites every conveni- ence; and if it be the univerfal clothing of people in a middling flate, it offers equally to the rich, but reafonabie man, a choice proper to fatisfy his tafte, and to proportion his expences to his means. The manufacture of cloths is in the number of thofe complicated manufactures which employ throughout the year a great number of workmen by the IPITITED STATES OF AMKHICA. ^X ific day; therefore it will not be fiiitable to the Amc* ricans, fo long as that clafs of men which produces thcfe workmen Ihall be able to employ themfelvc* more ufefuUy in the clearing of lands, and in culti* vation in general. A manufafture of woollen fluffs, proper for ths clothing of the country proprietor, his family and fervants, may, without doubt, be aflbciated into the labours of the field ; but manufactures of this kind, although very important in themfelves, can only be applied to coarfe and unfiniflied fluffs. The inter- rupted Icifure of the peafant permits him to do no- thing which is com[)licated. Card, fpin, weave, and bleach, is all that he can do."* If it be necef- fary for him to go beyond thefe, he will find a greater atlvantage in felling liis raw materials, or even with their firjl preparations, ff they be limple, and to draw from the manufy.vs of private interell, honed- patriots generally perfer accufations againrt them befire a public tribui.il, and then the culprit is not fuffered to anfwer by clani'.eftin nnemoirs to puhlic andlubftantial accufa- tions; this obfcur'' port more than half of the wool we manufafture into cloth. M. la Platiere fays there are thirty-five millions of flieep kept in Great-Britain, each of which, he affirms, produces on an average at leaft fix pounds of wool. It is the breed of fheep which gives to England fuch an amazing fuperiority over all other nations in her woollen manufa6tures. France ouglit to encourage the breed of flieep and the deftni6tion of wolves.* M. la Platiere faw this evil, and had courage to publifh it in the Encyclo- pediae Methodique. Platiere was called a man of pretenfions. The fame title was given to Dr. Price in London, when he predi<^ed the lofs of the Colo- nies. The ninifterial heads of that country laughed at the 'trophel, but the event proved he was right. SECTION V. Linens, There are two principal fpecles of linen-drapery, ■which are fubdivided into a multitude of otheu. The firft fpecies contains linen properly fo called; that is to fay, linen which ferves to make fliirts, flieefs, table linen, and all the linen made ufe of for every purpofe of cleanlinefs. Thefe linens are made with hemp, flax, or. cotton ; this laft article is employed when the two former ones are fcarcc: it is fometimes mixed with flax. The * In the lime of the monarchy there was an office called Lou- VETERiE, or J^lafter of the French King's wolf-hounds, and his affjciates received a triHing recompence for the head of every wolf they killed : of whom this (»(\ is well attcfted. TOere is a ftn^ll diftrict, the fub-dt'Iegate of which put into hk accoint tlie price of ten ihoufand wolves head,-,. The quantity appeared extraordinary to the minifter. The affair wat examined. The fub-delegate was difcharged. Bui oc who prompted him to the iitt went unpuniilied. The # -IWITED STATES OF AME'RICA. 8s The mann'ir of making thefe linens is very fun' pie; they are made in all parts of Europe.* Thofc countries where religious or political defpotifm di- IcoLirages induftry ; where the numerous inftitutions of charity, invented to divert the attention of de- fpair from mifery, nourifli idlenefs ; thefe countries are the onlv ones wherein this manufacture does not merit the attention of the political obierver. Every where elfe, the country people employ, more or lefs, the leifure which their kind of life af- fords them to fpin rtnd weave linen. Moft of the farmers and proprietors who enjoy a little eafe, or who are not afraid of letting it appear, fow hemp or flax, and draw from their foil and the work ot I their * If tlierc be a country where the tnanufa^ure of linens is encouraged, it is in Ireland, particularly fiiice its lefurrcftion into the political world. Parliament has eil.^bliihed a coni- jTlittee which is particularly employed about this manufadture, and which grants very conliderabie fuccowrs to mainifafl-urers. There is one vvho has obtained more than thirty thoufjnd pounds ilerling from government, and whole manufadlure employs two tlioufand men and women, and fix hundred chiKlren. This committee names infpe£l.)rs to examine the ftateof ma- nufatlwres, and afterwards to make reports, or give a general d'"fcription of their fituation, of the number of workmen they employ, of their produce, rcfources, wants, &c.1j Still more hap been done in Ireland, to encourage the com- iTjerce of linen } great edifices have been built, and deltined ta receive them, ■^% well as thofe who come to qfter them for fale« The moft confiderable market being at Dublin, three or four times a year, linen merchants from the North, who have bl-ach- yards, come to Dublin with their affortments. They iind in thefe edifices, places for their linens and for theinfelvcs to lodg* in, all at no expencc— They meet Englifh buyers or others, who go there to gather together all their puichafes.— Likf- ijepo- fitories are eftablifhed in the North; they are eflentlally ncceCiary to thole manufactures, the articles of which arc gathered in ths country. — Where they cxift, expences are lefs, and work is bet' tcr paid for. U When thefe infpeflors are honeft, and men of underiland- ipg, their reports are evidences of fucccfs. Then example hai a fingular inGucace upon iauuAr^. •t ';■;■ > l;; ■! ^ *. ,1 If- .|| !■ '- >x 'm m '. ^! 86 ON THE COMMliRCli OF THE their hands the linen which covers their bodies and fupplies their family. The Englilli have added otlier caiifes to thofe which produce low-priced vvorknianlliip: their aflo- iiiftiing induflry, their obferving genius, their ever calculating mind, have invented for the fj^inning, &c. of cotton, and for weaving, feveral machines which Jlill furpafs the cheapnefs to be expeded from the iciifure of the inhabitants of the country. As thefe machines are infenfibly introduced into countries, it may be expeded that the low price of linen-drapery will be every where ellabliflied. But notwithf^anding the multiplication of thefe machines, nations which 5^roan under a bad govern- ment, or are grown rufly in old and wretched habits, will always depend, for that article of necefTity, upon thofe which have eftablillicd bounds to their govern- ment, but none for their indullry, which mult con- ilantly increafe. It refults from thefe fa^ls, that the United States will always have, in proportion to tne increafe of their population and culture, kfs recourfe to flran- gers for that principal kind of linen-drapery whofe manufacture is fo well alfociated with the labours of the field. ■■■^ Very fine linens mufl be excepted ; they are de^*- tined for luxury, and the individuals employed in manufaft uring them are condemned to vegetate mi- ierably in cities', rolling perpetually in the fame circle of mechanical labours. f It is the unhappy fate of all * The American women are renowned for their induflry 'n the condudt of their houfes ; they fpin a great deal of wool or flax ; they wi Id lofe their reputation and be defpif^d, if tlieir whole family were not aimoft entirely clothed with tlie cloth at.d linen in- de in the houfe— if the whole interior of ^fjeir ruftic habita- tion did not bear evident marks of their cleanlinefs and induflry. •f- Manufadures are ucii boatled of, becaufe children are employed therein from t.heir moft tender age} that is to fay, that men congratulate theniifdves upon making early martyri t (fu ,: :!■ UNirnO STATES OF AMERICA. 87 altthofe who are born in Europe without j^roperty, aiul will not debafe theiufelvcs by di^inellic labour. The United States, where laborious individuals may with lb much facility become proprietors, are far'from that degradation; and if they are wife, they will have, for a long time, tiie happinefs not to fee fpun or woven among them, any of thofe delicate kinds of thread and fine linens, which, fought after and bought up by the opulent, are t!ie red produc- tions of European mifery. 'The fecond fpecies of linens contains what is more properly called linen -drapery ; that is to fiiy, cloth made of thread of different colours, whether flax or cotton J or thefe two fubilances mixed with others. The greater part of this drapery requires too com- plicated a procefs, too varied an aj)pa:"atus, too con- tinued a labour, to be m^nufadured otherways than in thofe particular eftabliflnnents, fituated from ne- celfitv in the neighbourhood of cities, and which have no affinity u'ith a rural life. The art of making well the tilTue, of nvixing the colours, of contrafling them, of imaginary agreeable 1 2 defigns, % of thefc Innocent rre^.tures ; for Is It not a torment to ihf.Ce poor lltt.e beings, whom nature comniaiiiis us to permit to take the d'r anri their fporrs, until they are of riper years, ;ind their ftrength is become confiJcrabh;— I it nor a tormen.t to ihem to be a whole day, and a'moll every day of their lives, employed at the f.ims v;ork, in an ohfcure and infcille-l prifjn? Muft not the weari- nefs and vexation v/hlch they futTer, nhftrudl the opening of their phyfical and intcllewtual faculties, and ilupify them ? MullnoC there rcfult from this a dej^encrate raC'', inclined to automa- tonifm and llavery ? For moft manufadlures require no other than mechaoical labours, which a macliice would perform as well as a im.n. It is therefiTe impolliblc that a man condemned to this kind of erapU-y ilioiild not become a m.ichine; and llii- pidity and lervitude are joined to each other.— Ihefe truths can- not be too often repeated, not to difguit the Eur( peans with the mania of manufactuies j they are too far advanced to retradij but to hifid.'f the American'^ from ever fdlovirg die fame carec:. li *•; JV! 88 QV THT COMMERCI OF THB^ defigns, of prei)aring the linen when it is finilTiMj &:c. this art, cxtenfive, varied and delicate, requires the greateft attention. The inoft important thing is to ilo a great deal in it at a little expence, and it is the point to which the Englifli are arrived, with re- fpe(5t to that kind generally known under the name of printed callico. This will be for a long time a confiderable article of commerce, between Europe and the United States, which confumes a great deal of it; and it is an article wherein French induftry, left to its natural force, and not being reilrained by any obdacle, need not fear competition.* In this, as in moft other articles, the nature of things is entirely in favour of Jrance, ^nd fuccefs depends wholly on the will of her '^overnm'^''''' In the year 1785 the government of France in- vited, by an arret, foreign manufacturers of thefc linens to come and fettle in France. But this invitation is not made in terms fufficientty clear, or flattering, to induce ftrangers to come and fettle amongd' us; cfpecially not fuch as have a little energy and elevation in their chara6lers, and it is of ihefe alone that we are In need. Among ditferent favours granted them, there is one 'hicii entitles them to the enjoyment of their Jiaie QV prcfej/lcn^ and of their ufages ; in that ivhich Jliall not he contrary to the Uvvos of thehindom^ Z^l\ But •^ I'' ! • Lord SheiTielJ main rain? in hl« work, that France has not even linen enougli for her own confumption, A cum- jtnercial di■■ m m ^ ON THB COMNfERCE OF TH& greateft part of their manufactures; few Grangers are fceii to come and eftablifh themielves aniongit us. I couM quote, as a proof of what I advance, known facts, quite recent; but I will not write a book upon every article of exportation; I will con- fine myfelf to faying that ^ree^t liberty^ amlfenu regu- laticNSy* are the two bed means of improving the linen manufadurcs in all countries, as well as m France. SECTION VI. Silks, Ribbons y Silk Stockings, Gold and Stiver Lace, ^c. There are upwards of feventy thoufand looms and frames employed in thefe articles, a.'^d one half of the fill: made ufe of r, produced in the kingdom. The other ftatcs of Europe, except Spain and Italy, are obliged to procure from abroad the whole of the filk neceflary for the manufacfturcs which they have eftabliflied, in imitation of thofe of France. If tli-re be added to the advantage which thefe circumftances give to ttie French, their fingular ap- titude for the manufacture of every article of luxury ; their incredible fecundity in varying thefe articles; the abfolute and general empire allowed them- over the taflc and mode which prcfide in thefe manufac- tures; an empire fo particular, as to be every where copied; no doubt will remain, that French filks, ribbons, * I might quote, as a proof of what I have faid in the courfa • f this work, that even the regulations which appear favour- able to indudry, aie prcjuilicial to it; the new arret paHed In favour of French linens, fubjedls them to a ftamp duty, under the pretext of preventing fraud. The duty appears moderate, yet th^jnanufaftureri are fenftbly injured by it ; moreover ic reftrains ihem, in fubje(!ling them to the caprices of revenue tlerksj and this does not prevent fraud; therefore, to prevtmt the manufadlurer from being robbed, his money is taken from W^Wy and the robbery ftill takes place j he would prefer being laft to defend himl'elf agalnil thieves> ;t- us. ICC, tc a ion- the lu f?!fITED 8TATES OF AMIRICV. '^ 95 riulions, filk ftockIn<;^s, "ud lace, will be preferred to all others in the United States.* It is not to be feared that they will be manufac- tured there; from the cares whicli the infecfl that produces the filk requires, to the arrival of the fluff in the warehoufe where it is to be fold, almofl all is workmaiiiliip; and the workmanlhip of Europe mufi; for a long time, if not for ever, be even cheaper than that of the United States. The confumptionf of thefe articles cannot be very * Yet Lord Shefileld gives for competition with France, Eng- land and Spain* It is to be obferved tliat England cannot un- t^ert.ike with advant.ige thofe manufactures wherein gold and filver are introduced, nor in general thofe which have for their bafis the ufe of brilliant metals. Fire is necefTuy a an agent in fuch mantif-clureS} and 3 coal fire is prejudicial to them. The atmofphere in Eni;land is perpetually charged with ful- phiireous vapoars, where cintadl taini/hes, in a very little time, gold and filver lace, &c. and this perhiips is the motive, which more than maniuTS has baniHisd, and will for ever exclude this kind of luxury from England; and it Is not a misfortune. "I" Our defigo being to dilFuade the fi'ee Americans from wlfh- Ing for manufa^lures, we ought not to lofe the prcfsnt oppor- tunity of defcribing to them the abufcs and inconvenicncies in- feparable from thcfc eftablirtiments. There is none which has \)Z(\ more fuccefs in France than that of filk. Yet fee the fright- ful delcription given of it by M. Mayet, diredlor of the manu- fadures of the K.ing of Prulfia, in his Memoir on the manu- fdft'jres of Lyons. (Paris, Moutard 1786,) He indicates as caufes of the uecadency of the manufactures, the drunkennefs of workmen on Sundays, the infection of their difmal lodgings, bankiuptcies which are the refult of ignorance and difiioneity, the ccilation of work during court mournings, which occafions fome workmen to emigrate, and others to ftcal, the mifconduft cf revenue officers, the monc p(»ly of filk, &c. abufes fo much the more alarming, fays M. Mayet, as they are, for the mofl part, the oft'springs of luxury, and which are produced either by acquired riches, or the thirl of acouiiing them j it feems as if they could not but fpring up in manufadlures.- Who can recommend the eftablirtiment of manufadlures, oa reading the following reflexions of the fame author ? *' The concurrence of manufadlureb neceffitates their cheap-- ^ <* nef»: to have a preferenge of file, h is neceflary to fell at a I: 'I ! > i .'i I'll M ^* 1 n .fj h '! 'i P t 11' M M I ,' ^4 ON THK COMMKRCF, OF THK very coiifidcrabic tlu're,* if America takes advi\ii. ta^^e oi that openiiii;to which n.iture calls her. Rib- bons excepted, tlic reft are proper lor great cities onlv; wlure vanJtv be.iiii inceflaiiilv excited, makes drcfs a delirabie aiui almoft ncccHary object, iiut tliefe great cities will, without doubt, be very rare in the United States. It is Hill more certain that the confumplion of lilks does not, at p/refcnt, form there a confidcrable article; tliat it will anf,mcnt but very flowly, and in a manner almofl inienlible. The Americans oui^ht undoubtedly to be con^j^ratulated upon it. Their manners will be good and iimjile as long as they do not contract a want of thrfe articles; but if thev do not want them for rhcmlelves, thcv will havcoccafion for them to form branches of their fmuggling commerce with the Spaniards. Nature invites them to carry on this commerce in an advan- tageous manner, both by fea and land.f It '* lov;er prire; the wages of workmen murt- therefore he modc- ** rare, and they mult gain no moie than will find them in ** neceflaricp v the workman muft never be rulTcted to enrich *' himfelf. In b?co5ning rich, he becomes ilifTicult, exa<^in;r, ** enters into cpniblo-itions, iinpofss laws, betomes dif.ip.it i< ** and idle, he caufcs the price of workn'.anfhip '■o Incrcalr., ?.nd ** manufad^uies to fai'." Thus rich stu»^ oucht to BE W A T E p. E D W 1 T H T H E T £ A R S K THE \ ; C R K M A N WHO MANUFACTURES T H » M . Ought not thii lad: phrafc to difgiift the free Americans for ever with the mania of rnanufaflirreii of luxury ? — l.cx thcin rcfleft, thnt to fupport the fiik m.mufadures of Lyons, the finis author propofes to the King of Fiance, to facrlficc his tafle f^r fimpljcity of drt-fs, and to wear brilliant clothes, &c. * Lord Sheffield fays, that it is not the fifth part of IndiJH filks, &c. but what fignifici this calcilation ? The country which confumes the greatell quantity of filk ftuffj, does nor, l»e haps, confunic the twentieth part of that wl.ich Lord Shef- ii^ld means by Indian filks. f This commerce will be better eftablinaed by land— The rifics there will be lefs— The great rivers which water thofe im- menfe countries will fav ur it. A maritime commerce nuiil be protedled by a naval force, and the nature of things will hiii..- ciet the Americans from having one for a long time to come. \ UNITED STATES 0^ AMERICA. 95 Tt is known that u'rctclicil iiulividunl^, wlin vs^C" tate in South-America, nialKrs and Ihvcs, all l]y\\ 'liter nothinj^ but luxury, [)oinp and drefs. Jilegaiu and fliining fluffs of France; lier filks and laces will th.ereforc be fought after, demanded, and boug!:t u[) \vil!i avidity. However it may be with refpe*^ to tliis commerce, which c\i(ts but in futurity, nnd which nuift be pre- ceded by other circuniftanccs, there is at prefent a certain confumption of filks, ribbons, ike. in the United States; and tlie French ouL'Jit to be anxiou,^ to liij){)ly them. I will obferve u[)on this fubjcv^, that if the French government ordered that the regular packet-boats going from France and America fliould receive as much merchandize on board as their defti nation would permit, little ventures of our filks, flutfs, rib- bons, gauzes, (lockings, &:c. would be frequently fent out, and thefc articles would ferve better than any other toellablifli \niinterrupted connexions, and which by the infight they give, and the experiments which they afford an opportunity of making, con- du(5t nature herfclf to thofe great commercial inler- courl'es to which we ought to afpire. • The facilities which packet-boats offer for the fending out of merchandize of value and of little incumbrance ought not to be neglected, fince, in this clafs of merchandize, we havt things which have a decided preference. I will return to thofe packet- boats which it is important to keep up and to increafe, and it is to be wiflied, that ho monopoly of right or fad may take poirelfion of them, in order to carry one branch of commerce in exclufion of others. 1 t. I fll I' V :1 y SECTION ■■:■ ■ f OIT THE COMMERCE OP THB ^*, !i i SECTION VII. Hats. Although a fine hat be called a beaver, it docs not follow that Canada and the United Northern States are more favourable to the fabrication of hats than France. Hats, purely of heaver, do not wear well, and are inconvenient on account of their weight. The finefr, handfomeft, and bed hats, contain but little of the fur of that animal, which we ctteem at too high a price, when we think of the lofs of Ca- nada. Wool, the furs of the hares and rabbits; the hair of goats, which, in fa^t, is wool, and camels hair, are more necefTary for making of hats than the £wY of b :;avers. The few hats made of beaver in the United States will be fufficient for their confumption. — The Ame- ricans mud, however, be inceflantly told this great truth, that manufadlurcs are not proper for them ex- cept in thofe articles which are immediately alTociated with agriculture, and which facilitate its operations. That of hats is not of this kind. Eu»pe will therefore furnifh hats to the Ameri* cans. And of what great importance is this obje(5t, when the rapid increafe of their population is con- fidered? It may be affirmed, that every nation ca- pable of fending them out merchandize, will fend them hat«; but thof«=* of France will have the prefe- rence. This manufacture had there its origin. The French alone have carried it elfevvhere, like many other things; but it has never ceafed to improve iu France. French hats are always the beft fulled and dyed, and the moll agreeable. When government (hall haverefolved to do for wools that which it has done for mulberry trees, the manufadure of hats will be £o much the more advantageous, as wc fhall be Icfs tributary %s t>t L'^^iTLD STATES OF AMERICA. <)7 rribut;irv to forcigiiiers for the articles emplovcd •tlitreii). SECTION VIII. ;|i. Leaih icr S/iot'Sy BootSy Saddles^ ^c. To what cmife ought the great fiiperiority of Eng>- l-ifh leatl'.er to be attributed over ours? Why is there in this leather-work of all kinds that neatnefs, that fcducing appearance, which we have not yet ap- proached? It mufl be repeated, that in England men honour the profeffion of a tanner, and pride themfelves upon it, whilft it is the contr.iry in France. An Englift* tanner, flioemaker, or faddler, does not quit his trade when he is rich; but makes his riches ferve, in proportion as they augment, to give In lire to his profeffion, to multiply his workfliops, to ex- tend his affairs, to become important even in the «rticlc v\'hich has furniflied him the means of doing it. The leather which comes from the tanneries whofc owner is in eafy circumftances, is always well prepared, bccaiife he can advance fums of money, ?.nd give to hides the time neceffary for their progrefs through his tan-yard. A poor tanner is always prelTed by his wanting to take the leather out of the tan-pit, where it is neceffary it fliould remain a long time to acquire a good quality. In general, it is im- poflible with this penury, Unknown to the Englifli, that there fiiould be time to manufacture or fabricate good merchandize. Thofe who employ the leather, acquire no reputation in their profelfions but in proportion to great provifions made before hand, which puts it in their power to furnifli nothing but leather improved by being kept. It will be afked, how the v\'holefale dealers manage when they begin 'buiinefs? They find credit, if in their apprentice- K. lliip.s. K% I}''"-? i'i 9^ ON IHK COMMERCE OF THli Ihips, which precede their eftablilhments, they have 'acquired a good reputation.* This credit is then fiipported, not only by the certainty of fuccefs, but alfo by that of feeing them become a conftant means of confumption. Such is the art of the Englifli to fupport and in- creafe their commerce in every thing, ajid every ivhcre. If we could put it in pra£lice, all our com- modhies of leather would foon equal the perfe<5tioa of theirs, fince we do not otherwife want materials. Their being beforehand with us, ought not to dif- courage any body; but it is necelTary to the fuccefs of this rivality, that government fliould deliver the tanners from the fliackles with which thev have fet- tered • Wc may readily perceive, that this hope of Leing fome day '^t\\ eftabliflied with great fuccour?, is worth ali the books of morality. The engravings of Hogarth, which reprefent the fate of the idle apprentice, paint, to the life, Engli/h manners. The intention of the workman is not to become Secrej'aiiie DU Roi.|| He marries the daughter of the good m?fter who has brought him up, and fucceeds him in the fame bulmefi which he has contributed to extend. It is not that the French tannf,r, who barters his profefl^on againft a brevet of Secretaire du Roi, or commiflary of wj^r, ought to be blamed. He reafons vvell. He fees thi\t no coi<^- fideration is attached to talents and induftry^ and he delays nut to buy himfelf a title. It is therefore wrong to joke merchani* and artizans, who, for money, get themfelves enregiftered in a privileged clafa. It is an evil to the ftate, but it is not the fault of thofe who purchafe. The fault is due to the kind of difgrace from which government has not yet delivered the ignoble, . It ought to be obferved here, how fatal the fpeculation which eflrabliftied this order of things has-been to the nation. To pro- cure money, offices were created} which, bv ennobling, induces the ignoble to purchafe themj they arc difgufted with their fuua- tion by being diflionoured, and for a few millions of livres, which ihis pitiful operation flnwly procures, commerce is ruined by having its cap'tal diminiflied : that commerce, which, by being fupported, would continually produce millions to the flatc* II A petty title of bought dlAinflion, which, in the language , Qf ridiculous pride^ is condrued into nobility. to f! till tvl wl tc UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 9^ , tered them,* and fupprefs or diminifli the enormous duties with which the tanneries are loaded. f I" ; '■' .^f ti Kz SECTIOIvf * Tw.T caufes have Angularly contrlbutec! to ruin the tan- rCiiesin Fiance. The confiJerable duties impofed fucce/^v/ely Xjpon leather (fupprelled afterwards in part through prudence) and elFcntially the fcvere Infpeftion that the commis (in this cjl'e a kind of excifeman) may make every hour of the day and night at the tanners. Nothing difj^ufts a inan, who has fome energy, more with his profeflion, than this difgraceful fervitude, than the fear, than theconftraint which arifoa from the ilea of being difturl^d at every moment, by his fire-fiJe, by contempti- ble fatellitcs who live on the mifchief only whicli they do, and whom the certainty of impunity, intereft and habitude, renders unmerciful, infolent, and frequently perjured. Conllderablc procefles have been feen to arife from thefe ▼ifits, and very rich tanners to quit a profclTion vihich promifed them ♦nothing but torment, anguifts, lofii and law fuits. It will be a long time before the evil which the farm has dor." to the tannanes be repaired. Interefted men, who think ta confole us fo' real evils, which we fiitl'cr, by thofc which ihey fuppofe amon, our neighbotrs, fay and repeat, that the fame vexation of commis and of cultoms prvodu.es In England the, fame effefts. This may fometimes hjpi en j but there is a law to punifli them, without a hope of pardon, when they overleap the boundaries prefcribed to them. And thefe boundaries are mucli more contradled than ourc, whicli dis following fidt will convince i^s. Two officers of the exclfe, having taken it into their headi to followr a man carrying a hamper of wine to the houfe of a particular perfon, entered with him hi contempt of the law; the m^fler of the houfe called fome conftables and charged them with the ofRcer5 : they were taken before Alderman Harnett, who read the Adl of Parliament to the culprits, and fent then* to prifon, for having violated the rights of citizens. Mercure politique 1786, p. ",2:6, f The following is a lift of tluties paid on leather, whether It be French or foreign 5 and ic rauft be here obferved, that the leather of France is far from fupplying our wants. We get the grcatdl part of that which v\c confume frcm the Spa- 'U lOO ©N THE COMMERCE OF THE SECTION IX. Glafs Houfes. Engliih glafs ware is brought to great perfecfiion, and England makes it a great objedl of exportation ► America. nil}! and Portuguefe colonies, from the Levant, and from the coaft of Barbary. Green leather, French or foreign, pays on livres fols entering the kindom by the hundredweight x 5 Leather worked ap or Canned, pays after- wards the fo!lowin.7 duties Lea:hcr and ficins - zf. per pound' Coat fkins - 4 Ten fuis per pound, which gives more up- on leather - - i * Goat fkins - - 2 General average - 46 and by the hundred weight - - 23 10. C a '.loui to the general farm - - a o Total IS Leather and /kins pay a duty of a third of the-.r value. When in 1759 a duty wasimpofed, the king ordained that thefe two fols upon leather and ikins, and the four fols upon goat fkins, fliould be reimburfed to the manufailurer, when he ihould have fent his merchandize abroad. But adminiftration demanded and obtained leave to reim- burfe two-thirds only. Since that time thera has been a new import of ten fols jier pound, which makes the duty one. fol more upon leather, and two fols upon goat fkins. This new duty has completed the ruin of the tanneries. There is another abufe, which merits to be obferved. It Is that the adminirtration receives its duties undiminished upon leather half rotten, fcraped or tanned. After thefe fadls, it may be comprehended, that the tanners in France are reduced to a fvnall rumber, and are in general mifirable. An import a?it note relath' to the article of leather. The note on the duties paid on leather, is true with refpc£V to the reality of the duties j but v<-e have been convinced| fince. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ICI An^.enca ought to prefer Englifh glafs to ours, be- caufe we ourfelves prefer it to that of our own ma- iiufa6tory, common bottles excepted, wliich we make letter, and which are of a lintr glafs than that of the EngliQi. But although this opinion may hurt the intereil of thofe who have fuch eftablillimcnts, it is necellary to fay, that France, far from encou- raging them, ought to wifu for their clefi:ru<5^ioD, This kind of manufacture deftroys combuftibles, of which the rapid progrefs is alarming, when it is com- pared to the flownefs with which they are produced. The Englifii, feated upoi their coal mines, are little iineafy about the voracity of furnaces wherein glafs is melted; but althougii it be laid that we have the fame advantage, It is dill permitted to doubt of ir. And moreover it is not fvifficient to have immenfo coal mines under foot, it is neceffary to be able to work them at a little ex pence. Glafs manufa»5toric:, placed within the reach of mines, fliould not be too far dilfant from the fea, for the tranfports becoming expenlive, would give to the Engliih an advantagf* over uSj who, from every part of their ifland, can eafily get to the fea. Finally, our own confumption of glafs- ware, much greater than that of the Englifii, may already be too confiderable, if it be compared with the means to which the ever growing; fcarcit'/ of combuftibles reduces ns.'*" :t !" ', M i, K3. To the note was printed, tliat a middle price cannot be fetilcj br. tween hides and calf and goat ikins. There are ac leafl two hundi J pf the two fiift for one of the Ia(h We have been equally convinced, that the hundred weight of ikins bQUj;hc at thirty-feven llvres, and fold after the tanning at ftxty-fcur livres fixteen fols, produces to the tanner a profit of no more than Ave livres five fol?. This eafily explains how the tanners have been ruineJ. Translator. * The fcarclty of wood, which begins to be manifcft-, be* comes fo much the more alarming, as combuilibles which hav;? b;«n attejnpcsJ to be fuUtitutcd for it hmyz net fuccccdsi, an4 .1 20?- ON THE COMMERCE OF THE ii To be fully convinced that we ought not to put ^lafs-ware into the lift of articl<"s of exportation to America, it is only ncceflary to reflect upon the fitua- tion of the United States. They have immenfe forefts to clear, confequently it is highly proper that they fliould eftablifh glafs manufa^o.ies, and increafe them as much as poirible. The labour er^ployed to deftroy the woods for the clearing of lands, at the fame time that it difpofes the land to culture, will lerve for the produ6tion of a very extenfive object of manufa CAIN, to travel acrofs this province without meeting with fome little iron forges. If a proprietor has a great marfh full of- wood, and that he wi/hes to clear it, he begins by making a d)ke at one extremity to flop the water of the rivulets which run acrofs it. He fixes in this water the wheels neceffary for' tV^e manufafture of iron, &c. And in a fmall number of years me traveller, who had fcen in paffing by nothing but a vaft pond full of trees thrown down, and had heard thenoifeof haia-- mers aud anvils^ fees wsU;Aclufed fields^ vaAmeadowi; &c«. VJflTED STATES OF AMERICA. SECTION X. 103; Iron ami Steel. The confiimptian of thefe two articles is immenfe in the United Stares; the fingle article of nails amounts to confiderablc fums. This will not appear extraordinary, when it is remembered, that all the hoiifes, all the inclofures of the Ameicans, are of wood, that they build agreat number of ftiips, which require frequent reparations. it is the lame with refped* to faws, Ihovels, hoes,, and in general all the inftruments neceflary to agri- culture and navigation. The Americana are Angularly curious in the choice of the firft neceflity. They have therein the gene- mi tafle of the Engliflvj tliey will have that only which is good. On comparing thofe which they make themfelves with the tools made in France, it mud be acknowledged that we are far from that per- fection at which they arc arrived in them: this per- fection is owing to the eafe of the labourer, and to the confideration attached to agriculture. Imper- fection is a neceflary confeqttence of rcftraint and diflionour. The Americans have attempted to make iron and fteel. Many manufactories have been fet up at New- York, in New-Jerfey, and in Pennfylvania: it is true that thefe manufactures are few in number, but they will neceflarily increafe for the reafons which 1 fhall hereafter give. England heretofore exported a confiderable quan^ tity of iron and fteel:* her mines not having yet fur- niflied \4^ II m '•■ti: ^1 I « To favour the exportation of thefa articles, the parliament had forbidden all the eftablifliment of mills and other machin-s in the United States for making of AeeU See 25 Geo. II ch. 29. it€t, 10. It tna/ be Judged by this clrcumftance to what a point the ra4 ON THE COMMERCE OF TlfE iiilhecl iron proper for certain inftruments, flie had recourfe to thofe of Ruflia, and efpecially to thofe of Swec.hnjWhofe iron and fteelare nioft edeeined. She did no more witli regard to America than Hand be- tween her and others, and this circuit augincnted the expeiices of the colonift, without procuring him any benefit. This will exift no longer, becaule the A- mcricany are about to trade directly with the Swedeis and Ruflians. Lord Sheffield calculates, that one year with ano- ther England imported 50,000 tons of foreign iron, of which from 15 to 20.000 was afterwards exported to the colonies either in its natural Hate or worked n j>. The profit to the mother country was, according to his Lordfliip, 12,000,000 lives, or thereabouts. During the war, and line e the peace, fome exports of this kind have been made from France to the United States; but they did not fucceed. Accuftom- ed, according to the principles of monopolizers, who have hitherto directed our foreign commerce, to fur- nifli our colonies with brittle utenfils, and othervvife very imperfeft, our merchants were willing to treat the independent Americans like their flaves in their iflands;* and the Americans refufed our merchan- dife. mother country, or rather the monopoliser?, can carry avarl- cioufnefs} fince the Americans were forbidden to enjoy thofe advantages which nature had thrown before them. Monc-. poly refpefts nothing. When thefe attempts are confidered, ought we to be furprlfed at the eternal mifunderftanding be- tween colonies and the mother country, a mifundcrftanding which finifhps either by the ruin of the former, or their fcpa- ration. from the latter ? *■ The Chamber of Commerce of Marfeilles, in an inflruc- tion very well drawn up, addrefled in I75>4 to the merchants, had recommended them to adlcontrarlly— *' Recoiled," faidit, ** that you have no:: ignorant or enflaved colonifts 10 treat with, *• but a free people j and, confequently, rapidly tending to per* *' feftion. If you wifti to fucceed, adl with fidelity, upon cx«^ ** tended and liberal views," Sec. &c. 1 have not read tills iaftrjiwtion. A man of letters, who has had e of She he- the anv .V edes ano- iron-, )rted rNITEDSTATES OF AMERICA. 105 dife. They faid, that we did not even know how to make nails; and, in ftrift truth, they were right in their aflertion. They preferred the iron and fte'-l of England, ahhongh the duties on exportation iu creafed their dearnels. It is [>robable enough that the EngHHi leglflature will fuj)prers them according to the advice of Lord Sliellieid; and this, joined to the benefit of the ceco- nomy procured by the difcovery of LordDundonald, and of Meflrs. Watts and Boulton, for heating fur- naces at half the common expence, will undoubtedly produce a reduction in the price of iron. This diminution is one of the caufes which muft neceiririly hinder us from attemptingarivality in this particular with the Englifli.; but there is another, which is fliil more decilive. In fa(5l, the oDfervations made heretofore upon the neccffity of deftroying our glafs mannfadtories, ap- ply naturally to that confiderable branch of iron- work, of which the workmanfliip is the leaft ex- pence, and which requires n great quantity cf com- buftible materials. The United States are obliged to (Jpftroy their immenfe forefts: France ought, oii the contrary, to think of re-producing hers: there- fore, the founderies and forges will offer in America tlie advantage of turning to profit vioods, which, without thefe manufa(flures, it would be equally nc* celTary to burn: vvhilfl in France, wood and char- coal becomino; everv dav more fcarce and dear, ren- ders thefe eftablifliments nnore expcnnve. Now, as the abundance in which iron, mines are every where founil, refide<} a long time in the country, has given me the Ideas of It, which I have related. We muft not be furprifcd to fin4 in the merchants of Marfeilles intelligcRce on commerce so rare ANY WH£RE ELSE. Lcfs ihacklcd, commetcc muil c.Ter more folid ideas. The fame energy is found in an excellent Memorial on tha Franchifes of this city, lately publiiheJ againit the general farmj^, and of which wefhali have occafion to fgck. 'iV ■ '*\ x;^ m .♦»■ ■■'i': r I06 OK THE COMMERCE OF THS found,* makes the price of iron depend almoft ctr- tirely on that of combuftibles neceitiry to melt it, it is evident that the United States have over us, and even over the Englifh, a confiJ.erable advantage. Moreover, forges are a part of the equipage necef- fary to country labour; for, if it were neceflary to feek at a diftanoe the utenfds of agriculture, the pro- grefs of clearing of lands would loon be ftoppcd-— the productions would not pay the expences. Thefe would ftill be increafed by the repeated neceiTity of fubftituting nev/ utenfils to thofe which there would be no means of repairing. As foon as the people Luvp. mines of iron — as foojii as tliey are led by the nature of things, and by necefiity, to eflablifh foun- deries and forges, it is not a long time before they renounce all foreign aid in the articles of ironjj- therefore, the Americans are, as I have obferved, already provided with thefe eftablifliments: and as JSnglifli induftry has eftabliflied and direCted them, they are all at that degree of perfeftion which we have not yet attained.. Let it be remarked, that thefe manufsftures hemff joined to a life of agriculture, and carried on ii>the midft of it for its ufes, can have none of the perni- cious influences which ought to be feared in thofe complicated manufactures which are obliged to be concentrated in the inclofures of cities, whofe dc- ftru<5live * It is now proved, that there are many of them In Ame*- rica. Mines of tin, and of very good copper, have alfo been difcovtrcd there. "f- Perhaps nails muft be excepted. Their price will be a long time in Europe lower than in j^merica. If, as Mr. Smith aflerts in his Treatifeon the Wealth of Nations, a young man of twenty years of age can make 2,400 nails a day, let it be judged to what a degree of cheapnefs low priced workmanfiiip ©ughc to reduce them; therefore, wherever workman/Iiip is dear, nails cannot be made. Yet wc read in the American Gazettes^ that there has been eftabliihed in one of the States a manufacture e£ nails.. Will this fuccced?— Futuritj- will fliew us. riHTED STATES OF AMERICA. 107 .' ilruclive employ exhanfls the natural flrength of men, by corrupting their morals. Therefore, to refiime this article — far from en- couraging the exportation of iron maniifaiftureci in Frai^ce, we ought, for our own intereft, to encou- rage the importation of foreign iron, hecaufe manu- (iiiflures of this kind take away combudibles from Things morepreflingly wanterl, and from ItTs deftruc- live manufactures, where workmanfhip ;|j«foduces a greater profit. -^ This, however, is not the cafe with ev^ article of curiofity of iron, ileel, or copper work, wlicrcin the workmanfliip exceeds t le other ey})ences, Tiiey belong to that weak organization which the Ameri- cans ought not to envy. But it mull: nor be diflimu- lated, that a competition with the Englifh will, on this head, be diilicult to maintain: their great ability and addrefs in the diitribution of work and different procefTes, the invention of which has not been con- ftraJned by any error* or falfe view of the admini- ft rat ion * Thofe falfe views cannot be too much deplored— thofe nar- row ideas— 'thofe fears of ignorance, which fnatch from the hands of induftry the liappy inventions which are proper to en- rich a whole nation ! Who can calculate the riches that England owes to the folc application of the coining-mill, or engine and dye, whofe free ufe ha^ been left to all the manufaftures which • it was capable of improving in accelerating their cffedls ? How mj^nj proceedings more ingenious and expeditious has this ma- chine produced? Happily for England, there have not been' found in hsr bofom thofe able minifters, who, leeing th.it this machine is of ufe in making money, have drawn from it the profound confequence that every one would make falfe money if the free ud y 1 loS ON THli COMMERCE OF THL fh'alion of F.nglamI, give them over iis a conficler- ablc acl vantage; yet it is not impollible I'or us to l):i- lance it, for tliis diflribution of work ami jMOcecci- ings are neither fecrets norfiiperior to French inchif- try. J.ct government adopt arjd follow the trivial maxim — ' Whowillhavetheendwillfind the means.' J.ct it in confequence not interdict any of the means, and this indudry will not fiave to envy the fiiccefj- of our rivalf SECTION m 'it \n true tiiat at prefent art'fts are permitted to have ml'ls," &c. by conforming thcnifclves lo certain formalities,— always formalitifs ? No otlier are required in England than thofe cf being able to pay the expcncc of the machine,— and has Eng- land perceived from 't any pernicious t/Fe(5Vs ? lii.i falfe money ovLVturtied public order, impovcrifhed the nation, or dimini/lied her revenues ? • Willi what difficulty has the invention of the colnlng-mill made its way into France ? It is due to an induftrious French- man of the fifteenth century, named Briois. Pcrfecuted for this difcovcry, he was obliged to take refuge in England j the linglifh received him favourably, and put his invention iiitr» execution. Another Frenchman of the name of V/arIn, of the laft cenMiry, wifhed to procure the advantaj^cs of it to his countrynienj he experienced alike abfurd perfecution j and with- out the fupport of the Chancellor S«quicr, he would have failed in his attempt.— I do not allow mjfelf to fpeak ot the per* l'c6tion to which M. Droz pretends to have brought the coin- ing mill at prefent; but by tlie vexations he fufifcvj, it may be judged that he has in fa€l fimplified that machine, that he has rendered fewer hands neceii'ary, and the coina^'? of money mt-re perfeft and expeditious j two advantages very precious in this art, »s the experces of it cannot be too much reduced, and the ex- actitude and perfctflion of the ftamp of money are the fureft means of difconccrting coineri. What fatal genius is it there- fore which purfues induftry in France ? That of companies, of corporations, of privileges. As foon as a happy difcovery attacks their profits, they em; loy tven the bafeft means to de- fend them J intrigue, falfehood, fedu£lion, are all legitimate with the people which qompofe thofe afTociations, whilft the man of genius, (landing alone for the moft part, and who at- taches too great 3 value to his time to pror':ituce it to ihefe manrsuvres, geneiaily exnericnces the mod liumiliating difgu.li. IINITED ITATES OF AMEXICA. 10^ SECTION XI. ' ^fXtlleryfioiJ ami SHverfmiths^ Artkh'sfihch'Tjoyhy (ifc. If the inhab'.tants of the United States concentrate their labours f.nd plcafurc in a life of hiilbandry ; if they continue to feek happinefs, not in pomp, but in nature herfelf, and in a fimplicity of manners-, in that fimplicity which naturally produces eafc, and the population and profperity of Itates; they will not feek after, but dildain plate and jewels, to which we attach fo great a price. They will ref-^rve precious metals for mints and commerce. It U not, '.owever, to be prefumed, that this order of things fhould long fubfift in great cities, and efpecially in frequented ports; European tafle and wants prevail in America,* and French induftry ouglrt to be anxious to rnp[)Iy -their confumption, feeing that t'le French can un- .derfellthe Englifli in thefe articles. But it is probable that the plated ware (copper plated with lilver) invented in England will take place in the United States of that of filver plate, as painted paper has wplaced there much more expen- five hanging ; this new fort of plate has for ufe all the advantages of the other, and cods a great deal lefs. How comes it that the Englifti are already fo ad- vanced in this branch of induftry, whilft there exifts in France but one or two mauufadures where copper is plated on one fide only, and lilvered over on the other? How have the Englifti already carried this in- vention to fo high a degree of pcrfedtion ? How have thev made of it a matter of extcnfive commerce, L whilft * Plate jsufcv in the Southern States— magnificence is feefi ■there; on which account, traveUci's liaving but lUtle philofopliy, fpeak highly of them :— but obferve wh ii; is attached to thit luxury,— flavery reigns in the South, and there are many poor. —There are none in tlxe Noithcin St*tcs,— no plate is iherif uki. m % i 110 ON THE COMMERCE OF THE whilll we are reduced to the two manufa^ures M'herein no progrefs is feen, and wiiere the inferiority of the workmanlhip difgufls thofc who would other- wife find it to their advantage to make ufe of this kind of plate ? Thefe manufa^lures have anexclufive privilege.-: there is the word — Government fearing It'll falfe mo- ney might be made in them, has forbidden even the plating on both (Ides. Reafoning would here be fuperfluous: it is fuf- jfiCiMit to open the eyes to fee which of the tv/o ad- miniftrations has bed ferved its country; whether it be that of England^ by not cramping induflry, and in not giving way io fears, whofe illufion is fnewn by the moft trifling obfervation, or ours, in follow- ing a contrary plan.. Again, was it apprehended, that counterfeit crowns would be made by miliions; as a facrifice is made to this fear of an induftry which would certainly produce many millions of them? Thus, when we confider all thefe articles, wherein trifling confiderations Ihall be our induftry, and con- demn to mediocrity our means of profperity; when we thence turn our attention towards the dlfierent fpirit which governs England, it is aftonifhing that induftry ftill exifts in France, and that the nation does not fall into floth, and remain there. Let us give thanks unto nature, who has richly gi'l^d us, and her guardian ftrength has hitherto demonfcrated itfelf fuperior to the malignant influence of the lalfe fcience of our adminiftrators.* Shall * A cunoui an6 more ufeful work would be, a faithful and ■Qore rational hiftory o»' all the er'o.-; IjUo which the rage of rcgujstlnj; and prohibiting has thrown admlniftration. It is very probal^'e that the refvilt would be, th.it A rench commcrcs has always profoered, in proportion to the iiiexecution cf rC" puiatlons; that in caufing them to be rlgoroufly executed, foreign commerce lia? been favoured and eniichcd. The fpirit of InYentloo and -nduilry wkich our prohibitory regimen haa vl (\ hi ^^X fINITED STATES OF AMERICA. Ill Shall we remain behind the Englifti and Swifs in clock-work? The Americans miifl have watches ; this admirable invention carries with it fuch a degree of utility for even the poor claiTes of focicty, that it ought not to be confidered as a fimple acquifition of luxury, efpecially in the United States, where the diftance of habitations one from another makes the neceffity of it moft fully perceived. But watcher muft be made good and at a cheap rajc ; thefe two conditions will alTiire them a prodigious fale wherever civilization exiils; time is there a pre- cious property, and its price renders the inftrument neceflary which divides it: they will be made good and at a cheap rate, when able artlfts are confiilted.^* This fpecies of manufacture will always belong t«* great cities, where the excefs of population keeps work man fiiip at a low price, where the difficulty of fubfifling enflaves that crowd of weak and indolent beings which are under the law of the rich under- L a taker. «Tevele£led j neither the innumerable quantity of workHiops which ate there fonflrudled, in proportion lO the multiplication of exclu/ive privileges in France. Thus, that of the India Company has jnade Switzerland like the Eaft-Inties, for the manufa^ure ot" m-iflins, and plain and painted linens. * Paris has produced fome very diftlngniihed ones} they i>onoored their art becaufe they had great fcnfe and ingenuity, an-l had bec^. well inftrudled ; but their pupils, for the moft par* flrangcrs, s not having the fame means of gaining confide- ration, were afraid of our injudicious manner of defpifing rhe hands which work at mechanical employments, and quitted tli« country. We have at prefent a Swifs, M. Brcquet, whofe ta- lents ate equal, if not fuperior, to thofe of the moft celebrated Englifh watch-makers. Happily for us, his charafter, his ele- vated views, his obliging zeal; command refpp.'£t in fome niea- fure, and place him above prejudices. Let government confult him, and he will f )on indicate certain means whereby France may have a national manufacture of dock and watch-work. We are informed that he has prcfsntcd to the Miniftry a pro- found memorial upon this ful'jedt. ii \ ' ;; ! iil t 'i ■•k 1 12 OK THE COMIkfERCE OP TttE taker. The United States are far from lufFering this diiiiculty of fubfiftence, this excefs of population; they are therefore far from thefe manufadures. SECTION XII. Diferent Sorts of Paper ^ Jlained Paper ^ ^c. This ufeful production from old rags, thrown o^ by people at eafe, and gathered with care by the in- digent, is daily improved in France.* The Engliflv therafelves buy our paper for printing, and our writ- ing. * The manufa^Vnry of M. M. Johannot d^Aunonayi pro- <3irces finer pape-r than any other manufadlory in Europe, and ihe prcwif is fimple.— There is more demand from Ru/fia, Eng>. Ief>d, and Hollani^, tor this paper than the manufacturer can furnijii J this fcatcenefs of paper d^Auqcnay explains, for why,- Diir flu>pkef!p2rs flill get paper from Holland. To dimini/li this fcarcity, tliele good citizens have generoufly offered tocommu^ nicate their procefs to all the manufadurers of paper in the ration, and even to form fchools, wherein the art of paper-- jn iking m.iy be taughr. Many pcrfons have profited by thcfc cft-rs; the llates ot Burgundy have lately fent three pupils—* Thefe manufadlureis have proved that it was iw^t n.ore expen- tve to make good and excellent paper than that of a middling quality. M. Le Clerc,, who has a great pnper manufadlory at Efibne, found with concern that his manufadtory coft him a great vlej), and produced bad paper only : he comamnlcated his re*^ gret to M. Johannot } the latter went to Elibne and produced good paper with common pafl.K. This w.is certainly a great fer- vice done to Frsnce, and a good example given to the fordid ^viiii<-^ of monopolizers, who, not biting able to do and embraca every ihiog, hioder othtrs from doing it. May thefe generous patriots receive that honour which they d^'ferve: may their ex- ample be followed every where and by A\. Thi« will he to thenl a more fi.ttiering eulogkim, a more brilliant and lafting recom- penic thart cordons and ribbons, unworthy of true merit, be- caufe tliey arc frequently the price of intrigue, and the ornaraeni , of mediocrity. The pUafure of well-doing, and the fuffrages of honcit men, arc pure and unchangeable recompenfcs.— The artifV who does not know how-*) confine Wmfelf to thefe, will ncvet do any thing which is gieat. ntflTED STATES Of AMBRICA. 11$ :ng paper will not be long unequal to theirs, if it does not furpafs it.* But if there be an obje«5l of commerce for which Europeans need not fear a reciprocnl competition ; if there be an article which offers to all European ma nil failures a certain and lucrative employ, it is that of paper: the confumption will always be equal at lead to the production, and its numerous ufes in- fure a flill greater confumption, in proportion as po- pulation, commerce, and knowledge, Ihall increafe. Every nation ought therefore to obferve without jealoufy, that each country ftrives to have within itfelf manufaftures of this kind. Tlie Americans cannot however enjoy this ad- vantage for a long time to come: befides the dearneft of workmanfhip, their population cannot furniili them old rags in quantities futiicient to ei'lablifli paper mills whofe productions would be equal to the confumption of the inhabitants. Will their population ever furnifli them with this^ fufficiency ? This is a queftion difficult to refolve. In fact, in proportion to the knowledge which na- tions may acquire, and to the liberty of the prefs, which may be enjoyed in' America, a prodigious quantity of paper mull: be confumed there; but can the population of this country produce rags in the fame proportion? It cannot rcafonably be hoped that it will.- It is therefore probable that the Ame- rican markets will not for a long time be provider! with any other than European paper, and that this will find a place there. f L 3 But * Rags are more fcarcp, and confequcntlv de.irrr, in "Eng- land than in France, and they are articles of illicit cimnicrce between the two countries. . Tliere aie very fevere laws ag.iinft this commerce ; but it is, a\d ever wili be, carried on, as long as there fhall Le any thing to be gained by it, •j- Rags are eKcelTively dear in Ainerira : but the lime is ar- riving v/hen, by an increafe of populaiim, they will become plenty. In Penrif;ylvani.i they already niuke very good paper. *^1*. I't ^ s ?i4 ON THE COMMf -^ JE OF THE But fince the ufe of paper is fo advantag«!ous to men, (ince it is fo varied, it behoves every nation to look upon foreign confumption as a fupplenient only, as an open port in the cafe of a fufpenfion of interior commerce. It behoves every nation to keep paper at a moderate price within itfelf, and to attain this end, means muft be thought of to increafe ma- terials which ferve to compole this article, and to purfiie the happy attempts already niade to do it.''^' Thefe rcfearches are fo much the more efTential, {0 much the more urgent, as the happy invention of coloured paper for hanging is of a nature always to caiife a greater confumption of paper; and this man- ner oi hanging with paper will fubfifl for a long time H • In the momtnt of writing this note, I have before me very jntcrefiing cA'ays en vf'getables, and on the bark of feveral trees, to transform them into paper; tliefe efTays are due to the rcfearches of M. Dclille, to whofc care the manufafture of Montargis is indebted for a great part of its reputation. He hga far fwrpafl'ed that Scheffe;, whom our men of eruditioit have quoted with fo much emphafis. On feeing the books which M.. Delille has printed, on paper made from a fpecies of mallows, and the bark of the linden, tree j and on perceiving the advantages which might be reaped from this invention, at Teafl in packinij and ftamed paper, of which fo great a con« fumption is made; we wiih that this invention maybe more and move known, received and adopted, as a. means of remedy- jng the want of rags and the dearnefs of paper, which ought to have more inflwence than it commonly believed on the pro- grefj of knowledge. It is almoft impoflible that this invention fhould not foott become genera), and it is greatly the iotereft of the free Ame«> ricans to naturalize it among them. Strong lies of lime and pot-aih, and the Intelligent ufe of vitriolic acid, are great means of reducing hemp and flax to that kind of fubftance extremely attenuated, foft and brittle^ which is proper for making of paper. It might be cdntrived by thefe means to fupply the want of rags by old cordage*. Thefe would even ferve to make good paper, fince being re- duced to tow, it may eafily be bleached. The attenuation ^o^ be feared foi linen is not fo for the material* of whjjch papes ui jnade* UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. XI^ timSj becaufe it gives a neat and agreeable appear- ance to apartments. No other k known in the United States; it is there univerfal; almoft all the houfes are neat and decent.. SECTION XIII. Printinz. The liberty of the prefs being a fundamental' principle of the American conftitution, there can be no doubt that printing will increafe there. But it muft be obferved, that extenfive printing requires workmen at a little expence; that is to fay, men without pro;.)erty, talents^ oreonduft; whom great cities produce and employ in work which requires^ neither intelligence nor emulation; and it has already been obferved, that the United States, unlefs the rage of great cities takes polTe(fion of them, will contain but few of thefe wretched beings. Printing will not, therefore, it may be prefumed^ be extended among the irtc Americans, at lead be- yond that which is neceflary for the public prints.* Their conftant and confidcrable fale, permitting a greater expence in workman(hip,confequently draws about the prefs many individuals, becaufe they have^ in a good falary, a \'\t\\ of the means of becoming proprietors or traders. f The * Gazettes are fingularly muItiDllcd in the United States. They will become ftill more To with an Increafe of population, and this is an advantage, for they are what that excellent pa- triot, Dr. Jebb, called them, ** Centinele which watcli ever public liberty and the prcfervacion of truth." ■f- However, confiderable works are fometimes printeil in the United States, and of which the edition is carefully enough cone£ted. ] h«ve feen, for inflance, th^ Memoirs, in quarto, of the Academies of B^fton and PhiLuieiphia, of the laft year, which proves at the fame time that free America is not fo totally without typograpliicai eftablifliments, and that the inhab'tanta are not all fuch idiots ai a prejudiced Qerman dreanoed they ■1 !.i « ! i ir $ ON THE COMMF.l^rt'or TTT'-E !!' 11 i|: •; i S^Hr 1 ' ml ■ i Jk m m m The fnrnifliing of books oi friencc nnci a;nii((;. meiit muft therefore make a confideralvle objeft nt' importation into the Uinted State?. It U for France to appropri.ate to herfelf this commer''.% anri to en- courage the impreilion of Englifli book^'. Our workmanfliip being cheaper than that of England, and the Engliili nnikitig ufe of our paper, our bind- ing being lefs expenfive, why iliould not all the books in which the Americans fland in need of be printed in France? It win be faid that we do not enjoy the liberty of the prefs, — be it fo: — But it is only with refpedl to our books;* for undoubtedly the adminiftration does not pretend to extend its coercive principles to books written in foreign languages; it would not attain its end, feeing that it does not do h: with re- fpei^to French books ;f and by this impolitical ri- gour * UnJcrr the reign of L'tuls XIV. whofe ambition extended to every thing, it was ferioufly attempted to malce the French* Ungunge univerfal. This abfurd pretenfion was rtdiculoufly ;; f'jpported by the tyranny exercifed upon books hnci authors. ' This tyranny could not but produce bad ones, and confequent- ly difgurt: fttangers. Happily fome judicious men had the" crnragc to make facrifires, and to get their works printed abroad. It is ihefe prohibited books which have eniichecj the Fnnch language and incrcafed the reputation ©f French litera- ture. What authors arc heard quoted in every couiitry ? Rouf- I'eau, Voltaire, Helvefjus, Montefquieu, &c. that is to fay,: men who have been patriotic enough to violate the tyrant's laws of the prefs. •f So that even more than half of the llhrarlffs In France are ■ campofed of French books, printed abroad, for which there arc' two caufeS'—thr cheapnefs and goodnefs of the books; the: OCTAVO leaf printed, is commonly fold m Switzerland to the public at nine derniers or a i\j], and it cofts three or four fols in France. Prohibited books are fold at Paris at the fame price as bookfi permitted, wkich proves the dearnefs of French print- ing. »— Far to the original price of prohibited books, there muit be added the txpences of carriage, rlfks of entry, the commif-. fions of different agents, &c, With refped to the goodnefs of the works, th« belt, as I have already obfcrved, are printed abroad: . tTNITED STATES or ANTERreA.- XX'f fmx France would be (ieprived of a lucrative articlii of commerce, certain, and of continnal increafe. The Dutch, fo adive and vigilant in feizing the rifing branches of commerce, have for a long time fpecuiated on books in the United States; many bi- bles and books of [)rayer, for the ufe of the Ame- ricans, are printed in Halland. Lord Sheffield i» obliged to acknowledge, that printing in Holland is by far more cheap than that of England, and of courfe mud: iiave the preference. They will foma fl^y extend this commerce to clalTical books.* SECTION XIV. Salt, This article, fo neceflary to the Americans, and fb- abundant in France, mult not be forgotten in the enu- meration of commodities to be imported into Ame^ rica. The Americans will for a long time be obliged to get it from Europe; not that they have no fait marfties upon the coalh, and fait pits in the interior- parts of the country; but thefe marflies, thefe fait pits, mull have hands to work them; and hands are better employed in the United States. f The fait ex- ported* Helvetius has fald with reafcn, ** On ne dit t..a vrRiTF, con«. fume much falted provifionj and giye a great (quantity or fsilt t^, their cattle., I* i Il8 ON THE COMMERCE OF THB ported from Europe will for this reafon be a long time cheaper than that of America: — moreover, its freight will coft but little, as veflelsfrom Europe may be ballaftcd with it. The Americans ought to give the preference to French fait; it is lefs fliarp, lefs corrofive, and poifefles a better quality for falting, than any other European fait. The three millions of inhabitants which the United State^r contain at prefent, are fnppofed to confume fixty million pound weight of fait, without reckon- ing that vv'hich is given to cattle, and that employed in falting provifions; of which great quantity is confumcd in the United States, and with which they will cnrry en a commerce more and more con- fiderable:. I will not at prefent go info a calculation of the immcnfe riches whicli the furnifliing of made Mi to foreign population, continually increafing, would produce to France. I ought to guard againrt exaggerations: but it may not be improper to ob- ferve, that a confiderable part of the States of the North will never make any fait. It is therefore pof- fible that French fait may have a preference among them, as being cheaper and more within their reach : the population of thefe Hates will be more rapid than that of the others, and the commerce more varied and extenfive. ii SECTION XV. General Confideratmis en the Catalogue of French J/ufor^ tatiom into the United States, I will extend no further the lift of articles which French commerce may furnifli to the United States: there are many others whicih I omit, becaufe the bounds of my work will not permit me to examine any more than the principal ones. If faith be given to the calculations of Lord Shef- field, and of other political writers, it appears that thjt "united states or amehica. 119 *tlK amount of the exportations of Great-Britain into free America was, upon an average, cnlcuhtecl upon three years, taken before 1773, near three millions flerling, upwards of fcventy-tuo millions of livrcs toiirnois. How much will it increale in following the progreflion of population, and clearing of lands? It is efpecially for this future flatc of things that France ought to prepare her means. Let it be alto obi'crved, tliat this commerce cm- ployed feven or eigl.t hundred veflels, and about ten thoufand Tailors. Ought France to let flip fo important a commerc, and a means fo natural of fupporting her marine? For without commerce there can be no marine. Has not file, in the richnefs of her foil, in a variety of her manufat^ures, in the low price of her workman- fhip, in the induftry and tafte of her inhabitants, iii her population, and in the lituation of her ports, an infinity of means fufficient to eftablifli in America a folid and e?;ten(ive commerce? It mull b? continual- ly repeated, that if it be wiflied that peace fliould reign upon tiie earth, the words preference ami compe- JifioHf which are frequently fignals of difcord, muft be uled with circumfpe<5tion. Why ihould there be any jealoufy with refpe6l to this commerce? In the courfe of time independent America will offer a field ■wide enough for all the European manufafturcs. CHAPTER tio OtC THE COMMERCE OF TSE CHAPTER VI. Of the Articles ivhich Independent America may/wrnifi in return f 01- Importations from France, JTxRRIVED at this part of my work, I cannot do better than confign to it the letter addrefled by M. de Calonne to Mr. Jefferfon, Minifter Plenij)ot.ciitiary from the United States of America. LETTER AddreJJed to M. JeffirfoHy Minifter Plenipoientiary from jhe United States of America to the Court of France, biR, Fontainhkaii, 2 2d O^vler^ 1786. • The King's intention being to favour as much as polfible the commerce of the United States, I have the honour to communicate to you fome dii'pofitions -nTade for that purpofe. By u letter of the 9th of January, 1784, to the Marquis de la Fayette, I inform.ed him, that inftead of two free ports, prom i fed by the treaty to the United States, the king had determined to grant them four, which lias been effected; and I promifed him to confidcr the cuftoms and duties on importation and exportation which fhackle commerce; obfer/- ing to him, that thefe objects required condderable application; they have fiOt yet been completed. By another letter I informed the Marquis, that his Ma- jefty had fupprefled the duties on the exportation of brandy, a meafure which he hoped would be ufeful to American commerce; I afflired him alfo, that the duties of .the king and admiralty, payable by an Americaa m UNITED bTATLS OF AMI. RICA. I2t American vellcl on its rivrival in a port of France, ihould be tliminidied; and afterwards that inch of thcni as remained, (liould be reduced to a lingle duty, to be regulated according to tlie number of iTialts or draught of water, and not according to the two uncertain eltimation t>f g«Higing. Thisreducftion requires an exa^t knowledge of all the duties received in the ports, and as they are of various f[)ecies, the ftate which I ordered to be drawn up of them has not yet been given in. You know. Sir, tlie king has charged a particular committee, to examine our commercial connexions with the United States, and that the Marquis de la Fayette has laid before it a project analogous to the ideas contained in your letter to the Count de Ver- gennes: but you null perceive, how imprud^'nt it would be to haza»*d, by a change of fyi^em, the pro- duce of a branch of revenue, which amounts to twen- ty-eight millions of livres, without falling upon any objed of the firll necellity.-i After an ample difcuf- fion of every thing which might at prefent favour the importation of tobacco from America to France, it has been decreed, not that the agreement made with Mr. Morris Ihould be departed from, but that, after Jie expiration of it, no other of the fame import ihould be made; and that in the mean time the Far- mers General fliould be obliged to purchafe annually about fifteen thoufand hogiheads of American tobac- co, coming diredtly from the United States in French or American fliips, at the fame prices as ftipulaied in the contrail mide with Mr. Morris. You will recolle6t, Sir, that whilft the demands which had been made for whale oil were under con- fideration, the Marquis de la Fayette made a private arrangement with M. Sangrain, permitting him to receive as much of that article as fhould amount to i?ight hundred thoufand livres tournois, and that I )iad granted paflports to exempt this iirft quantity M from m T£2 ON THE COMMERCE OP TM5 iVoni all (ivilics whatfoevcr. M. Sangr.-iin made .if- Icrwa'tls an agreement with the merchants of lioilon for whale oil, to the amf)unt of four liundrcd thoii- fand livres a year, for fix years, for which his Ma- jcfty has i)r()mifed the fame favo'^rs as enjoyed by the Hanfe towns. * This manner having lately been examined under a more general ])()int of view, the adminiflration, to which the conmiittce has made its report comform- able to the rcqueft of the Marquis de la Fayette, and to your opinion, relative to the entire abolition of all duties on oils, has dilcovered that it cannot ccnfent to it for the prcfent, on account of engagements en- tered into with other powers. All that could be done was to iufurc, for ten years, whale oil, fper- maceti, and every thing comprehended under thefe denominations, coming from the United States in French or American {liips,thc fame favours and mo- deration of duties as are enjoyed by the Hanfe towns. His Majefty hopes commercial connexions be- tween the United States and France will become .ex- tenfive enough to engage him to continue the effeft of this provifionary de'cilion j and as it has been ob- ferved in the committee, that a confiderable duty was. paid upon the making of the mofl favoured whale oils, and even upon national ones, his Majefty con- fents to abolifli this duty with refpeft to the former, and upon fpermaceti coming immediately from the United States in French and American fliips ; i'o that fpermaceti and thefe oils will have to pay, for ten vears to come, no more than (even livres ten fols, and the ten fols per pound, for all manner of duty; the lafl augmentation often fols per pound to ceafe in 1790. It has been determined to gain particular infor- mation upon the confumption in France of rice from Carolina, and that encouragement fliould be given to the exportation of that article. Upon VK1TF.D bTATi:s OP AMERICA. Ilj Upon the rcprefentntioris ^vlncli have been m:icle, to'ichin^j the c<)n(ici(n":il>Ic chitiei i)aicl en the rntry of pot afli and pearl nfli, as well as relative to thole of beaver fkins and hn", ami raw hides, hh iMajefly hiis iuppreircd all the duties on pot alii — on tlic iur and Ikins of beavers — and on liidcj?, coniinj; raw from the United Statesj on bcanl American or French vellMs. He will alio C(infider of p-oper encoura^^e- nicnls to be givtn toevery article of the fl;lu and fur trade. His MajeRy has cqnnlly confentcd to free from nil duties, marts and yards o' every fpecies, red cedar, green oak, in fhort, all tiinber proper for the con- lh"ui1:ion of veflels, coming from the United States in French or American fliips. ' The conmiittee havin^ijalfo reprefented, thnt there n-as a duty of five per cent, upon tlie purchafe of veillls built abroad, and that this duty was prejudi- cial to the fale of American veflels, his Majeity has tiken this into his confideration. and exempted the purchafe of all fliips, which fhall be proved to have been confl:ru6ted in the United States, from every duty of the kind. Trees, fmall flirubs, «nd feeds of tree? alfo, pay. hi^h duties, which his Majeliy has ap/eed to abolifh upon fuch as fliall be fent from the United States to France, on board French or American faips. It having been reprefented, that the irate of Vir- ginia had ordered arms for its militia to be miade in F'rance, it has been determined, that the prohibitions which have hitherto hindered the exportation of arms and gunpowder, as well as the duties required in cafes of particular permiilicns, flioukl be aboli (li- ed, and that whenever the United States ihall wifli to have from France, arms, fufils, and gunpowder, they fhall have full liberty to do it:, provided it be in French or American fliips, and that thvife r.rticles i\i -1 (hall a.i 124 ON THIi COMMERCE OF THE fliall be fubjecft to a very moderate duty only, folely for the purpofc of calculating the exportations. Finally, his Majefty has received in the fame fa- vourable manner the demand made to the commit- tee to fupprefs the conliderable duties hitherto paid on books and paper of every kind. His Majefty fuppredes ail duties on articles of this kind, deftined to the United States, and put into French or Ame- rican vellel';. It is with pleafure, Sir, I announce to you thef« difpofitions of his Majefty, which are a new proof . to you of his defire to unite clofely the commerce of the two nations, and of the favourable attention he will always give to propofitions which fliall be made to him in the name of the United States of 'America. I have the honour to be, witha ftncereattachment, Sir, Your very humble and very obedient fervant, (Signed) ' DE CALONNE. Your nation, Sir, will undoubtedly fee, witHplea- fure, the facilities the king has juft given to the ex- portation of the wines of Bourdeaux, Guienne, and Touraine, and the fuppreftions of duties granted to thr.t effeft, by ditFerent Arretsof Cou?iciI, 'vith which the Marqv.is tie la Fayette will be able to acquaintyou. EXPORTS UNITSD STATSS OF AMES.;CA. I .) • EXPORTS OF AMERICA. I WILL treat but'of a few of the ariicles which America funiiflics, on account of the atieiitiun which tiiey all merit. . SECTION I. Tobac CO, Of all the articles which France may procure from the United States, tobacco is the molt important one to the inhabitants of the two cocintries. If it cannot be clafTed with our moft urgent neceffities, it followj* them fo clofe, that excepting cafes wherein the ufe of it excites difguft, the deprivation of it ordinarily difcovers the laft degree of mifery. We muft not be furprifed at its general ufe. — The man greedy of fenfations has found one lively enough in tobacco: it is perhaps the only one which he can enjoy al pleafure without injuring his health^ diminifliing his ftrength, or fufpending h\z work or meditations. Tobacco awakens the mind agree- ably, and obfervers who have remarked the innocent pleafure, thefpecies of inftantaneous comfort, whicU a little tobacco procures to a poor man, borne down by the weight of affliction, have always wifiied that fo fimple an enjoyment fliould be improved and be- come lefs and lefs expenfive; and they cannot re- flect without horror on the crime of that fifcal in- duftry, which, hardened by monopoly to increafe its profits, adulterates fnuff fo much, as to make it pernicious to health. . M 3 The : 141 1 « > ' ■ i\ ii6 ON THE COMMERCE OF TH.E The confumption of tobacco muft therefore be- conie more and more confiderable, and the com- merce of this leaf, already very important, cannot be decreafed but by the diminution of its cultivation ; which the policy of America will never permit. The cultivation of tobacco is by no means proper for the European States, which have acquired popu- lation enough to apply another kind of cultivation to all their good lands. It is true the Alfaciens cultivate a little tobacco, and they boafl of it; but they would make a greater profit if they cultivated their lands for provifions. This experience is decifive for France, where none of thofe rich lands exifl which are fo well known in America. It is therefore the intereft of France to get tobacco from abroad, but it mud be paid for by ler nianu failures; flie may enjoy this advantage more fully with free America than with any other country. I will not repeat the reafons of it ; I will obferve only, that the free Americans, having an immenfc extent of lands which cannot be cleared but in the courfe of feverai centuries, mull have, for a long time to come, tobacco to fend to Furope, fince this produc- tion pays with ufury the expences of clearing. It is true, that the cultivation of tobacco in Ame- rica muft be fartherand farther from thefea,and that ihe expences of carriage may become confiderable. But different confiderations place this epocha at a diftance; firft, in cultivating tobacco in none but" •abfplute new lands, the cultivation is much lefs ex- penfive, and the produce confiderably more abun- dant; confequently it will coft much lefs in a new foil than when the foil requires more labour and ma- nure. Secondly, America, interfe(?!led in every di- rection by rivers and lakes, has infinite refources for rendering water carriage every where eafy, and con- fequently never expenfive. It is eafy to multiply canals, and confequently coni.Tiuiiications; no part of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 127 of the world is fo much favoured in this refpeft as America. Thirdly, The banks of the Ohio and the Mifliffippi offer immenfe lands to be cleared; the Ohio falls into the Miiriflippi, which falls in its turn into the fea : thefe two rivers arealmoft everywhere navigable, and the lands near them produce already excellent tobacco, and will continue to do fo for a long time.* Fourthly, If the price of tobacco fliould be increafed, France would not feel the difference, if the free Americans, preferring the culture, con- tinued to want European raanufa6lures, and gave the preference to thofe of France. According to this lyftem, the exchange of merchandize, manufactured in France for the produflions of the foil of America, may be ftill made with advantage, if even thefe pro- du<5lions were fold in France below the firil coll in America. We have long feen the French commerce of the Levant produce great profits, although the merchandize brought in return was fold at d. lefs price in France than it coftat the place where it was produced. This circumilance ftill exifls. T'herefore the fpecularion, moft to the intereft of France, is to take as much tobacco as ilie can con- fume * It is impoflible to view, witliout indignation, that narrow P'^licy of Spain, which would fhut out the Americans from all communication with the Tea by the MifiilTipj)!, How is it, that flic cannot perceive, that her mercantile intereft invicei her, on the contrary, to favour this navigation, by ereiling llore houfes upon the banks of this river near to its mouth ? Is fhe ignorant of the advantages cf dcpalitories ? And with refpetSl to her po- litical inteieil, is there a jjreatcr one for her in thefe countries, than to make herfelf immediately nece(Tary to American ei^a- bliihments, within the reach of the Ohio? Muft fhe wait till they adopt other means ? What will b** gained by creating dif- conter.t among a free people? If it be wifhed that thefe people fliould not become powerful, they murt be deftroycdj and if this barbarity belongs not to the eighteenth century, it ii neceHary to make friends of tbeoi* £xi>edieots in politic) are childliJBi aad vAin« 1 1 .1 128 ON THE COMMERCE OF THE fume from the Americans, and pay for it with her manufadures.* SECTIOxV II. Fijfierles^ Whale Oil^ i^c. Spermaceti CanclUu Among the articles of fubfiftence which nature has liberally given to men, fifli is one of the mcft abundant, tlie mod eafy to be procured, and the moil proper to preferve their iiealth and flrcngth.f By what fatal privilege is this food confined in France almofl: to the rich? Why does nor fifli abound in ail places, where this tribute of the fea can be received in its original fiate, and without being charged with the expenccs of two long a carriage? Since it is fo w-ell known, that it is advantageous to a fiate, and to every clafs of citizens, to- procure an abundance, ajid a variety of eatables, let them come from where they will, or of whatever nature they be, provided they be cheap and wholefome: why is this political rule departed from, with refpe^l to fifli, to that all-, ment which nature produces every where with fuch fecundity? Whatever may be the motives which may repel it by an overcharge of duties, they can proceed from nothing but a culpable ignorance. Fully convinced of the benefit which muft refuit to mankind from an abundance of provifions, and from the facility of producing this abundance, in receiving from each nation the fuperfluity which na- ture has given it, I (hall take great care not to copy the narrow fyftem of L.ord Sherfield with refped to fifherics. * The tobacco leaf, of which 'the farmers general had the entire monopoly, orexclufive falcj, produced to the king a clear nett revenue, annually, of between twenty-eight and twenty- nine millions of Ilvres. ■f Such is the powerful influence on population, of the abun- dance of articles of fubfiftence, and efpecially that of fifh, that U is principally to this article of life that the empire of Ch'.n^ owes the incredible number of its inhabitants! oft pre to )*n $t "e UNITE© STATES OF AKiCRICA, 129 fifiicries. — His Lorduiip agrees, that the iiulcpen- cleiit Americans liavc, for the orent fiilicry, natural advantages, with which it is impoliible for the Eu- ^ ropeans to contend. In fa6l, the Americans are near that part of the Atlantic where great fifh abound; therefore their filhcry muH: be lefs expenfivc to them. If accidents happen, they are foon repaired; all their operations are more prompt and fure; having a better know- ledge of thefc fea,"^, they are expoff d to lefs rifks than Europeans: finally, their proximity to the fiflieries alTures them provinons more frelh,'* and puts it in trcq uentlv; conle- ife- then* power to renew them more quently their fifliermcn enjoy mere conP" .nt health, and have older officers and Tailors amon^^ them : thefe are ineftimable advantages to America. The Englifli have very few of thefe advantages; the French fcarcely any. — But ought we to conclude with Lord Sheffield, from this order of things, that American fifli fliould be charged withduties, in or- der to fupport the national fifliery, againft this com- petition? the nature of things dldates to France more wife and advantageous means. — Fifli is nourifliing — whatever is nourifhing is prolific: if the Ameri- cans hih at lefs ex[)ence than the French, (o nnich the better for the laft; fifn will be more abundant, and at a lower price in France. Let France open her ports; the Americans will bring hfli into them, and will pay themfelves with either the produftlons of the foil of France, or of her inchillry; and the po- pulation to vvhicii this abundance and cheapnefsare favourable, will incrcafe the productions of French induilrv. Moreover, i H * Such is th:: Advantage of tlie i*rper*can?, that they furni/h provifionsfo the fedentary fiiheries of the Engiiiii. According to Colonel Champion, th'* prnvifions of Europe aa more dsur, and not fo good ; rhe difference in favour of the Americans is m the proportion of four to fevcn: and it cannot be oiherr/irc> j$o ON THK COMMERCE OF THE Moreover, it Is iiecefiliry, eiiher to renoiincee.x- terior commence, or to conient that there Ih.ill be fometfiing to exchnnge on both fides. To wifli to ellablifli and encourage a commerce with a foreign nation, and not to leave it to the care of fin nilhii\g that which it collet^us with the greatell ficility, is a manifeil contradiction. The enlightened policy of commerce is not to invade all the branches of it, but to do nothing but that u-'ycli can be done better and cheaper than r.ny otlier. Therefore, lincethe Aw.c- ricans havefifii on their coaih, fince they are in the neighbourhood of Nen-foundland, leave to their in- duflry tiiat branch which nature lias given to them in preference; let us not difpute it with them: firft, bccaufe it would be iii vain to do it, and in the next place, becauie France may reap, without fifliing, more advantageoufly the fruit of the American fiiherits. *' But," fays Lord Shefiield, " failorsmuft be found ** for the navy; and the fiflieries are the nurferies for " them; therefore the fiflieries muft be fujjported; *' and no fifli confumed but that which wc take cur- " lelves; on which account premiums are neceflhry." There is no doubt but failors are formed in the fiflieries, but it is not in throv/ing nets or hooks, in cur- ing or preparing fifli, that this is tione; it is by a fre- quent and long exercife on board veflels in laborious manoeuvres, in living, fo to fpeak, among rocks, and in feas, which the vicinity ornearnefs of oppoUte coafts makes continually dangerous: novi this excr- cifeof vigilance, agil'ty, and intelligence, is perform- ed by the failor in coailinr and fifiiinn; on the coafls of his own country. Let coafting be frequent, and let not this fifnery be difcouraged in France, and it will not be necefliary,in order to form failors, to fend them fo far to take hfli, which they cannot bring to Europe without great expence: by which the con- fumption is confequently limited, and which deprives lis of the inellimable advantage of receivingiii abund- ance, himl r'lcs giver urns. Go VI dlffic * tNlTED STATES OK AMERICA. n^ ance, that wliich the iridependcnt Americans can take at much lei's expence. Without doubt the exercifc of the fiflieries of r!ir North forms intrepid lailors; and thii painful life mufl be confented to. But when nature has p'.acec! men in a cUmaie where they have but a few (leps to make to the interior of the country, ■•^' to find an oc- cupation exempt from dangers and lefs fatiguing, when they car get tlieir bread upon land, under a clear and calm fliv, if he reafons, how will he be en- gaged to truft his life to boards, and to brave icy feas, to expofe himfelf during the fineft months in the year to perpetual florms, which aflliil thefe fifliing banks, io frequently ilained, by means of the mofl fatal errors^ with European blood? It v^ill be anfvvcred, by premiums,! by privileges, * The French fi^ but a part of the year; mofl of the fi!h- crmen are day labourers, employed on land, which they leave in the .-nonth of February, and return to It. in July. ■f- England gives conuderable premiums to her fuliermen.— • r^utthe inconveniencies and abufes of the iirfl premiums render them of noeffeft. Thefe dbufes are chiefly as follows: The iilhirg veffel muft go co a certain pert; the equipage mull pafs in revievv before the Oflkersof the Cult jms; thelhip mull com- plete her caigo, or remain three months at fea to do it ',-^fo that if in the firft week-fhe procure» VTT STATES OF AMERICA. »33 ndded afterwards to fnilors exercifed in the coafting and in the fifhtTies on their own coails, will form for the navy experienced failors. Whale oil belongs to the fidieries : it is another great article of commerce with the United States. All oil of this denomination is not produced by whales only; great quantities of it is drawn from feals, and other fpecies of fifh. The ufe of this oil is much reftraincd in France:* that of the white of the whale, and of which fueli fine candles are made, is little known tlKire. The ufe of oil will become more general. Lord Sheffield is of opinion, that found policy makes its neceflary that the Englifli ihould prohibit, or at lea ft difcourage by duties, American oil. It was with this idea that the government of England impofed a duty of four hundred and fifty livres tour- nois per ton on oils imported by the independent Americans, to favour the oils of Canada and Nova- Scotia. This rigour fliould make this production, which has been hitherto profcribed, received in France. The introdu- gvoc« organised as we are? Have not they like us, every th ig which belongs to the produftion of the fpecies, to the formation of iden.s, and to their dcvelopement ? If their blacic colour ought to have any moial effedV, to have any influence over their fate, or to determine our conduft towards them, it /hould be that of inducing us to leave then where they arc, and not to force them ' Si 144 ^ON THE COMMERCE OF THE Were the culture of this commodity even abfohUely neceHIiry, this neceflity would give us no right over the lives of negroes; or it would be the etfcit of a flate of war; tor fervitiide was never a right. There is a fpecies of dry rice no way dangerous to cultivate. Moreover, the example of the Chinefe and the Indians, among wiiom the cukure of rice makes not fuch ravag,es, ought to make us hope, that in Imitating them hfe and health would be reflored to men of which we have never had a right to deprive them." After having confidered this produtfrion as a man •fliould confider it, 1 rauft now confider it as a mer- chant ought to do. The Prench government has not yet taken a de- termined refohuion relative to the introduftion of American rice. It is a wholefome and fimpie arti- cle of fnbrifl:cnce, proper to iiipplythe place of prin- cipal commooities. it cannot be too often repeated, thai; the niuiriplicatioii of articles of fubfiftencc ought to be encourage ); it would render Ihe lefs painful to the people, increafe population, and confequently natural riches. If France wIlTies to have a great and folid com- merce with the United States, Ihe ought to admit all the produ(ftions of the U«ited States. The «way from their cou~ try; not to puni/h them by the mod bar- barous treatment ;>n account of their colour ; not to drag thejn into a foreign tMJ'J, in condemn tbern ther« fo the vile and painful lif. of unini'TM Do they corns and offer themfelves vo- luntarily a) il;v-e? D"; they aflc to leave thole torrid ?ones, wherein n.'t'iv.-: 'kcirr^ to .•: ve circumfcribtd them by their co- Jour, aslht hab ^«> vr by us n more temperate ones by our whitr* complexions:' Th-i' vants, being few, keep them in ignorance; v/t ad.! every thing pable if cnanging it into imbecility, and we argu^ r-pon this .gradation, of which we are the culpable authors co tranquil »e ourfelves on the jiift reproachc* which rature rakes us ! Q«a wc boaft therifrre nf our knowledge, as long "i it remiinstr ace »mpli;:f in tbefe i<. rrors ? See on this fubjed; ' re^iaraen critit^ue drt Voyager)* de M* de Chailelux. rTCITKD STATES OP AMES.TfA. 14^ The Americans exported annually, diinnjT the vears 176S, 17^9, and 1770, to Great-Britain and rhe fouth ot Europe, a hundred and fiiteen thoufand barrels uf rice, worth fix miUions and a half of livres tournois.'^" It Is the mod confiderahle article of ex- portation after tobacco, wheat, and flour. It de- i'w-rvet. therefore that France fliouid think of it for her commerce, and endeavour to bring it into her ports, to be diftributed there toother European markets, •Lid'igo. The fame thini; may be faid of the indigo of t!:r Carolinas and Georgia; it makes a part of the im- portant produftions of thi. United States, and is con- fumed in Europe; — it is therefore neceiTary to open for its reception all the French ports, and afterwards to give it eafy communications. The EngliOi re- ceived of it annually, during the years 1760, 1769, and 1770, to the amount of three millions of livres rournois.f It was principally coniiimed in England, .Ireland, and the north of E\n*ope, by reafon of its low price. The indigo of St. Domingo is much dearer. The Indigo of Carolina and Georgia has acquired a much better quality (iacc the tirfl quantities of it arrived in England; but I have not learned that it is to be compared v/itli the indigo of Domingo. Tra- vellers fay, that Carolina produces indigo almoll as good as that of the French iflands. There are kinds of dying to which low priced in- digo is proper; and^ for this reafoii, cerinin dvers life that of the Carolinas and Georgia. In thefe cafes it will always have the prtfereure. Therefore Ame- rican ind!2;o fliould be admitted as Ion? as there is a conlumption for it, for die Americans will continue O to * Til? exportation fr^m Churltfton, fr^m Dcccaibcr 175^4, to Decembe; 1785, umouniPu i > 67 7 1 ■? binds. -f Thf exportation of dye-iluff, made m 1785, from Charlef- ton, anaountcd to 500^910 poiaud weight. 146 OK THE COMMERCE OF THE to cultivalcit; and fince this cultivation cannot l>c prevented, tlie moil advantageous thitig is to ftiive to become agents in tiie general commerce of Ame- rica. Flax-SecJ. North-America Tent to England and Ireland, dur- ing the years 1768, 1769, and 1770, flax-feed to the amountof two millions anda halt of livrcs tournois ; it IS all confumed in Great-Britain, The advan- tage of paying for this {ccd with Irifli linens, gave it the preference to that of Flanders and the Baltic. Flax-feed from thefe countries is, moreover, \^vy dear. It is the bnfinefs of thofe French merclunts, who ■may be interefted in the commerce with the United States, to confider what advantages they may derive from this commerce. If the culture of flax becomes cxtenlive in France, foreign feed ought to be pre- ferred for two reafons: — the quality of the produc- tion is improved by it, and there is more advantage in fpinning flax in peopled and induftricus countries, than in letring it ripen to gather i'tfA, It appears, that flax-iV^!d comes not in abundance, but fron\ coimtries where there are not hands fufficient to fpin, orgivefhe flrfl: preparation, even to the flax they produce : it is then proper to cultivate it for its feed, which becomes a confiderable article of commerce: as long as this ftate of things fubfifts, it muit alfo be proper for peopled countries to get flax-feed from abroad. Flanders feems to be an exception ; but the expor- tation of flax is there prohibited, for the purpofe of encouraging fpinning, ^c. in this cafe Flanders, be- incra country very projier for the cultivation of flax, may leave to many cultivators of this plant no other refource than the commerce of the U^d. Jt is pro- bable, that if tiie flax could be fent from Flanders, after IJNITEI) STATES OF AMERICA. 14^ after the firll: preparation for fpiuning, nobody would think of gathering the feed. SECTION VII. Niival Siorcjy Juch as Pitchy I ai\, and Turpcntitie. Before the einajicipatlon of America, England rc- >> ived coiilid^rabie fupptics of ihci'e articleii trom aiiierica, particularly iroin Carolina and the South. 'I'he quantities of thefe articles amounted annually, during;; rhe ycar^3 176S, I76(^, and 1770, to tvventy- feven thoufand ^tvcw hundred barrels of {:it.ch ; eigh- ty-two thoufand four hundred barr°!:s of t;-;-; and tvventv-eif^ht thoufand one hundred of turi^entine: the whole amounting, in rhe port of exportation, to one million two hundred and twenty-eight thoufand Hvrcj tournois. Thefe ftores were very valuable to the Engllfli, as well for their commerce as for their proper confump- tion. Two confiderable manufacture's, eitabliflied .It Hull, were fuj)portcd by them; tar was there converted into pitch, confiderable quantities of it were ex{>orted to the fouth, where it was received in competition with that from the north of Europe. Turpentine, converted in thefe manufa6tuies into oil or f[)iriL, furniflied a confiderable obje6t of com- merce. England confumes a great deal of it in the preparation of colours, varniflies, &c. The American revolution has not made the Eni{, lifli lofe fight of thefe Itorcs : the want they have of them makes it imprudent to truff wholly to the ex- portation of thefe articles from Ruflia and Sweden, where the Englidi have the Dutch for competitors. Moreover, the navigation of America, lefs dangerous tli:tn that of the Baltic, is not, like the laft, limited to a certain time of the year; it is confequently n;ore frequent and lefs expeniivc; fo that thefe ilores will come toy a long time from America at a lower })rice O 2 ilian 14-8 ON THE COMMKRCE OF TIFE th n from the north. American tar is as good'ai tiicji ut Kuroj)e, thicker and more proper for making pitch; it is jircfcrred for fliccj), even at a higher j>rice. AnuTican turpentine is inferior to none but that of France. An En^lilh merchant has tanght the Rufllans how to hirnifti as good *nrpentine is that from any other nation: this produiftion will b^ in great abundance there, by the numerous and immenfe forefts of firs in the neighbourhood of Archangel, where their cropo ure depofited. The ftate of things Ihews to France what value file ought to attach to tiie naval flores whicii may be fur- niihed from America. The quantities of them ex- ported from Charlellon become more and more confiderable.* The fandy foil near tiie Tea, in North Carolina and the fouth of Virginia, produces a great quantity of firs^ from, which tar and turpcntiric are extraftcd; this is done without much trouble, and ■ he facility of ielling and preparing the trees is a great encouragement. SECTION vin. Timber and Wcoa. f^>y Car f enters and Coopers toorJc ; fuch as Slaves J Cojk-heads^ Pla?iks , Beards^ ^c, France, as well as England, ought to be, for t!)cu* own interffts, engaged to favour the importation of thcfe articles, of which the United States can furnidi fuch gr^'at cuiantities. Timber n ♦ In 17?^,—- 7c.).i 'oanel's of pitch, tar, an.i turpentine, were rxpnrted fwm Cliarlrllon. In 1783, — 14697 barielf. I kno.v .>u,tb"W many bai;-.".]-. ihf cxpi;rt.i.ioii of r;^'4 amounccd to ; but that of J785 coiififtcJ of i';,coo. Tht- lame increife i? cbferved in o'.her articles. The moil confiderable is iice, :if- terwards inuijjo J— the othf^r attlvles ere, tobacco, cfer-ftcin-, timb'r, wheat, butter, wax, ard leather. This cxpoftatipa aai'jjiirs to .neiu-.four hun•^r;•^i ■ r-whi-ii rcnnds ftcrling. I!<, VNITED ST.\TES OF AMERICA. 149 as her )Ut low her In «e Is in [opo Timber fails in France, and \vi;l bt'coine more and more (Varct; popubtion dtfl/oys it: — \ ft tm- ber niult be found for houft..-,, mills, 6cc. — ho;^llie.ids muft be made for Aigurb; calks and barrels for wine, brandv, 6ic. Tliele articles of timber are priuci[\'dl/ furniliied from the North to the ports of France — but they become dear, their quality dlminilliebvand the Americans have the advantage in the carriage * The value of thelc articles, exported from Ameri- ca to Great-Britain only, amounted to two mi'lianv of livrcs tournois in the year 1770, according to a ftatt.:"ienr drawn up in the Ciillom-Houie of Bollon- The general exportaiions to the Englifi;, French^ American, and Spanilli illands, and to tlie difi'crent parts of Europe, are innnenfc and become daily more confiderable. Were not tliis timber of a gootl (jua- lity, the increafe of this commerce would not be fo rapid. The French have in this refpeortance to dedroy. If the American flaves are efleemed in making rum calkt.,- &c. they will undoubtedly preferve our brandies. * It is ncc-'fTary to give .">ur readers an idea of the prce of fome of thefe articles : an American very converfunt in theiil has (•'urniflicd us with the nccefrary particular'. White oak planks, of two inchei and a half thick, fiwed by the hand, were fold in 1785, at fifteen piaiU'*s, or two hun- died and fixty livres ten fols tournois, tlie thoufand feet. Ordinary planks of fine white pine, an inck thich, fourteen or fifteen feet long, and from a foot to foirteen inches wide, were fold at the fame time at feven piaftres, or thirty-fcvii livres tournois, the thoulund feel.— Thofe of a double thick- nefs, double the price. Planks, (rom two to five inches thick, and from fi^'reen to fixty feet long, at twenty-one pounds New-Yorl< money, or two hundred and fevcnty- three livres tournois, the thoufand feet,— The fame perfon faid he had fcen curbs or L)^i.t timber, at ten fliillings New-York money a ton, the exptnce of cutting,. Ii«» nut included. 03 SF.CT10X Va ^ J^ /: 4V-^ /A 'W 7 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 12.8 mm m I.I 11.25 ■ 2.2 u Ui m u I 2.0 U |L6 HiotDgrafinc Sciences Corporation >/ ^ /. \ iV s^ ^ V V ^^V 4jR^ <^' 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MStO (716) 873-4S03 '^ 9>^ i^O ON THE COMMERCE Of THB SECTION IX. Vejfeh conjiru^cd in America^ to hejohl or freighted. It has been oblerved that the bulk of the commo* dities which might be exchanged by the commerce bet\tcen Fiance and the United Str.ces, was, at an equal vaUie, much more confiderable on the fide of America than that of France. There refuhs irom this, that in thefe exchanges, a great number of Ame- rican vellels muil: be l\ibje6l to return to America in ballalh This ftate of things would certainly be pre- judicial to the commerce between the two nations, if fome compenfation could not be cftabliflied which Ihould remove the inequality. This compenfation may be made in a very advan- tageous manner to both. The independent Ameri- cans conftrutfl veflels for fale: if it be agreeable to a nation to purchafe of another the articles which this manufaftures at a lefs expence, and with more means, it follows, that the French ought to buy American velTels ; and, in fa follows ; his defign was to get a part of the veflels of the French navy conftru6led in Sweden; he tliereby expe(5ted to make great f.w- iug^s t 1 t ill 'i efs for all the European powers who have harbours and fea-port towns, that I think a fure and commodious road in Europe would foon be af- forted with American veflels for fale, if every thing which can encourr.ee a like depoiitory were granted to the port wherein this road might be. This mar-" ket for vefltls will be eftablilhcd: — the Enolifli reject at. France wiH, in a fliori time, encourage it. SECTION X. General ConJiJerations en the preceding Catalogue of Im- portations from the United States into France, The lift which I have gone through of the arti- cles with which the independent Americans may furniih Europe in exchange for her merchandize is not very long ; but thefe articles are confidcrablc, and important enouj'Ji in tliemfelves to merit the at- temion of European niCrch:ti,;b: they are fufficient to deftroy the prejudices of thofe who, under the falfe TfNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 15*/ falfe pretext of the inability of the Americans to fur- nifh articles of exchange, difdain a reciprocal com- merce with the United Stares. Thefe articles arc not, however, the only ones wnich France may receive from them. Independently ofpot-afli, fo precious to maniifa<5tiires, and of which tlie fcarcity becomes daily more fenfible, iron, vegetable-wax, wool, flax, hemp, &c. may increafe the number. The Engliih received of pot-afli to the amount of four hundred thouiand livres per anmim, during the years 1768, 1769, and 1770: pot-a(h being the produce of the wood burnt by the Americans, and as the burning cf wood muft increafe with the number of peo|)le, the quantities of pot-afii rauft have increafed with population. I ought to hope that the work, once known in the United States, will excite the independent Ame- ricans to co-operate with me, in what I have pro- pofed to myfelf, which is to fpread inftrucftion on every thing which relates to their country. They will make known to Europe, in a more extenfive and complete manner, every thing which can main- tain that reciprocal commerce in favour of which i write: they will aiTemble in a work correfpondent to this, all that I have been able to expofe but im- perfe«5tly: ihey will redify my errors. I invite tiiem to apply to ihis interefting fubje<5t: I pray them to give it for a bafis, more philofophical, and philan- throphical principles, than thofe which have hither- to directed the jealous induftry of each fociety. For each, led on by a blind ambition, has wiflied to embrace every thing, to dd every thing at home, and furnifh every thing to others; each has ^iken for principle to receive nothijig from others, except it be gold; each has accullomed itfelf to look upon €very produftion, manufa6turedor unmanufaAured, whicti it fent abroad as a profit, and all thofe which it received as fo many lolTes. Such is the idife prin- P ciple. tj I^ ON THE COMMERCE OF THE ciple, according to which all the European natioij* have direifled their exterior commerce. What would be the confequence of a like fyftem, if it continuecf to prevail? All nations would be ftrangcrs to each other, and exterior commerce ab- folutely annihilated; becauie it tends to take from this commerce that which fupports it. For the gold which is wilhcd for in payment for cxportations is refufed to thofe who would obtain it: all nations look upon the ncceflity of giving it alike; that it is difadvantageous — and drive to avoid it. If, there- fore, on one fide, none will take return in kind, and on the other, nobody will difpofltfs himfelf of hia gold, what will become of exchanges? what will become of commerce? Nature, which intended to make men (o many brothers, and nations fo many families; — -nature, which, to unite all men by the fame tie, has given them wants, which place them in a ftate of depen- dence one on the other; — this wife nature has, by the diilribution of her gifts, anticipated and con- demned this exclufive fyftem. She has faid to the inhabitants of Nantucket, The rock which thou in- habit is rude and flormy; renounce, therefore, the dcfire of drawing from it the delicious wines and fruits which more calm and temperate climates pro- duce. Look at the fea which furrounds thee, — that is thy property and thy treafure : I have made it inex- hauftible; and if thou knoweft how to make ufe of It; if thou wilt confine thyfelf thereto, all the enjoy- ments of the other continent are thine: a fingle flroke of a harpoon, tiexteroufly. thrown, will pro- duce a thoufand times more wine in thy cellar, than if by a painful cultivation thou continuefl obftinate, in afting contrary to my intentions. Nature holds the fame language to the other inha- bitants of the earth: (lie tells the French to ufe all :thcir efforts in the. fruitful Toil which flie has given themi M ! IINITBD STATES OF AMERICA. 1 59 !lfcm, and to ccafe traverfing.foreign feas to obtain, at an immcnfe expencc and much rilk, the fifli and oil which the inhabitants of Nantucket procure witii [;i:rater facility and more fucccfs and economy. Why (liould not all nations underftand a language f» fia'.ple, 10 wife, and fo proper to produce univcr- fal harmony? liut how are they to be made to un- tlerftand it? By what nTeans are they to be prevail- td upon to adopt it ? What means are proper to en- gage nations which might have a diret't commerce between them, to fign a treaty of commerce, which ihould leave each at liberty to furnifh that which it could export better and cheaper than others; and thus edablifli exchanges on the immutable laws of nature? As foon as nations fhall be enlightened enough to perceive the advantage of fuch a treaty, from that moment it will ccafe to be neceflary, and every other treaty will be flill lefs fo. It will then be feen, that they all center in the fingle word Uberiy. It will be difc.overcd that liberty can put every thing in its j)lace; that liberty alone, without negociation or parchment, can every where give birth to an advan- tageous induftry. Finally, that every where, and at all times, flie has fported with ihofe commercial conventions, of which pofiticians have fo ridicu- loutly boafted ; of thofe conventions wherein the contrafling parties arc incefTantly on the defenfive with rcfpe^t to each other — inceffantly difpofed to deceive, and frequently multiply the feeds of war in a work of peace. Under fuch a fyftem of liberty, there would be no longer occafion for craftinefs in national policy with refpeft to commerce: — of what ufe would it be? No more ftrife; for it would have no obje^J^: no more jealoufy or rivality; no more fear of making others profper and become rich; becaufc the riches ©f each (late would be advantac;eou? to the whole. Vz In ! r 160 OH THE COMMERCE OF THE In a word, accorJing to this fyftcm, each nation ■would wifli the other more means, in order to h.ive more to give and more to receive. Commerce would b.}come what it ought to be, the cxchaiige of induftry again ft induftry j of enjoyments againft en- joyments, and not againft deprivations: finally, a Hate of riches, without poverty on any fide. What people have more right and title than the Americans, to be the fiirt in adopting fo philanthro- i)ical a fyftem, and which is (o conformable to the Jaws of nature — at lead to do nothing which fliall retard it among them? Let their Congrefs, — that refpedable aflembly, which may become the light of nations, and from whole deliberations univt-rfal happinefs may refult, — remain faithful to the indica- tions of this nature; let it interrogate her conftantly, and give every nation the fame lalulary habitude. If Europe refufes to admit the productions of the United States, letCongrefs, rejecting the poor policy of reprifah, open, by a great and republican refolu- tion, their ports to all European produ<5Uons. What evil can refult from this to the independent Ameri- cans? If European prohibitions rendered their means of exchange ufelefs, European merchandize muft of courfe be without a market in America j or, falling to a mean price in the United States, it would become profitable to the Americans in paying for it even with gold. The law may be given to an idle and degraded na- tion, but never to one which is active and induftri- ons. This always punifties, in fome manner or other, the tyrannical proceedings of other nations. The force of things is alone fufticient to revenge it. It is a misfortune to the United States, in not having been able to eftablifli at firft the noble fyftem of which I have i])oken, and to be obliged to have recourfe to the miferablc means of other govern- ments, — that of impofing duties on foreign merchan- dize or. ITNITED STATES OF AMERICA. l6l dize to pay their debts. Every iinpofuioii but a quit- rent upon land is a fource of errors. T\\^ pretended prote^ing duties impofed in Europe are one confe- quencc of thcfe errors, and of which the etfcift leads government allray, fo far as to perfuade thrnn, tliat tiiey poflefs a creative force equal to that of the Divi- nity himfelf. And what are thefe tnttrprifes by which men would force nature? Miferable hot- lioufes, — wherein every thing is haftened to finifli the fooner; wherein induftry vainly exhaufts itfelf to fupport an unnatural exiftcnce; and wherein a vi- gorous whole is frequently facrificed to a corrupted part. Let the Americans carefully avoid thefe erroneous cntcrprifes: to infure ihemfelves therefrom, let them confider the ftate of Europe. The Europeans have no longer any jud;^ment in matter^ of impoft: fimple ideas are lofl, and become impoflible to be realized by the metaphyfician, which it is neceflary to employ to (ombat ignorance, prejudices and habitudes: all ideas of juuice and propriety are confounded. A truth cannot be advanced without meeting, at every moment, falfe notions to combat. The man of in- formation is fatigueil, difgufted, and frequently at a iofs what to anfwer to objeftions proceeding from habits of error. He perceives with concern, that the laws of happinefs cannot be written, but upon tables from which there is nothing to be effaced : and fuch, I flatter myfelf, is the fituation of the United States. They are yet virgin ftates — they are unac* quainted with tiie inftitut'ons which end in chaos, wherein the love of public good lofes all its force. Montefquieu obferves, that the enterprifes of mer- chants are always neceifarily mixed with public af- fairs; but that in monarchies, public affair^ are for the mod part fufpic ious in the eyes of the merchants. But profperlty and national glory depend on com- merce, as much in monarchies as in other conllitu- P 3 tions. ib'j. ON THE COMMERCE OF THE h'; \n tions. It is therefore the intereft of monarchies to give to merchants that hope of profperity which they have in repubHcs, and which inclines ihem with ar- ilour to every kind of commercial cnterprife. Provincial adminiftrations are the fureft means of producing th's happy effeft. If they were already cftabiilhed, the French would comprehend, how ab- fmb it is to imagine that the United States will not difcharge their public debt; how impoffiblc it is that Republicans fliould make ufe of the dilhonourable refource of bankruptcy and deception; and that their public fpirit, their morals, and inttreft, require them to difcharge this debt, contra6ted for the mod legiti- mate and honourable caufe that ever exifted; and„ which is otherways but an atom when compared with their immenfe rcfources. French merchants would then give themfelves lefs concern about the manner in which their merchandize was to be paid for in America. For in the improbable cafe of a want of American productions, or of precious me- tals, they have, as a laft refource, thfe paper of Con- greis and the States ; which paper it is an advantage to acquire, by the price at which it is obtained, by the intereft it bears, the certainty of its being paid- and by the confequent tranfmiilion which may be made of it in commerce to ;he Dutch merchant, to whom the paper of the v/hole world becomes necef- fary the moment it merits confidence. J have mentioned precious metals. The Ameri- cans arc in the neighbourhood of tae countries which produce them. Thefe countries are the abodes of indolence, which difpenfes not with neceflaries. Skins, &c. of animals, and fomc metals, are every thing that can be given there in exchange for articles of fubfiftence, which the inhabitants have not the courage to make their lands produce, and for the r xeflaries, for which they find it more convenient to pay with gold than with their induftry. The in- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 165 dependent Americans will become faftors, ndvanta- geoufly placed between European manufadures, and the iiihabiiants of regions condemned by nature to the fterile produ6lions of metals. All the powers of Spain cannot prevent this, jior ought even to under- take it. This new confideration promifing to the French payment, fo fooliflily defired in gold, ought to encourage them to prepare for a commercial con- nexion with the United States. CONCLUSION, And Reflexions on the Situation of the United States-, I T will be proper to finifli this volume by fome- explanations of the pretended troubles which agi- tate the United States. Thcfe explanations are ne- ceflary to deftroy the unfavourable impreflions which mull be made by the unfaithful recitals of gazette writers, who, from fervile prejudices, or mean iate- rcft, afFe£l to fpread doubts of the happy confequen- ces of the revolution. If we believe thefe people, the independent Americans are plunged into inextri- cable embarraflments, forced to become bankrupt?:, given up to the moft viol^vnt anarchy, expofcd to th; tomahawk of the implacable Indians, Sec. How is it poflible to refolvc to carry on a commerce with people whofe fituation is fo deplorable? Ought not their ruin to be feared rather than their fortune hoped for, in the connexions which it h wifhed to form with them? It 13 neceflarv to refute thefe falfehoods. It is fo much the more fo, as ignorance eafily leads people, lUtle acquainted with republican couititutions, into error i ' 164 ON THE COMMERCE OF THE error; and that, led aftray by the prejudices of t;\eir educations, a great number ol Frenchmen look upon this form of government as a (late perpetiially in a ferment, wherein life and property are continually cxpofed to the greateft dangers. Thefe prejudices lead to the belief of the moft puerile and abfiird fables. The leaft attention is not paid to circumftances. Would the United States have a Congrefs of magillrates if it were true that the people were at war with them? For how could Congrefs and the magiftrates defend themfelves? They have no other defence but the refpeft which each individual has for the law ; this is their only force. It is the obligation ihat the conftitution im- pofcs on them, in common with the meancft citi- zens, of- bting obedient to the law, as, the laft means which conftitute their only fafety, and which maintains, in all cafes and every where, the authority which the people have confided in them. They cannot employ a phyfical force farther than the peo- ple are willing t6 lend them, becaufc they have nei- ther an army nor foldiers in pay. A diver/ity of opinion exifts wherever there are men. It belongs not to one conftitution rrore than to another; but the cifence of a republican gcvern- went is to leave to each individual the liberty of ex? preffing his fentiTients on every fubjeft. In the United States, legiflation is more and more formed in proportion as things relative to each other are verified, extended, and multiplied. Is it afto- nifliing that debates (hould arife on account :>f the different laws which are propofed, difcuffed, and adopted? Thefe debates become public, animate Gonverfation, and make it highly interefting. But is this anarchy? The word anarchy is one of thofe words which has been moft abufed and mifapplied. It is there*, fore neceflkry to expiam k. . ' Where UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. l6^; Where anarchy reigns, there is neither chief, go- vernment, laws, nor fafety. Each individual be- comes the defender of his own perfon, the foclal contrafl is broken, and there is no longer any con* ndence or tranfaftions, becaufe there can be na more contradi;. Authority, changing at every in- ilanc its rules, principles, and aim, becomes cruel or contemptible; it deftroys, or is deflroytd. SucU- a flare exiles not long; or if it docs exilt, it foon di- vides iociety into armed hmis, enemies to each other, and which lubliit but in proportion as they fear and counterbalance each other's power. Is any thing like this feen in the United Stales ? Are there difputes even about the principles of the- confritution, the fundamental laws, or the propofed end? Has ^^ot every thing relative to this been long lince agreed upon? Tue prelent debates relate wholly to fv)me rules of adminiftration : it is upon the bed manner of ferving the public caufe, and of fupporting it, that minds are ftiil in a f^lutary agita- tion; and this agitation hinders not more the regular courfe of public affairs and tranfaftions, than the debates in the Englifli Parliament hinder the mo- narch from naming to offices and conferring rank*— than they ftop the courfe of juftice, or are impedi- ments to the affairs cf every clais of citizens. The word anarchy is proper to Hates which, like l^gypt, have twenty-four fovereigns, and neither laws nor gi)vernment. It is applicable to the dege- nerated conflitutions of Afia, where the adminiftra- tion is divided into feveral departments, independent of c;ach other, traverfing one another in their views and prctenfions, the operations of one part interfer- ing with thofe of the other, all having the power of niaking particular laws, or of fiifpending the effe£t of thofe which exift. There a real anarchy reigns, becaiife it is not knovn where the government is, nor in whom the legiflative power is vefted, Thia, incertitude : I t I- t06 ON THE COMMERCE OF TKE incertitude brings on diforder, renders property un-- liable, and endangers pcrfonal fafeiy.. None of thefe evils exifi: in the United States.. America is not vet gnawed by the vermin which devour Europe, by indeftrufcurity : a numerous ar- roy, winch was not paid, was f^en grneroufly to con- flint to dilband without payment; the foldiers to re- t\rc> UNITED STATES OF A»rEllICA. 1&7 'tire, each to his home, without committing the leaft vtHforder, and where each tranquilly retook either his plough, or his firft trade or profclfion; thofe tradec which we in Europe look upon as vile. The following advertifement is taken from the American papers, in which there are a thoufand others of a like nature. Two brothers, Captains whodiftingniflied them- feives during the war, returned at the peace to their trade of hat-making; — they inferted in the gazette ail advertifement as fol'ows : " The brothers Bickers inform the public, that " they a.*e returned to their old profefiion of hatters, " which they had abandoned to defend the liberty ** of their country. They hope that their fellow ci* " tizens will be pleafed, in confideration of their " courage and f*rvices, to favour them in their bu- " finefs, and prefer them to others." What Euro- pean Captain wQuld put his name to a like advertife- .ment? Tliis is what refults from liberty : but what is in- conceivable in moft European ftates, a military fpi- rit reigns there, and its prejudices are predominant. War is the road to glory, ambition, and fortune; and to preferve to this profeffion its luftre and prepon- derance, it is an eftablifhed principle, that -Sifiandlng .^;7/;^ is neceflary to maintain order in fociety; that it ought always to threaten the citizens, although peaceful, to keep them in fuhmiflion to authority. This ufelefs burden, this pernicious fpirit, is un^ known to the United States ; — public fpirit, much more favourable to good order, takes its place, and peace and fafety reign without marechaufleeor fpies, or that police which difparages the motals and cha- racters of citizens. Public fpirit fupplies the place of all thefe means, whilft they will nev cr fupply the want of public fpirit,^ nor, like it, pi'oducc the hap- ipinefs of fociety. In Of68 OK THE COMMERCE OT THE In vain will prejudiced men exclaim, that this is declamation — 1 oifer them tadts. It is neccffary to read the American gaztttes — not thofe altered by the Englifli gazette- '.V filers, but thofe whicn are printed in America: thefe only can give a juft idea of the iituation of the United States. The American flioukl rather defpife Europe, in remarking to us the continual flaugliter we make of thieves and alfallins; in comparing the inimcnle number of dungeons, prifons, holpitals, atid eftab- liflmients of every kind, inftituted to cure or palliate the incurable ulcers of the old inft'tutions : in com- paring this difgufting lift with the very few murders and thefts committed in the United States, with the hofpitals, truly domeftic and humane, which are eftab- liflicd there, with the happincf:i of each American family and tlieir fimple manners; and in proving to us, by their example, that a wiie liberty regulates the focial man, and renders ufelefs thofe ruinous ma- chines with whidi he is crufhed, left he fliould do any harm. ^ .**» Thefe arc the men, the laws, and the govern- ment, which Europeans have calumniated. Thefe men who are deftined to regenerate the dignity of the human fpecies! — Thefe laws which fcourge no- thing but crimes, — which puniftithem every where, and are never lilent in the face of power ! — This go- vernment, which is the firft that ever prefented the image of a numerous family, well united, and com- pletely happy ; wherein power is juft, becaufe it circu- lates through every hand, and refts in none; where- in obedience, becaufe it is voluntary, anticipates command ; whereinadminiftrationisfimpleand eafy; becaufe it leaves induftrv to itfelf ; wherein the ma- giftrate has little to do, becaufe the citizen is free, and that a citizen always refpecfls the law and his fellow creatures! Thefe are tlie prodigies which we calumniate: we, Europeans, enflaved by antiquated conftitutions., VWITED STATES OF AMERICA. 169 conditutlons, and by the habitudes given to us by prejudices, of which we know not either the barba- rity or the frivoloufnefs ! We fpeak well, but aft badly; why, therefore, do we calumniate men, who not only fpeak but aft well ? If it be not permitted us to have their virtues, nor to enjoy their happi- nefs, let us not decry them ; let us refpeft that fu" periority to which we cannot attain. It will, perhaps, be objefted, that the government of England has deferred the conclufion of a treaty of commerce with the United States, under the pre- text that their conftitutions were not yet fufficiently cftabliflied. But can it be imagined that the Englifli, who trade in Turky, with the Algerines, and at Grand Cairo, were ferious when they decried and rejcfted commercial connexion? with the United States, un- der the pretence that their legiflation was not yet well enough efiablifhed? It cannot be doubted that the difference of pofition between the French and Englifli merchants, refpeft- ing their governments, has a great influence upon their reciprocal profperity; and for this reafon, it ihould be inceflimtly repeated to tl e French govern- ment, that if it vviflies to infure profperity to its com- merce, it ought to adopt the means, which are, liberty of a^ing^^ — the right of ■protejiing againjl the attempts made on that liberty^ — and the certai?ity of jufiice^ — without refpeB to perfons : — thefe are the bafis of the genius, induftry, and greatnefs of a fl:ate; and with- out which, a great commerce cannot exift: this bafis may be eafily conciliated with the French conftitu* lion. '^arisy February^ 1.789. Q- APPENDIX. % APPENDIX; CONHSTIMO 0> AUTHENTIC PAPERS AND ILLUSTRATION S. Added b^ the Editor. iX.^ APPENDIX. tt^fturn of the ichoU Kumber of Perfons within the fcwral Dif" tr'iHs of the United States ^ according to ''^ an A^ providin\^ for the Enumeratioti of the Inhabitants of the United States i" pajfed March the if^ ' 7 9 1 v The return for South-Carolina having been made ftnce the following Schedule was originally Tinted, the whole Enumeration i< here given complecei except for the North- Weflern Territoryi of which no RetHrn has yet been publlfhe^* *■«-• *« • •* i •« 1 • « •• (« w ■^ <« M "3 .Ji*5 g U M Vm e f« «*, *2 H ■'$ S u (3 a. « w 3 TJ • ,w to OXSTKICTS. V0 •|i J SlaTei. Total. "■^l^ 5 « ». ' V ( 23 •» • 5 2 -a «> siZ SJ--5 2 •s E Sl 3 w s S »■ 3 V fci-o ^-z-a "S.S 6 9 3 s < *ss Verrr»ont «a,435 22,328 40,505 16 85.S39 M.HampIhiie 36,0^6 34,85 » 70,160 630 »5« 141,885 Maine 24,384 24,748 46,870 53a MONK 96,540 Mairachufettt 95.453 87,289 190,582 5463 NON« 378,787 Rhode-lfland 16,019 >5>799 3a>652 3407 948 68,825 ConneiJlicut 60,5x3 54,403 117.448 2808 2764 237,946 New-York 83,700 78,122 i52»3ao 4654 a»ri*4 340,120 New-Jerfey Pennlylvania 4S.aS' 41,416 83.a87 3762 iiM*3 184.^39 110,788 106,948 206*363 6537 3737 ^34.373 Delaware 11,783 12,143 . 12,384 • 3899 8887 59.094 Maryland 55»9'5 5>.339 101,395 8043] 103,036 319,728 V^irginia 110,936116,135 215,046 12,866 192,637 747,frio Kentucky I5»i«4 > 17.057 18,92a 114 12,430 73.677 N. Carolina 69,988 77,506 140,710 4975 100,572 393.75^ S. Carolina 35.576 37,7a» 66,880 1801 107,094 249*073 Georgisi I3.i«3 14,044 a5»739 .. 39S 29,264 82, 54 J 807,094 791,850 i,?4T,263 S9.\p 6^4,280' 3>^9;<*fi3< i/> no , 3 «s ^ • • a z males I year 3S ■i a SUtcs. Tota]. .m K ^ S rt » tu 3 II =3 e S.W.TerrJyj 6271 M. ditto. 1 10,277 "S.S^^S 361 3417 35,b9i[ fLi SchcduJt '74 APPENDIX. Schedule of the nhole Kumher of Perfons in tic Tariiory of the United States of America^ South of the River Ohio^ as taken on the I aft Saturday of Jaly^ i"}^!^ by the Captains of the Militia imthin the Limits of their rejpe^ive Dijiriils^ 111 1 • a •« 1 ±^2 • a • >> tQ 1 3 vT ■§ 6 1^ 6 ® -.1 -^ ii. 1 e u ''5 .A w rl 1 l^^l WASHINGTON J {« p. « 2 = 1- u • • fa «^ -a /iJ^H DISTRICT. . rWafhington .5 E < H H I 1009 1792 as 24 12 535 5872 fl ,5 Sullivan 3o6 1242 »995 207 297 4447 H c -l Greene 1293 2274 35JIC 40 454 774» JH o Hawkins 1104 197c 2921 68 807 6970 r^^^H U S. of F. Broad 681 loSia 2627 66 163 3619 :^|H 28,649 MERO 1^1 DISTRICT. 'H g f Davidfon 639 855 1288 j8 651, 3459 H g < Sumner 404 582 854 8 34^ 2196 H O (.Tenncfrec a3S 38c 576 4^ '54 138, 7042 I 6271 10,277 15.365 361 3417 35.691 l the Con- jyefsj.he. has given us a ftiort account of. From hi» uc county APPEUDIX.. JJ^ •tccmint, becaufe it is known to be authentic, we have extracted the followins. The part he furvcyed lies between the 33d and 45th degrees of latitude, and the 78th and 94th de- grees of longitude, containing an extent of terri- tory, which, for healthfulnefs, fertility of foil, and .variety of produiSlions, is not perhaps furpaHed by any on the habitable globe. '* The lands comprehended between the river Ohio, at Fort-Pitt, and the Laurel mountain, and thence continuing the fame breadth from Fort-Pitt to the Great Kanhawa river, may, according to my own obfervations, and thofe of the late Mr. Gift, of Virginia, be generally, and juftly defcribcd as follows. *' The vallles adjoining to the branches or fprings of the middle forks of Youghiogeny, are narrow towards its fource; but there is.a conficlerable quan- tity of good farming grounds on the hills, near the largefl branch of that river. The lands within a irnall diftance ,of the Laurel mountain (through which the Youghiogeny runs) are in many places broken and ftony, but rich and well timbered-; and in fonic places, cind particularly on Laurel creek, they are rocky and mountainous. *^' From the Laurel mountain to Monongahcia, •the firft feven miles are good, level farming grounds, twith line meadows; the timber, white oak, chefnut, hickory, &c. The fame kind of land continues ibutherly (twelve miles) to the upper branches *or forks of this rivei:, and about fifteen miles northerly to the place where the Youghiogeny falls into the IVIonongahela. The lands, for about eighteen miles in the fame courfe of the laft-mentioned river, on each fide of it, though hilly, are rich and well tinv bered. The trees are walnut, locuft, chefnut, pop- lar, and fugar or fweet maple. The low lands, near ;hc river, :^re about 51 mile, and in fcvexal places tVfQ fSo appendix; two miles wide. For a confiderable wav down the river, on the eaftern fide of it, the intervals are ex- tremely rich, and about a mile wide. The upland for about twelve miles eaitwardly, are uncommonly fertile, and well timbered; the low lands, on the weftern fide, are narrow; but the uplands, on the .eaftern fide of the river, both up and down, are ex- cellent, and covered with fugar trees, &c. " Such parts of the country which lie on fome of the branches of the Monongahela, and acrofs the heads of feverai rivers that run into the Ohio, though in general hilly, are exceedingly fruitful and well watered. The timber is walnut, chefnut, afh, oak, fugar trees, &c. and the interval or meadow lands are from two hundred and fifty yards to a .quarter of a mile wide. '^ The lands lying ncnrly in a north- wefterly di- i^reftion from the Great Kanhawa river to the Ohio, and thence north-eafterly, and alfo upon Le Tort's creek, Little Kanhawa river, Buffaloe, Fifliiiig, Weeling, and the two upper, and two lower, and ieveral other very confiderable creeks, (or what, in Europe, would be called large rivers) and thence eaft, and fouth-eait to the river Monongahela, are, in point of quality, as follows. , *' The borders or meadow linds are a mile, and in fome places near two miles wide: and the uplands are in common of a moft fertile foil, capable of abundantly producing wheat, hemp, flax, &^c. ti 'piig lands v;hich lie upon the Ohio, at the mouths of, and between the above creeks, alfo con- iift of rich intervals and very fine farming grounds. The whole country abounds in bears, elks, buffaloe, deer, turkies, &c. Anunqueflionable pn /f of the extraordinary goodnefs of its foil ! Indiana lies within the territory here defcribed. It contains about three millions and an half of acres, and was grante i to Samuel Wharton, William Trent, and George APPENDIX. l8l 'George Morgan, Efquires, and a few other perfons, in the year 1768. " Fort-Pitt flands at the confluence of the Alleg- heny and Monongaheh rivers; in latitude 40^^31' 44'', and about five degrees weftward of Philadel- phia. In the year 1760, a fmall town, called Pittf- oiirgh, was built near Fort-Pitt, and abont two hundred families refided in it; but upon the Indian war breaking out (in the month of May, J763) rhey abandoned their houfes, and retired into the- fort. *' In the year 176; the prtient town of Plttfbnrgh 'was laid out. It is built on the eaftern bank of the j'ver Monongahcla, about two hundred yards from Fort-Pitt. *' The jun thii' creek. '* Big Kanhawa falls into the Ohio upon its fonth- eafteni fule, and is fo confiderable a branch of this river, KjOf APPENDIX,. river, that it may he miftaken for the Ohio irfelf by perfons afcemiing it. It is How for ten miles, to lit- tle broken hills, — the low land is very rich, and of about the fame breadth, (from the pipe hills to the fells) as upon the Ohio. After going ten miles up Kanhawa, the land is hiiiy, and the water a little rapid for 50 or 60 miles further to the falls, yet bat- ti'nux or barges may be eafily rowed thither. Thefe falls were formerly thought impalHiblc; but late dif- coveries have proved, that a waggon road may be made through the mountain, which occafions the falls, and that by a portage of a few miles only, a. communication mav be had between the wattrs of Great Kanhawa and Ohio, and thofe of James river, in Virginia. " Tottery lies upon the fouth-eaflern fide of the.- Ohio, and is navigable with batteaux to the Ouafioto mountains. It is a long river, has few branches, and interlocks with Red Creek, or Clinche's River (x branch of the Cuttawa;) and has below the moun- tains, efpecially for 1 5 miles from its mouth, very. good land. Here is a percej)tiblc difference of cli- mate between the upper and this part of Ohio. Hcie^- the large reed, or Carolina cane, grows in plenty, even upon the upland, and the winter is fo moderate as not to deftroy it. The fame moderation of cli- mate continues down Ohio,, efpecially on the fouth- eaft fide, to the rapids, and thence on both fides of Uiat river to the Mifiilfippi. ** Great Salt l.ick Creek is remarkable for fine, land, plenty of bnffr.ioei;, fait fprings, white clay, and lim^-flonc. Small bents may go to the crofling; of the war-path without any impediment. The fait fprings render the waters unfit lor drinking, but the plenty of fv^ih fprings in their vicinity makes fuf- ficient amends for this inconvenience. *' Kentucky is larger than tiie preceding creek; it is furrounded with high clay banks, fertile lands,. and •I*, •\. ATPENDIX. rgi ancVlarge fait fprings. Its navigation is interrupted by (lioals, but paflabie with iaiall boats to the gap, where the war-path goe^ through the Ouafioto mountains. " Scioto is a large gentle river, bordered with rich flats, or meadows. It overflows in the fpnngj and then fpreads about half a mile, though when confined within its banks, it is fcarce a furlong wide. '* If it floods early, it feldom retires within its banks in left than a month, and is not fordablc fre- quently inlefs than iwo months. ** The Scioto, befidcs having a great extent of mod excellent land on both fides of the river, is furniftied with fait, on an caftern branch, and red bole on Necunfia Skeintat. The flream of Scioto is gentle and paflable, with large batteaux or barges, for a confiderablc way, and with fmaller boats near 200 miles, to a portage of only four miles to San- dufky. ** Sandu/ky is a confiderable river abounding in level land; its ftream gentle all the way to the mouth, where it is large enouj^h to receive floops. Tlic northern Indians crofs Lake Erie here from ifland to ifland, land at Sandufky, and go by a direft path to the Lower Shawanoc town, and thence to the gap of the Ouafioto mountain, in their way to the Cutta- wa country. " Little Mineami river is too fmall to navigate with batteaux. It has much fine land and feveral fait fprings ; its high banks and gentle current pre- vent its much overflowing the furrounding lands •in freflies. *' Great Mineami, AflTereniet or Rocky river, has ^ very ftony channel; a fwift ftream, but no falls. It has feveral large branches, j aflable with boats a great way; one extending wtftward towards tlie Ciuiaghtcna river, another towards a branch of Mf- ^ncami river (which runs into Lake Erie,) to which there id ,i i!!;' IM !l!- iga APPENDIX. there is a portage, and a third has a portage to Ihc weft branch of Sandulky, befides Mad Creek, where the French formerl}' eftablKhed themfelves. Rifnig ground, here and there a little ftony, begins in the northern part of tlie peninfula, between the lakes Eric, Huron, and Michigan, and extends acrofs little Mineami river below the Forks, aud fouthwardly along the Rocky river, to Ohio. " Buffaloe river falls into the Ohio on the eaftern fide of it, at the diftance of 925 computed miles from Fort-Pitt. It is a very confiiderable branch of the Ohio; is 200 yards wide, navigable upwards of 150 miles for batteaux or barges, of 30 feet long, five feet broad, and three feet deep, carrying about feven tons, and can be navigated much farther with large ca- noes. The ftream is moderate. The lands on both fides of the river are of a moft luxuriant quality, for the production of hemp, flax, wheat, tobacco, &c. They are covered with a great variety of lofty and ufeful timber ; as oak, hickory, mulberry, elm, &c. Several pcrfons who have afcended this river fay, that fait fprings, coal, lime, and frce-ftone, &c. are to be found in a variety of places. " The Wabafti is a beautiful river, with high and upright banks, lefs fubje6t to overflow than any other river, (the Ohio excepted) in this part of Ame- rica. It difcharges itfelf into the Ohio, one thou- fand and twenty-two miles below Fort-Pitt, in lati* tude 37° 41'. — At its mouth it is 270 yards wide; is navigable to Ouiatanon (412 miles) in the fpring, fummer, and autumn, with batteaux or barges, drawing about three feet water. From thence, on account of a rocky bottom, and ftioal water, large canoes are chiefly employed, except when the river is fwellcd with rains, at which time it may be af- cended with boats, fuch as I have juft defcribed, (197 miles further) to the Miami carrying place, that oppofite to the fort (which is iH miles from Lake Erie) it docs not cjvceed half a milt? ill width. From thence to Lake St. Ckiir it widens to more than a mile. The channel of tlic Itrait is gentle und wide, and deep enough for f}ii])ping of great burden, although it is incommoded by ieveral iflandfr-, one of which is nriore than fcven miles in leniith. Thcfe iflandsare of a fertile foil, and from their fitua' tion afford a very agj-c'eablc appearance. For ei;;ht miles l)elow, and the fame diihuice above Ff^rt Dc- rroit, on both Hdcs of the river, the country is divided into regular and well-cultivated plantations, and from the contiguity of the farmers' houfes to eacli other, they appear as two long extended villages. The in- Jiabitants, who are moilly French, are rbout 2000 in number, 500 of whom are as good markfinen, and as well accullomed to the woods, as the Indian na- tives themfelves. They raife large* flocks of black 'Cattle, and great quantities of corii, which tiiey grind by wind-mills and manufa6ture into excellent flour. The chief trade of Detroit confiils in a barter of coarfe European goods with the natives for furs, deer ikins, tallow, &c. &c. *' The rout from Lake St. Clair to Lake Huron is lip a flrait or river, about 400 yards wide. This river derives itfelf from Lake Huron, and at the diftancc of 33 miles lofes itfelf in Lake St. Clair. It is in general rapid, but particularly fo near itsfource: its channel, and r.lfo that of Lake St. Clair, are fufficicntly deep for fliipping of a very confiderable burthen. This ftrait has fcvcral mouths, and the lands lying between them are fine meadows. The country on both fides of it, for 15 miles, has a very level appearance, but from thence to Lake Huron it is in many places broken, and covered witli white pines, ouks, maple, birch, and beech." % ill f i' ri- I TJlCU^Jlff 20^ API»ENDIX. Thoughts m ihe Duration of the AmeriianCommon'wealth T^ HERE is a greater probability that the duration of the American commonwealth will be longer than any empire that has hitherto exifted. For it is a triitli, univerfally admitted, that all the advantages which ever attended any of the monarchies in the old world, all -center in the new, together with ma^ny others which they never enjoy. The four great empires, and the dominions of Chademaign and the Turks, «1I rofe by conquefts-— none by the arts of peace. On the contrary, the territory oi the United States has been planted and reared by a union of liberty, good conduct, and all the comforts of domeftic virtue. All the greater monarchies were formed by the conqueft of kingdoms, different io arts, manners, language, temper, or religion, from the conquerors; io that the union, though in fome cafes very ftrong, was never the real and intimate connexion of the fame people; and this circumftance principally acce^. lerated their ruin, and was abfolutely the caufe of it in fome. This will be very different in the Ameri^ «ans. They will, in their greateft extent and popu^- lat^on, be one and the fame people^^the fame in lan- guage, religion, laws, manners, tempers and purfuits; for the fmall variation in fome diflfi6ls, owing to the icttlement of Germans, is an atecption fo \try flight, that in a few ages it will be u^nown. The Affyrian and Roman empires were of very flow growth, and therefore lafted {he longeft; but fliU their increafe was by conqueft, and the union of dif- fonant parts. The Perfian and Macedonian monar^ chies were foon founded and prefently overturned; the former not lafting fo long as\he Affyrian, nor a fixth of the duration of the Roman; and as to the Macedonian, it lafted but fix years. This a4vantagc; 0^ > APPENDIX. i6j 6t a flow growth is flrong in favour of the Ameri- cans; the wontlerful increafe of their numbers is the ilatural etfe£t of plenty of land, a good climate, and a mild and beneficent govermnent, in which cor- rupticn and tyranny are wholly unknown. Some centuries are already pad fince their firfl fettlement, and many more will pafs before their power appears in its full fplcndour; but the quicknefs of a growth that is entirely natural will carry with it no marks of decay, bein^ entirely different from monarchies U')\\ nd - cd by force of aruis. The Roman empire perilhed by the himds of northern barbarians, wh.omthe maf- ters of the world difdained to conquer; it will not be io with the Americans; they fpread gradually over the whole continent, infomuch that two hundred years hence there probably will be nobody but them- felves in the whole northern continent: from whence therefore fhould their Goths and Vandals come? Nor can they ever have any thing to fear from the fouth; firft, becaufe that country will never be populous, owing to the pofleflion of mines: fecondly, there are feveral nations and languages planted and re- maining in it: thirdly, the mod confiderable part of it lies in the torrid zone; a region that never yet feni forth nations of conquerors. In extent the habitable parts of North-America exceed that of any of the fo\ir empires, and confe- quently can feed and maintain a people much more numerous than the Af^^'rians or the Romans. The fituation of the region is fo advantageous that it leaves notiiing to be wifiied for; it can have no neighbours from whom there is a pofiibility of attack or moleftation; it will pollefi all the folid advantages of theChinefc empire, without the f^lal neighbour- hood ot the Tartais. It will have further the fingiijnr felicity of all the advantages of an ifland, that is, a freedom from the attacks of others, and too many diliiculties, with T a t®o I M} 'til ' IJ m 'i' 208 APPENDIX. too great a ciirtance, to engage in* enterprifcs that heretofore proved the ruin of other inonarchies. The foil, the climate, prodr.(5^ion, and face of the continent, are formed by nature for a great, indepen- jdent, and permanent government: fill it with people who will of themfclves, of coiirfe, poflefs all forts of manufactures, and you will find it yielding every HeceiTary and convenience of life. Such a vail: tra249 Our Ifjiports from the fume countries are — Spain and its dominions ^ - _ - 335jI'o Portugal and its dominions - - - * 595*7^3 France and its dominions - - - - 2,068,348 Great-Britain and its dominions - - 15,285,428 United Netherlands and their domimaus 1,172,69a. Denmark and its dominions - - - - 351,394 Sweden and its dominions - - - - 14? 32 5 Thefe imports confift moflly of anicies on which induUry has been exhaufted. Our navigation, depending on the fame com- xnerce, will appear by the following ftatement of the tonnage of our own vefTels, entering into our ports, from thofe feyeral nations and their pof- feffions, in one year, that is to fay, from October, J 789, to September, 1790, inclusive, as follows: Tons. Spain -•.------ 19,69s; Portugal ...,.<-«-- 23,570 France -- 116,410 Great- Britain 435580 Unhed Netherlands ----,.. 58,858 Denmark - - • - - - - i4>655 Sweden ^ . ~ - - - - 7 59 Of our commercial objeain and Portu^;al refafc to thofe parts of Ame- rica which they j^ovcrn, all dire<^ intercourfc witii any people but themfclves. The commodities in mutual demand between them and their neighbours muft be carried to be exchanged in fome port of the dominant country, and the tranfportation between that and the fubjc(^l ftatc mufl be in a domeftic bottom. France, by a ftandln,^ law, permits her Weft- India polleliion:> to receive (hrertly our vegetables, live provihons, horfcs, wood, tar, pitch and turpen- tine, rice and maize, and prohibits our other bread ftufF; but a fufpenfion of this prohibition having been left to the colonial legillatures in times of fcar- tity, it was formerly fuip-ended occafionally, but Jatterly without interruption. Our frefli and falted provifions (except pork) are received in their iflands under a duty of threecolonial livres *:he kcntal, and our veflels are as free as their own to carry our commodities'thither, and to bring iiwav rum and molalFcs. Great-Britain admits in her iflands our vegetables, live provifions, horfes, wood, tar, pitch and turpen- tine, rice and bread ftufT, by a proclamation of her executive, limited always to the term of a year. She prohibits our falted provifions: flie does not pemiit our veflels to carry thither our own produce. Her veflels alone may take it from us, and bring in exchange, rum, molaflTcs, fugar, coffee, cocoa nuts, ginger, and pimento. There are, indeed, fome freedoms in the illand of Dominica, but under fuch circumftances ciicumflances ns to be little ufed by \is. In the Britifti continental colonies, and in Newfoundland, til our produ(5tions are prohibited, and our veflels forbidden to enter their ports; their governors how* ever, in times of diftrcfs, have power to permit a temporary importation of certain articles in their own bottoms, but not in ours. Our citizens cannot refide as merchants orfa(?lor« /Tvithin any of the Britifli plantations, this being e»- jirefsly prohibited by the lame llatute of i jJJar. II, C. i8. commonly called the Navigation A^. In the Danifti American poilcffions, a duty of Sve per cent, is levied on our corn, corn-meal, : ice, tobacco, wood, laited fifli, indigo, horfes, mules, and live flock; and of ten per cent, on our flour, faltcd pork and beef, tar, pitch, and turpentine. In the American iflunds of the United Nether- lands and Sweden, our velTels and produce are re- ceived, fubjefl to duties, not (o heavy as to have Ijeen complained of; but they arc heavier in tlie .Dutch pollclfions on the continent. To lum up thcfc reftridtions, fo far as they arc important: l/. In Europe^^ Our bread fluff is at mofl times under prohibitory duties in England, aud confiderably dutied on ex- portation from Spain to her colonies. Our tobaccoes are heavily dutied in England, Sweden, and France, and prohibited in Spain and Portugal. Our rice is heavily dutied in England and Sweden, and prohibited in Portugal. Our fill and falted provifions are prohibited in England, and under prohibitory duties in France. Our whale-oils are prohibited in England and Por- tugal. And our vefTels are denied naturalization in Eng- land, and of late in France. U id. in M ■ti; % ^it APPENDIX. ^^. In the IFeft'Lidies, All intercourfe is prohibited with the pofleflioii^ of Spain and Portugal. Our failed provifions and filh are prohibited by England. Onr falted pork, and bread ftnfF (except maize;) are received under temporary laws only, in the do- minions of France, and our falted iifh pays there 2 weighty duty. 3d. In the Article of Navlgtttiotu . Our own carnage of our own tobacco is heavily iJutied in Sweden, and lately in France. We can carry no article, not of our own produc- tion, to the Britifli ports in Europe. Nor even our own produce to her Americaa pofleflions. Such being the refl:ri(£lions on the commerce and navigation of the United States, the queftion is, in what way they may beft be removed, modified, or counteracted? As to the commerce, two methods occur, r. By friendly arrangements with the feveral nations with whom thefe reftrldibns exifl: or, 2d. By the fepa- rate a(t1 of our own legiflatures for countervailing their efFeds. There can be no doabt, but that of thefe two, friendly arrangement is the mod eligible. Inftcad of embarrafEng commerce under piles of regulating laws, duties, and prohibitions, could it be relieved from all its fliackles in all parts of the world — could every country be employed in producing that which nature has beil fitted it to produce, and each be free to exchange with others mutual furpluffes for mutual wants, the greatcft raafs podibie would then be pro- duced of thofe things which contribute to human life and human happinefs; the numbers of mankind fWOuId beircreafed, and their condition bettered. Would hi th: fu in ti( a APPENDIX. SI( Would even a (Ingle nation begin with the United States this fyftem of free commerce, it would be advifable to begin it with that nation; lince it is by one only that it can be extended to all. Where the circumflances of either party render it expedient to levy a revenue, by way of impoll:, on commerce, its freedom nnight be modified, in that particular, by mutual and equivalent meafures, prclcrving it entire in all others. Some nations, not yet ripe for free commerce, in all its extent, might Hill be willing to mollify its re- ftriclions and regulations for us in proportion to the allvantages which an intercourfe with us migiit offer. Particularly they may concur with us in re- ciprocating the duties to be levied on each fide, or in compenfating any exccfs of duty, by equivalent ndvantap^es of anotiier nature. Our commerce is certainly of a charai^ter to entitle it to iavour in moft countries. The commodities we offer are cither necefiaries of life, or materials for manufa6lure, or convenient fubje^to of revenue; and we take in ex- change, either manufaiJ^ures, when they have re- ceived the lafi: finifli of art and indulhy, or mere luxuries. Such cuflomers may reafonably expeA welcome, and friendly treatment at every market j cu^omers too, whofc: deniands, increafing with their wealth and population, mufi: very fliortly give full employment to the whole indullry of any nation whatever, in any line of lupply they may get into the. habit of calling for from it. But fliould any nation, contrary to our wiflics, fuppofe it may better find its advantages by continu- ing its fyftcm of prohibitions, duties, and regula- tions, it behoves us to protet5l our citizens, their commerce, and navigation, by counter-prohibitioiis, duties, and reo;ulat:ons alfo. Free comm.crce and navigation are not to be given in exchange for re- i1ri6tions and vexations; nor are they hkely to pro- duce a relaxation of them. U 2 Our I '• ) i'-^ 320 APPEND I if. Our navigation involves ftill higher confidera- tions. As a branch of indullry, it is valuable; but' as a refource, eflential. Its value, as a branch of induftry, is enhanced by the dependence of fo many other branches on it. h\ limes of general peace it multiplies competitors for employment in traniportation, and fo keeps that at its proper level;- and in timesf of war, that is to fay, when thole nations who may be our principal car- riers, ihall be at war with each other, if we have not within ourfel /es the means of tranfportation, our produce mult be exported in belligerent veflels at the increafed expencc of warfreight and infurance, and the articles which will not bear that, muft periflv on our hands. But it is a refource for defence thatoir navigation will admit neither negletTt nor forbearance. The polition and circumftances of the United States leave them nothing to fear on theirland- board, and nothing to defire beyopd their pi-efent rights. But on their fea- board, tncy are open to injury, and they have ihere, too, a commerce which muft be protetfled. This can only be done by poffefling a refpedablc body of citizen-feamen, and of artilis and eftablifh" jr.ents in readinefs for fhip-building. Were the ocean, which is the common property of all, open to the induflry of all, fo that every per* Ton and vefiel fliould be free to take employmenfi wherever it eould be found, the United States would certainly not fet the example of appropriating to themfelves, excludvely, any jiortion of the comnioa (lock of occupation. They'vvould rely on the en- terprife and aftivity of their citizens for a due parti- cipation of the benefits of the feafaring bufinefs,and for keeping the marine clafs of citizens equal to their object. But if particular nations grafp at undue fliares,and more elpecially if they feize on the means of the United States to convert them into aliment for their own flrength,and withdraw them entirely from the APPENDIX. 221 Uae fupport of thofe to whom they belong, defenllve and protecting meafures become neceflary on the part of the nation whofe marine refources are iluis invaded, or it will be difurmcd of its defence; its prodiKftions will lie at the mercy of the nation whji^h has poflefled itfelf exclufively of the means of carrying them, and its politics may be influenced by thofe who command its commerce. The carri- age of our own commodities, if once eftabliflied in another channel, cannot be refnmed in the moment we may defire. If we Icfe the feamen and artifts whom it now occupies, we lofe the prefent means of marine defence, and time will be requifite to raife up others, when difgrace or lolTes fnall bring home to our feelings the error of having abandoned them. The materials for mnintaining our due ihare of na- vigation are ours in abundance; and as to the mode of ufing them, we have only to adopt the principles of thofe who thus put us on the defenfive, or others equivalent and better fitted to our circum fiances. • The. following principles being founded in reci- procity, appear perfesfily juft, and to offer no caufs of complaint to any nation. I ft. Where a nation impofes high dnties on onir produ(flions, or prohibits them altogether, it may be proper for us to do the fame by theirs, lirfl burthen- ing or excluding thofe productions which they bring here in competition with our own of the lan.e kind; felefting next fuch manufa6tures as we take from them in greateft quantity, and which at the fame time we could the fooneft furnifli to ourfelvcr., or obtain from other countries; impofing on them du- ties lighter at fir(l,but heavier and heavier aUervvard.>., as other channels of i'apply open. Such duties hav- ing the effect of indiret^ encouragement to domeftic manufaftures of the fame kind, ma/ induce the manufacturer to come himfelf into thofe ftatcs; where cheaper fubfiflence, equal laws, and a vent «f his waresj hcQ of duty, may infuve him the U 3 highelL «'^; f> ,> /s APPEKDIX. highefl profits from his (kill and induftry. And liere it would be in tbj power of tht flate govern- ments to co-operate eflentially, by opening the rc- fources of encbnragement which arc under their controiil, extending them liberally to artifts in thofe particular branches of nianufafture, for which #icir foil, climate, population, and other circumftanccs have matured them, and foftering the precious efforts , and progrofs of houfehold manufacture, by fome pa- tronage fuited to the nature of its objcd^s, guided by the local informations they polTcfs, and guarded againft abufe by their prefencc and attentions. The oppreflions on our agriculture in foreign ports would thuj be made the occafion of relieving it from a dependence on the councils and condu<5t of others, and of promoting arts, manufadures, and popula- tion, at home. 2d. Where a nation refnfes permiflion to our aier'cnants and factors to refide within certain parts of their dominions, we may, if it fliould be thought expedient, refufe relidence to theirs in any and every part of ours, or modify their tranfadlions. 3. Where a nation refuies to receive in our veflels any produdions but our own, we may refufe to re- ceive, in theirs, any but their own produ6lions. The firfl and fecond claufes of the bill reported by the committee are well formed to effeft this obje6l. 4th. Where a nation refufes to confider any veflel as ours which has not been built within our territo- ries, we fliould refufe to confider as theirs any vef- {cl not built within their territories, 5th. Where a nation refufes to our veflels the carriage even of our own productions to certain countries under their domination, we might refufe to theirs, of every dcfcription, the carriage of the fame productions to the fame countries. Butasjuftice »nd good neighbourhood would diClatc, that thofe who have no j)art in impofing the rellri(5lion on us, fliould not be the viflims of pieafurcs adopted to de- ar£ in tol ti( tr< h APPENDIX. c*-?. 2 5'W /eat its effect, it may be proper to confine the re- ltri<^ion of veiTels owned or navigated by any fub- je6ls of ^he fame dominant power, otliertlian the in- habitants of the country to which the faid produc- tions are to be carried.^ — And to prevent all incon- venience to the faid inhabitants, and to our owjj, ^ by too fudden a check on the means of tranfporta- ■"tion, we may continue to admit the vefTels marked . for future exclufion, on an advanced tonnage, and- for fuch length of time only, as may beTuppofed ne- ceflary to provide againil that inconvenience. The eftablifhment of fome of thefe principles by Great-Britain alone has already loft us, in our com- merce with that country and its i ofleiiions, between eight and nine hundred veflels of near 40,000 tons- burthen, according to ftatcments from official mate- rials, in which they have confidence. This/involves . a proportional lofs of feamen, fhipwiights, and fliip- building, and is too ferious a lofs to admit forbear- - ance of fome effe(flual remedy. It is true we muft expect fome inconvenience in praftice, from the eftabUflimentof difcriminating duties. But in this, as in fo many other cafes, we are left to choofe between two evils. Thefe incon- veniences are nothing when weighed againft the lofs of wealth and lofs of force, which v/ill follow our perfeverance in the plan of indifcrimination.— When once it fliall be perceived that we are either in the fyftem or the habit of giving equal advantages to thofe who extinguifti our commerce and naviga- tion, by duties and prohibitions, as to thofe who treat both uMth liberality and juftice, liberality and juflice will be converted by all into duties and pro- hibitions. It is not to the moderation and juftice of others we are to truft for fair and equal acccfs to . market with our produdions, or for our due fliare in the tranfportation of them; but to ourjneans of independence, and the firm will to ufe them. Nor dp the iftconvenieacies of difcrinnnation merit con» ^deration. I 1 ■ If i 'I 'h m 524 ' ' APPENDIX. fidention. Mot one of the nations before mention^ ed, perhaps not a commercial nation on earth, is witliout them. In our cafe one diftin(£lion alone will fuffice, that is to fav, between nations who fa- vour our prodiK^ions and navigation, and thofe who do not favour them. Oneiet of moderate du- ties, fiiy the prefent duties, for the lirfl, and a fixed advance on thefe as to fome articles, and prohibitions as to others, for the lad. Still it mftft be repeated, that friendly arrange- ments are preferable wkh all who will come into them; and thnt we fli0!.ild carry into fuch arrange- ments ^11 '.he liberality and fpirit ofaccommodation, which the nature of the cafe will admit. France has, of her own accord, propofed nego-^ ciaiions for improving, by a new treaty, on fair and equal principle^., the commercial relations of the two countries. But her iniernal difturbances have hi- therto prevented the prcfecution of them to effe(f>j though we have had repeated alTurances of a conti- nuance of the difpofition.- Propofals of friendly annngement have been mad* on our part by. the prefcnt government to that of Great-Britain, as.the meflageltates; but, being already on as good a footing in law, and a better in fa£l, than the mofl: favoured r-ation, they have not as yet dif- covered any difpofition to have it meddled with. We have no reafon to conclude that friendly ar* rangements would be declined by the. other nations with whom we have fuch commercial, intcrcourfe as may render thsm important. In the. mean while, it would reft v.'itli the v/ifdom of Congrefs to determine whether, as to thofe nations, they will not furceafe exparte regulations, on the reafonable prefumptioii that thev will concur in dcins: whatever iuftice and moderation dictate iliould be done. THOMAS JEFFERSON. P. S. Since writing; the above, forr.e alterations of the couditioft of our commerce with fome fovereiga aatioas / APPtNDI'X. lim- itations have taken place. France has propofed to enter into a new treaty of commerce with us, on liberal principles; and has, in the mean t^'me, relaxed fame of the reflraints mentioned in the Report. Spain has, by an ordinance of June laft, ellabliflied New Orleans, Penfacola, and St. Auguttine, into i'vcc ports, for the veflels of friendly nations having treaties of commerce with her, provided they touch for a permit at Corcubio.i in Gallicia, or at Alicant; r id our rice is by the fame ordinance excluded from that countrv. # T/:e fvllorio'uig are fome of the principal Articles of Ex' portation from the United States of America during the Year ending in September^ ^792. Three millions one hundred rtnd forty thoufand two hundred and fifty-five bufnels of grain (princi- pally wheat). One million four nuadred and fixty-nine thoufand fevcn hundred and twenty-three barrels of flour, meal, bifcuit, and rice (reducing calks of various fizes to the proportion of flour barrels). Sixty million fix hundred and fcrty-fix thoufand eight hundred and fixty-one feet of boards, plank, and fc mtling (inch board meafure). Thirty-one million feven hundred and fixty thou>» fand {tvQ:\ hundre^i and two flaves and hoops. Seventy-one million fix hundred and ninety-threo thoufand eight hundred and fixty-tree fliingles. Nineteen thoufand three hundred and ninety-ono and a half tons of timber. Eighteen ihoufaiid three hundred and feventy-fout: pieces of timber. One thoufand andeighty cedar and oak fhipknecs. One hundred and ninety-one frames of houfes. Seventy-three thoufand tiiree hundred and eigh- teen oars, rafters for oars, and handfpikes. Forty-eight thoufand eight hundred and fixty {liook or knock dowa calks. • One i ;1 ^ .: &l6 APPENDIX. One hundred and forty-fix' thoufand nine hundrcc^ and nine barrels of tar, pitch, turpentinennd rofin. Nine hi uired and ibrty-eighl thoufaiid one h\ n- dred and fifteen gallons of fpirits, diftilled in the United States. One hundreflieads of tobacco; !g'ifty-t\vo thoufand three hundred and eighty-one hogfiieads ci flax- feed. Forty-ioui thoufand fevcn hundred and fifty-two* horfes, horned cattle, mules, and ilieep. The precedingextraft from the copy of an authen- tic afficial return of all the exports from the United; States of America, within the year, ending in Sep- tember laft, conveys an idea of the wealth, import- ance, and progrcllive profperity of that country, far furpaffing what has been hcreioforc ertcrtained ork. the fubje<^. P. S. From the ift of January, 1793, to the ifl: of January, 1794, there were exported from the port of Philardelphia, 4.22,075 barrels of flour. Of the Civil Li/i^ and Reveniie of the United States, Abflra6t of an Eftimate of the Expenditures of the civil lilt of the United States, for the year 1793, re- ported L>y A. Hamilton, Secretary of, the Treafurys to the Houfe of Reprefentatives. Dollars, Prefjdent's Salary 25,000. Vice-Prefident's ditto 5,000 Chief Juftice 4,000 £ii'e AiTociatc Julticcs i7?5oo All APPENDIX. All the dlftrift Judges 'Congrefs Trealury Department Department of State Department of War Commiflioners of old accounts Loan Offices Wefrern Territory Amount of Penfions •Contingencies ti; 21,700 143^59^ 55.050 6,300 11,250 13,300 13,250 J 1,000 5,267 j»o,264 ■mUm 352,466 or .^•'79)304 1,7 oflcrl. eMues. Total • In Britifli Monev t/ie Re The American revenue, for 1793, is .it'='d to be 4,400,000 dollars,. exclufive of what mrr; ar ; from the fale of lands in the Weftern Terri' -y, .lere is likewife upwards of the value of 5,0. . .coo dollars in bullion, iviug in the Bunk of the Viin \ ^Uates. E/limate (f Expcnce for the Y* '»' 1*794. The whole Civil Lift for 1794, is Extraordinaries for Pub- lic Works, Benevolences, &c. Eftimate of the Vv^ar Ex- Doh, Cents. 397,201 6 H7»69J 43 j)ences for 1794 - i'437\936" 1 Total 2,002,830 50 The Dollar is 4s. 6d. Jlerling^ and the Cent is tht hundredth part of a Dollar. The celebrated Mr. Thomas Paine, in his letter to Mr. Secretary Dimdas, publiflied in London in the month of June, 1792, and who on this fiibjeft, (without: offending any party) may be entitled to credit, gives a ftatement of the expenccs of the Ame- rican government in the following words: The expenccs of all the feveral departments of the ■General Reprcfentative Government of the United States of America, extending over a fpace of country nearlr Yr t t\> 5,625 1,125 900 3)937 illg, &c. /. o o o 10 6,^73 x$ %1% APPENDIX. nearly it)\ times larger than England, Is two Imn- dred and ninety-fourthoufand five himdrcd and fifty- eight dollars, which at 4s. 6d. per dollar, is 66,275!. IIS. fterling, and is thus apportioned: Expences of the Executive Department. The Office of the Prefidency, at which the Prefident receives nothing for himfclf , - - - - Vice Prefident • ... ^ * Chief Tuftice .- -- - ^ '. Five aflbciate Juftlces ... Nineteen Judges of Diftri(fts and Attor- ney General - . - - hegiflative Department, Members of Congrefs at fix dollars (il. 7s.) per day, their Secretaries, Clerks, Chaplainc, Meflengers, Door- keepers, &c. - - - * fypaj'tiry Dcpartmtnt. •Secretary, Aflillant, Comptroller, Audi- tor, Treafurer, Regifter, and Loan- Office-Keeper, in each Itate, together with all neceflary Clerks, Office- Keepers, &:c. 12,825 ° Department of State,) including Foreign Affairs. Secretary, Clerks, &c. &c. - - 1,406 5 Department of War. Secretary, Clerks, Pay mailers, Commif- fioner, &c. - - - ;- i546£ Commiffioners for fettling Old Accounts, The whole Board, Clerks, &c. - - 2,598 Incidental and Contingent Expences, ^or Fire Wood, Stationary, Print- 25^515 o 10 15 Total 4,006 16 66,275 li ! FINIS, B \