ADDRESS r.KfORIC TIIK AT TIIK ( l.nsi: OF ITS FOURTEENTH ANNUAL FAIR, On tlie i<;ih of October, 1841, GEN. JAMES TALLMADGE, PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OP THE MANAGERS NEW-YORK: HOPKINS AND JENNINGS, PRINTERS, No. Ill Fulton-Btrcot. 1841. ADDRESS BEFORE THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, AT THK CLOSE OF ITS FOURTEENTH ANNUAL FAIR, On tbe 26th of October, 1841, BY GEN. JAMES TALLMADGE, PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE MANAGERS. NEW-YORK: HOPKINS AND JENNINGS, PRINTERS, No. Ill Fulton-Htrcet 1841. New-York, Nov. 21st, 1841. GEN. JAMES TALLMADOE, Dear Sir : The undersigned having listened to your Address at the close of the 14th Annual Fair of the American Institute, and deeming the views taken by you, together with the facts set forth on that occasion, of too much importance to the great interests of our country, to rest upon the summary, and for the most part, incorrect reports of the same, which appeared in the public newspapers, avail themselves of this first opportunity since your return to the city, of soliciting a copy of that address from you, for publication. Respectfully your obedient servants, ADONIRAM CHANDLER, T. B. WAKKMAN, ROSEWKLL GRAVES, D. HENDERSON, CHARLES F. HOWELL, GKO. C. DE Kxy, L. D. CHAPIN, JOHN CAMPBELL, W. P. DISSOBWAY, JOHN TRAVERS, B. GARDINKR, GEO. BACON, EDWARD CLARKE, ALFRED STILLM.AN. New- York, Nov. 26th, 1841. Gentlemen : The reports which I have seen of the Address at the close of the Fair, are certainly imperfect and different from what I intended, and supposed I had delivered. My object was to show the necessity for Equality and Reciprocity in trade, and that the commercial regula- tions of other governments, not having been countervailed by ours, had occasioned the de- pression of the labouring classes, and the derangement of our currency, financial concerns, and navigation. The address was spoken extempore, with a general reference to the documents and facts before me. A summary of the address IB now sent, and submitted to your discretion. Very respectfully, Yours, &c. JAMES TALLMADGE. To ADONIRAM CHANDLER, Esq. ) and others Committee, &c. ) ADDRESS. FELLOW-CITIZENS : WE rejoice to meet you on this 14th Anniversary of the American In- stitute. It has been our lot very often to meet you on these occasions ; and always, on our part, with increasing satisfaction. It is with exulting pride we find we have your marked approbation of our whole course. The American Institute was incorporated many years since, for the pur- pose of advancing the AGKICULTURE, COMMERCE, and MANUFACTURES of our country. It avows itself alike the champion of each, but in particular and especially of commerce. It is the interest of the country to do justice to her commerce. Secure to that an open trade and unrestricted enter- prise, it will in return not only build up a commercial marine, and estab- lish our naval strength, but will provide a market for agriculture and man- ufactures, which will be sufficient, and all they ask, for their protection and indemnity. We have a country unsurpassed in its advantages by any other portion of the globe ; and blessed with a government, soil, and climate, unequalled by that of any other. Look at the mighty progress we are making in in- ternal improvements. Already this country, which led the way in canals, has 3,700 miles of canal navigation, pouring in its abundance ; and 4,500 miles of railroad. Thus we have about 8,000 miles of these useful public works, equal in value to about $160,000,000, expended for the benefit and happiness of the whole people. No country on earth, ancient or modern, can produce any thing in physical achievements at all comparable to this. How different, and how much better is this, than those monarchical and despotic governments which waste their revenues, and can boast only of their columns to heroes, pyramids to kings, and marble palaces, standing as monuments of the oppression and subjection of the people from whom such abundance has been wrung. We have had, during the progress of the present Fair, addresses deliv- ered on various subjects of public interest, and especially on agriculture and the culture of silk. You have, on our previous anniversaries like this, been addressed by the wisdom and the learning of the land : by a Baldwin, a Burges, an Everett, a Davis, a Kennedy, a Southard, a Webster, and many others : in fact, orators have preceded us, and facts and circum- stances have been adduced by them, espousing and illustrating the princi- ples of encouragement and protection to the great interests of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures. They have so brought their eloquence and reason to bear, that I venture to say, there is not a book extant, combining at one centre, and containing so much intelligence in the same space, on these subjects, as the desk of the American Institute. My purpose on the present occasion, is to call your attention especially to COMMERCE and its attendant consequences. It is perhaps sufficient for the purposes of the country, and in gradual advancement ; but it is not what it ought to be. The extent of our country, its benign and varied climate, with its exuberant and virgin soil, has fitted it for every production and every pursuit The genius and irrepressible spirit of our people have a course that is onward. They aspire to active pursuits and deeds of enter- prise as the price of success, and their claim to prosperity. Internal commerce is not what of right it ought to be. Our increasing population, and the superabundant productions of our land, push it for- ward to a state of partial prosperity. But it bears no just proportion to the advance of internal improvements, and what the attendant circumstances of the country invited it to become. Providence has showered down blessings upon us. We have been spared from the great scourges of mankind ; either war, pestilence, or famine. Yet our country is despond- ing and suffering under embarrassments. Agriculture is abundant, but has no market ! Manufactures withering, and at a stand. Labour depressed. This strong arm of supply and de- fence is not employed and protected as it should be. The Revenue is di- minishing, the Treasury exhausted. The Currency deranged, and credit destroyed. Foreign commerce is growing on us at an, alarming extent. Is it not time that we should arouse the attention of the Government to these facts, and warn it of our condition? The causes leading to such disastrous results, are worthy mature con- sideration. We cut the following article from a city paper, we believe from the Journal of Commerce of September : " The Revenue law will go into operation on the 1st proximo. It may produce changes in the state of our trade, of which the extent cannot yet be foreseen. At present, our trade with the Continent of Europe, and with France particularly, is in a condition which, it would seem, unwise legis- lation can alone have brought about It is almost altogether in the hands of foreigners. Of the packet-ships recently arrived from France, with very valuable cargoes, four. fifths of these, certainly, and perhaps nine-tenths, were for foreign account or consigned to foreign houses here. With the intelligence, industry, and enterprise of the American merchant it is quite impossible that any equal competition should have shut him out so com- pletely from the French trade ; and therefore it is, we say, that unwise le- gislation must be at the bottom of it. " In anticipation of the new duties on silks and other merchandise, the produce of France, now free, very large assortments have arrived and are arriving. So that the calculation of revenue from this source will, for the first portion of the current fiscal year, be disappointed, the country being stocked with free goods." Yes, fellow-citizens, " unwise legislation " has crippled the energies and the resources of the country. " Our trade is in a condition which unwise legislation can alone have brought about Nine-tenths of the importations from France are on foreign account The same may be said as to importa- tions from England, and from Germany. We are advocates for free trade. We have opened our ports to the productions of foreign countries. We receive foreigners with open arms, and extend to them all our civil rights and privileges, but are not willing to become their inferiors in this land of our birth. This monopoly by them of our foreign trade, and of importa- tions, must have a cause. If it does not spring from, it is sanctioned and tolerated by, our own " unwise legislation." It is high time our govern- ment placed us on a footing of equality with other nations. Foreign goods are imported on foreign account, accompanied by a foreign agent, or con- signed to one previously stationed here, to hold possession of the goods to sell them draw the specie, and remit the proceeds by the return packet. Our regular merchants pay taxes and rents, and may look from their stores to witness what they severely feel, the facilities afforded to this process of foreign trade. The American importing houses have been superseded, and but few of them remain. This change in the course of the importing trade, is declared by foreigners to be necessary, as a consequence of our bad currency and loss of credit The diminution of our imports at the pre- sent time, compared with our exports, comes not from any salutary meas- ures, adopted by our government, but arises from our former great indebt- edness, and the present doubtful safety for further liabilities. The most visionary nullifier, could not ask a better illustration of the effects of our late public measures, than these facts present. If our government did not before know, it was informed by despatches from the American Minister, General Cass, Oct. 28, 1839 " That in 1836, France imported into the United States, value, 238 mil- lions of francs. She received as imports from the United States, value, 110 millions of francs." The balance paid in specie. Again: "All the expoitations from France to the United States, are manufac- tured articles ; none of them giving employment to American manufac- turers. The articles imported into France from the United States, are in their natural state," (raw materials.) Ag ui*: " Two-thirds of all the importations introduced from France into the United States, are free of duty. Not one article imported into France from the United States is exempted from duty. The great American staple, cotton, imported into France, pays a duty of between four and five per cent upon its value more than Egyptian cotton, thus far operating as a bounty in favour of the latter. Upon silks imported into the United States from countries east of the Cape of Good Hope, a duty of ten per cent, is levied, while French silks are free of duty : a regulation which has driven the India and China silks from the American markets, and which operates as a bounty upon the introduction of French (and English) silks ; a product constituting almost one half in value of the amount of the importations of the United States from France." This despatch added " It will be useless to pursue the matter in any other way, than by announcing to the French government at once, a deter- mination to render the commercial intercourse between the nations, per- fectly reciprocal, by countervailing regulations, and of adopting those without delay ; if the concession demanded is not immediately made." In a despatch of General Cass to our government, February 13, 1840, it is said : " We have no reason to expect any favourable change in the sys- tem of tobacco admininistration in France, by which our tobacco can be admitted upon anything like a principle of reciprocity, unless we are pre- pared to change our mode of application; and to enforce, by our own laws, that equality of which we are deprived. I have endeavoured to give a general view of the commercial relations existing between France and the United States, and to point out the inequality which exists an inequality resulting from the laws of France, and which is so great, that our exportations to that country do not exceed one half of our im- portations, and the balance must be remitted in specie." Again : " The history of modern trade scarcely exhibits and instance of greater inequality, than the commercial intercourse which now exists between the United States and France." It may be asked, what our government did, upon despatches containing such extraordinary and momentous facts 1 The answer must be, NOTH- ING ! ! The long and yet continued duty of 10 per cent, on China silks, as a bounty upon the importation of French and English silks, is matter for curious and interesting inquiry. As the greater portion of our commercial business is with England we must proceed more particularly to speak of her ; reminding you, that our commercial business and regulations with France and^Germany, are much upon the same disadvantageous condition as with England. She is the principal cause of the present inequality of our commercial intercourse with the nations of Europe. She is a sea-girt isle, and justly considered the gem of the ocean. Her unrivalled position and her attention and superior com- mercial policy, has enabled her to hold her own trade ; and she is busied to gain and supplant ours. We were once her colonies ; but by the strength of our arms, and the wisdom and virtue of a Washington, we freed our- selves. She has since gone on colonizing the world by her commercial re- gulations ; and by our own unwise legislation," she has again reduced us almost to a colonial condition. Her measures have been, her corn-laws ; (to name them is enough ;) her colonial system, and discriminating duties, to encourage her own commerce and depress that of other countries. All these proceedings have been left years past, by our government unresisted and without measures of retaliation. We have with her a treaty of reci- procal navigation ; under which she has flooded us with her manufactures > and in return, takes little or nothing from us : she drains us of our specie and even of that obtained by other sources of trade ; and yet prohibits, by rate of duties, every article we can send her in return, but cotton. Political quacks may put plans of finance and currency upon paper as often as they please, and call them .Bank, Sub-Treasury, or any other name of delusion- No bank or currency can stand : there is no commercial condition of a country which can be sound and healthy, " unless we render the commercial intercourse between the two nations equal, by countervailing regulations." Let the treatment of American tobacco in the markets of Europe il- lustrate the condition of our trade in England, and which is also in sub- stance the same with France and Germany. The duty in England on leaf tobacco, is 3s. sterling per pound, which is about thirteen hundred per cent on the cost Tobacco stemmed and pressed in casks, is called " manufactured," and the duty is 9s. sterling, or about two thousand per cent on the cost. This whole subject of tobacco will be best dis- posed of by a reference to a " Report on the regulation, etc. etc. of for- eign countries on tobacco, by Joshua Dodge, late Special Agent of the United States of America to Germany, March 16, 1840." The Report concludes with these astounding remarks : " Europe levies a revenue of about $30,000,000, on about 100,000 hogs- heads of American tobacco, which cost in the United States about $7,000,000." " England alone levies about $17,275,700, on about 18,000 hogsheads of our tobacco, in the form of duties, excise, licenses, etc. ; being equal to about two- thirds of the expenses of their navy; and about equal to the whole expenses of the government of the United States of America" Look at the article of rice. The cost being $3,25 per cwt, the duty is 15s. sterling ; and more than the value of the article. This is to encourage the rice of their East India possessions. With all due deference to nullification, the American Institute main- tains, that the southern planters, who have tobacco or rice lands, are entitled to the full benefit of their production, and ought to be protected in a mar- ket ; and the full benefit of their crops ought not, by the neglect of our government, to be given over, for such enormous profits, to foreigners. Flour is met by prohibitory duties. The article of salted pork is subject to a duty of six dollars per barrel ; and fresh pork is prohibited ; to aid their agriculture. Lumber is subject to a duty of prohibition, in American ves- sels, in order to support their shipping interest Shingks are charged with a duty of $3,25, in American vessels ; and, in many cases, trading vessels are admitted from their own ports and colonies nearly duty free, and thus breaking up the fruits of the voyage. In addition to such numerous facts, England is now busy endeavouring to render herself independent of us soon, in the article of COTTON. She will soon be enabled to place it on the footing of tobacco. She has, about two years since, purchased our cotton gins, and hired men from this country 8 upon liberal salaries, to go out to India, to teach the natives how to raise and produce cotton. She sent out for this purpose, at one time, 105 bar- rels of cotton seed, obtained from this country, with steam engines and other necessary implements ; she is also encouraging its growth and production in Egypt, in Brazil, and in Texas. The climate and soil of these coun- tries, are congenial to the production of cotton ; and Great Britain is teach- ing them the art Colombia, in South America, has sent to this city, orders for Sea Island cotton-seed ; in hopes to rival South Carolina in that un- equalled production of the world. The beginning results of these measures already appear in the late British price currents ; we see it stated that 70,000 bales of cotton had arrived from India, and had lessened the price of cotton in the market. Another British price current states : "Imports of American cotton 792,230 Last year, 1,116,202 Decrease bales, . . . 323,972." The course of trade and commercial regulations, is the cause of our great indebtedness abroad ; of the balances of trade, almost uniformly against us, and the consequent continued drafts upon our specie. I took from a city print, the last of September, this notice : " The specie shipped in masses, is as follows : Gladiator, for London, $230,000 Louis Phillippe, for Havre, .... 346,000 Great Western, for Bristol, .... 271,340 Akbar, for Canton, via Liverpool, . . . 250,000 $1,097,340." Although this shipment was for a single week, it may, perhaps, be sub- stantially correct to consider the drafts on us for specie, as equal to one million of dollars per month, and exhausting the specie we derive from other sources of trade. It is now ascertained that since July, seven mil- lions of specie have been sent out to France and England, and almost en- tirely for untaxed 1 uxuries. No currency, or banks, or agriculture, or manufac- tures, can stand up and prosper, under such a condition of commerce. Among the effects of those measures, are the derangement of com- merce ; the drawing away specie ; the depression of internal commerce ; the destruction of labour ; and, above all, the alarming and ruinous increase of American commerce, in foreign vessels. The Edinburgh Review, for July, 1840, endeavouring to show the inter- eats which would be sacrificed in a war with the United States, says : M On the average of the last four years, the proportion which the ton- nage of ships from the United States, entering the ports of the United King- dom, bore to the tonnage of our whole trade inwards, (including coasters,) was as one to nine and a half. And the corresponding amount for the United States, shows that the tonnage employed in the trade with the United Kingdom, is no less than one-fourth of the whok tonnage employed in the foreign commerce of the Union." The documents sent to Congress on 2d March, 1841, show the tonnage and vessels which entered the United States in 1840 : " American vessels, No. . 7,211. Ton. . 1,576,946 Foreign . .$.571. " . 712,363." Thus showing, one-third of the American commerce, in number of ves- sels and tonnage, is in foreign bottoms ; and principally under the British flag. This is by reason of the discrimination and advantages of a mar- ket, given by other governments against our commerce and carrying trade. British vessels visit, with facilities, our Eastern ports, and take our pro- duce by way of Halifax and Brunswick, to foreign markets, which are closed, by high duties, against American vessels. It is thus that five-sixths of the commerce of MAINE is in British vessels ; as is also two-thirds of the commerce of Georgia. The table of the tonnage of that State is : " American, . 23,204 British, 41,721." In April last, I went up the Savannah river. There were then eleven large English ships lading with Georgia timber. No American vessel. If such an undue proportion of our commerce, carried on in foreign ves- sels, to the exclusion of the American flag, is beneficial either to the parti- cular States, or to the nation ; the Chesapeake, the Delaware, and the Hudson, ought to be opened to a participation of the benefits. But if not, the subject has long required the action of Congress, and calls for a just protection to our own carrying trade. The commerce and navigation on the Western Lakes, exhibit a case yet more extraordinary : "Lake Ontario. Vessels. Tonnage. American, 599 63,517 British, ...... 1,011 215,080 Lake Erie. Detroit American, . 7 593 British, .... 155 12,000." Buffalo, Cleaveland, and other places, seem to be omitted ; and the tables are too imperfect to state the commerce of the Upper Lakes. It is, how- ever, matter of public report, that some of the principal flouring mills at Oswego, and other places, are grinding on Canadian account. One line of transportation had eighteen schooners, busily employed in carrying flour to Kingston. It is there branded,- as Canadian manufacture, and passed down the St. Lawrence, to be carried in British ships to a foreign and rival mar- ket At Cleaveland, it is known, there are several Canadian houses, and houses with Canadian partners, engaged in the produce brought by the Ohio CandL Their operations are so extensive, that many of them have steam engines to unload from canal boats, and to reship in vessels for King- ston. One among the many letters, appearing in the public prints, will best tell the course of this British business in American produce, and from which American vessels are excluded, by discriminative duties : 2 10 [Extrnct of a letter.] " CLEAVALAND, September 26, 1841. " Six thousand barrels of Western Canal flour were sold here to-day, de- liverable at Kingston and Prescott, in Canada, by Oswego and Ogdensburg millers, on terms equal to $6, cash here. 1300 bushels wheat sold to-day at $1,15 which is the top of the market The stock of wheat here must be large, but holders are not disposed to submit to heavy losses yet "P. S. Evening 2000 barrels more Oswego flour sold, deliverable at Kingston, at a fraction below the previous sales." The store-houses in Kingston are not large enough, and shantees are built to hold the American produce, sent there to be reshipped and compete with our vessels and commerce in foreign markets. Much of the produce of eleven States and Territories, bordering on the Lakes and western waters, is thus diverted and sent down the St. Lawrence, checking the free commerce of this city and country, and goes to aggrandize our naval and commercial rival. In vain did Perry fight, with matchless valour, for the mastery of the Lakes. The one ship which " headed off," from the line of battle, and would not join in the fierce fight, must have been gifted with second-sight, and foresaw the inutility of conquering in war, that mastery which was so soon, and so ingloriously, to be surrendered in time of peace. The tolls on the Welland Canal suddenly rose from 12,000 to 50,000 sterling ; and the tolls and freight of the New- York Canals fell a correspond- ing amount, after the treaty with England, which sacrificed to us the West India trade. That Canal aided to divert much of the trade of the Upper Lakes ; and her commercial regulations have secured to England also, the transportation and market of this portion of American produce. It is one of the commercial regulations of England, that American pro- duce, arriving at a port of her colony, is naturalized as Colonial produce, and may be re-shipped in British vessels to the mother country, or to any other colony, or foreign port ; while a like voyage is prohibited to an Amer- ican vessel. It is thus that a large portion of the produce of the States, bordering on the Lakes, on being sent across, to any British settlement, be- comes naturalized ; and is sent, by the way of the St. Lawrence, to foreign markets, in British vessels; thus encouraging ship-building, and the shipping interest of England, and furnishing an effectual nursery for British seamen. It explains why five-sixths of the commerce of Maine, and two- thirds of that of Georgia, and now nearly one-third of the commerce of the United States, is carried on, and increasing, in British vessels. It tells this country, why her labourers and mechanics are unemployed ; why the amount of New- York ship-building is lessening yearly ; why many of those she has, are unemployed, and her general prosperity is unequal to the advan- tages of her situation and enterprise. Add to these circumstances the coun- tervailing and prohibitory duties of England against the agriculture and the commerce of this nation, all disregarded and supinely acquiesced in, by our own government, and the present depressed and disastrous condition of the currency and the country cannot be misunderstood. The balances of trade 11 against us the last six years, is nearly three hundred millions of dollars, "or articles which could have been manufactured in this country ; to say nothing of the two hundred millions of State stocks sold in Europe in the game time. How mysterious it is that our finances and currency are de- ranged, and business depressed ! ! ! Congress and our Government have been tinkering at the system of banks, while they shrink with dread from looking at the real causes. The injurious effects of these measures on New- York alone, are worthy of consideration. In 1835, the freight which came to tide-water, on the New- York Canals, was 753,191 tons, and required over 1,400 vessels, of 500 tons each, to transport it to this city and to a foreign market. It gave life and activity to our towns and cities, by a continued employment and an in- creasing demand for labour, materials, and mechanic skill ; and formed an important item in our domestic and foreign commerce. The tolls, business, and freight on our canals have been greatly lessened by this diverted trade- The diminution exceeds in amount the growth and increasing production of the West. The statistics of ship-building, for 1840 : Vesseli. Tons Maine, there were built, . . 181 38,936. Massachusetts, 113 17,811. New Jersey, 103 Maryland, Ill New York, 72 13,786." Thus showing the comparative condition of your commercial emporium. It has been diminishing in amount for the last several years. How could it be otherwise, under the commercial regulations of other governments, and almost the abandonment of our own ? In common with the nation, it has claims for relief and protection in its just rights and pursuit". SPAIN deems it correct and wise, to follow illustrious precedents. She too naturalizes the produce of other countries, in order to command its carrying trade in her own vessels. Our cotton is prohibited going to Spain in Ame- rican vessels ; while, if sent to her colony of CUBA, it is there naturalized, and then shipped in Spanish vessels to the mother country, or a foreign market. A considerable commerce of this kind is now carried on from Ha- vanna; to the loss of New Orleans and to American vessels. Our government yields to all this. It ought to support our trade and commerce, or with- draw like the Chinese, and be ready in our turn, to be murdered, because we will not eat opium. The cotton of Texas and the Red River would come to New Orleans, as its port of business, deposit, and shipment for market ; but a duty amount- ing to prohibition against foreign cotton ; as a protection of this staple of the Southern States (and which oppose its extention to the staples of other states,) compels it to turn aside into the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans suffers the loss of its business, and American vessels are deprived of its carry ing trade. Much is said about free trade. England sends books on Political Econ 12 omy for us to use, but not to be regarded by herself. Our government has gone on giving free trade, without any return, till an empty treasury has compelled it to resume duties for the sake of revenue. In 1834, by the official statement to Parliament, the quantity of leaf to. bacco imported from the United States was 37,804,871 Ibs. the duty on which, at 3s. sterling per Ib. would amount to $27,219,507. According to Mr. McCulloch, the discriminating duty between tobacco raised in the British Colonies, or the United States, is 3d. sterling, or 6 cents per Ib. ; being equal to the price of Virginia and Kentucky tobacco in the London market, (in bond,) according to the same author, in 1834. The duty levied on POT AND PEARL ASHES imported into Great Britain from the United States, is 6s. sterling, or $1,44 per cwl.; while from British Colonies ashes are admitted free of duty. The effect of this has been to drive the trade in ashes from the northern states to Montreal and Quebec, whence they are carried to England in British vessels. Thus in 1834 the imports of ashes from the British Colonies, (Canada, &c.,) were 84,937 cwt. and only one cwt. from the United States. In 1838, England raised, by duties levied on COTTON from the United States, $2,434,949, while she prohibits, or burthens with heavy duties, every article of our agricultural produce. Foreigners, and agents for foreign bu- siness, may well huzza! ! for such a FREE TRADE. It is according to the English book. Will any person with American feelings join in such a clamour! It is not true that the American Institute, is an advocate for a HIGH TA- RIFF. It maintains equality and a perfect reciprocity in trade. It proposes to offer to other governments, free trade, equality and reciprocity. Our bu- siness is to offer to England and to France to come to some agreement, for a just and equal trade ; to take our tobacco and rice on equal terms ; to make American productions free, and reciprocal : and if this is refused, to adopt countervailing regulations, as a defence against their unjust measures ; and to put on their broadcloths, silks, and manufactures, the like duties they put on tobacco and the agriculture of our country. Their aggres- sions, to be our rule of resistance. It is the object and wish of America, to walk in the paths of peace. Give a clear deck, or an open field, and she will ask no favours of the world. But with all our keen sagacity, and what with politics and president-making, our country is not going in advance, as she ought, with all her natural advantages. With keen and vigorous governments abroad, careful of their interests ; and with party rulers here at home, intent only on their places and party discipline, it is no matter for wonder that currency is deranged, com- merce depressed, and, in short,] all the concerns of the country embar- rassed. These things explain why, among other things, our commercial marine is languishing. Strife may come and find our marine deranged and our hardy seamen driven to other pursuits, and one half of the trade of our 13 country in possession of foreigners. War may come, and we may blow the trumpet, and call for these naval heroes in the hour of need, to " hold their steady march upon the mountain wave," and they may not be within our call ; and all this too, while it is the declared policy of our country to en- courage navigation ; and especially long voyages, as a NURSERY FOR SEA- MEN. For this object a bounty is paid on the fisheries ; and drawbacks al- lowed on the re-exportation of foreign articles. The amount does not ap- pear in the table, but is believed to be nearly equal to one million of dollars. In the face of such facts, the last revenue bill has surrendered the China trade to British shipping ! ! Tea from China, was before, and has been a long time, duty free, in American vessels ; and ten per cent, duty if in for- eign vessels. In the last revenue bill this little discriminating duty of 10 per cent is repealed, and it enacts, that tea shall be duty free, " from China," or " ANT OTHER PLACE." This must be in favour of British shipping ; and in compliment to a duty of two thousand per cent, on our tobacco, and du- ties operating as a prohibition against rice, flour, and the productions of our agriculture, unless diverted to those channels, giving the carrying trade to British vessels. The old stale teas of British stores, are now to be sent to this country in British vessels, duty free. While we gave to France a free trade in her silks, wines, and luxuries, as a reward for the embarrassments inflicted by her, on our commerce and agriculture, we have yet continued the duty of 10 per cent, on silks from beyond the Cape of Good Hope, which operates as a tax on us, and as a bounty on the silks of France and England. With the protecting duty long since allowed on New Orleans sugar, a bounty was given, in the nature of a drawback on the importation, refining, and exportation of foreign sugars. When the duty was diminished, the bounty remained unregarded. This omission did not offend nullification, as it only greatly increased the exports of Cuba, created a few millionaire refiners in this city and in Boston ; and presented the rare circumstance of a bounty paid by this country for supplying Russia with West India sugar ! The last Congress, in mercy to the empty treasury, repealed this bounty, so far, as to be only equal to the duty paid. Such a state of things could not have been the intention of any Congress or any administration ; but engaged and engrossed as they are in president-making, and in squab- bles of party politics, it is only their heedless legislation. They have not had time to insist on equality and reciprocity in trade, and take the proper retaliatory measures against the injurious commercial regulations of other governments. In olden times the messages of our Presidents dwelt on the support and condition of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures. In lat- ter years, these subjects are deemed too unessential to gain admittance into such public documents. We do not speak of any of these things as partisans. The American In- stitute belongs to no party. It censures all parties alike. Party spirit and the discipline of party, is the bane of our land, and the curse of our country. The Institute calls for support to our agriculture, commerce, and man- 14 ufactures, and to procure such legislation as will put us on an equality with other nations in all our commercial pursuits. There is no defect in our institutions, or in the character of our people, which occasions the present depression of our concerns, foreign and do- mestic. We stand elevated in the eyes of the world for capacity to produce. If Russia wishes to build a vessel, she sends to New- York for one as a model. When she needs an imperial steam frigate, New- York is employed to build it. Spain also sends to New- York for steam-vessels of war. Is a cotton factory or a steam sugar-mill wanted, America furnishes it. Does Prussia need a flouring-mill, she sends to Baltimore for machinery. An American is selected as engineer, while Dantzic sends her citizens to Rochester to learn the art of grinding wheat Austria sends to Philadelphia for loco- motives. The Grand Sultan sent here for our Eckford to instruct them in ship-building, and for our Porter, to impart capacity and valour for their de- fence. When Egypt wakes up from her Pharaoh sleep and finds that the hands of her subjects and her bullock-mills are not the most perfect in the world for digging canals, she too sends for tools and steam-engines. When Texas wants machinery, she sends to Lowell and Patterson ; and England even England herself sends to Philadelphia for locomotives, for she can build nothing to equal them. It is only in our own country, that American genius and enterprise are not sustained and honoured. Were there vouchsafed to us this free trade, or reciprocity which we ask, American productions, would meet the eye of the traveller in every country and clime. Even now an American peace-maker, built by the inventor, frowns from the ramparts of Constantinople. In saying a peace-maker, I do not mean a Quaker ; their chaste and beautiful principles ill accord with this degenerate age. I refer to Cochran's repeating gun, which must soon come into general use. While we have such weapons to defend us, we need not fear to assert boldly our claim to reciprocity and free trade. This is not the only instance in which members of the Institute have been called abroad to superintend the building of inventions, the offspring of their own minds, and which will long standas monuments of American skill. Having, perhaps, hereafter no better opportunity to express the deep obli- gations which the American Institute feels under to the U. S. Naval officers on this station, I will improve it by saying that we should be most happy to reciprocate, and have looked about us for the means of so doing. We can only offer you, gentlemen, in return our sincere thanks, and the beautiful nautical instruments which are now before you, manufactured by members of this Institute, which, by their near approach to perfection, will give you greater confidence in crossing the mighty waters ; and should these fail which we offer you with one hand, we hold in our other a Francis Life Boat to succour and to save in the last extremity. im President thon announced the delivery of the premiums, commented upon various pocimons and individual manufactures ; and the affairs of the ezibition closed with music from the Naval Uand. 15 ICT THE memorable " armed neutrality" of the North, under tho auspices of the Empress CATHARINE, formed for the defence of FREE TRADE," was overthrown in the wreck of the French Revolution. "Russia was prosperous in 1816, '17, '18, and '19 ; but, fascinated with the theories of Adam Smith and J. B. Say, she adopted a new tariff in 1818, on the delusive plan of letting trade regulate itself.* In this tariff she abro- gated her prohibitions, and lowered her duties. The country was imme- diately deluged with foreign goods, and in due course, drained of its specie, as we have been in past years, to pay for the surplus of those imports, which far exceeded its exports. The most disastrous consequences took place. Circulation was stopped. Distress and wretchedness overspread the land. The manufacturers, as was the case in this country, first fell victims to this mistaken policy. Agriculture next felt the shock ; and finally, bankruptcy swept away a large proportion of those commercial houses whose cupidity had paved the way for the misery of their country." The following statement of the sufferings of the country is taken from a circular of the Emperor of Russia, signed by Count NESSELRODE : (published 1827:) " To produce happy effects, the principles of commercial freedom must be generally adopted. The state which, adopts, whilst others reject them, must condemn its own industry and commerce to pay a ruinous tribute to those of other nations. " From a circulation exempt from restraint, and the facility afforded by reciprocal exchanges, almost all the governments at first resolved to seek the means of repairing the evil which Europe had been doomed to suffer ; but experience, and more correct calculations, because they were made from cer- tain data, and upon the results already known, of the peace that had just taken place,forced them soon to adhere to the prohibitory system. " England preserved hers. Austria remained faithful to the rule she had laid down, to guard herself against the rivalship of foreign industry. France, with the same views, adopted the most rigorous measures of precaution. And Prusssia published a new tariff" in October last, which proves that she found it impossible not to follow the example of the rest of Europe. " In proportion as the prohibitory system is extended and rendered per- fect in other countries, that state which pursues the contrary system makes from day to day sacrifices more extensive and more considerable. * * * It offers a continual encouragement to the. manufactures of other countries and its own manufactures perish in the struggle, which they are as yet unable to maintain. ' It is with the most lively feelings of regret we acknowledge it is our own proper experience which enables us to trace this picture. The evils which it. details, have been realized in Russia and Poland since the con- clusion of the act of the 7-19 of December, 1818.* AGRICULTURE WITHOUT A MARKET, INDUSTRY WITHOUT PROTECTION, LANGUISH AND DECLINE. SPECIE IS EXPORTED, AND THE MOST SOLID COMMERCIAL HOUSES ARE SHAKEN. The public prosperity would soon feel the wound inflicted on private fortunes, if new regulations did not promptly change the actual state of affairs. Events have proved that our AGRICULTURE and our COMMERCE, as well as our MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, are not only paralyzed, BUT BROUGHT TO THE BRINK OF RUIN." * Tho tariff did not go into operation till le-JO. A/F net T*- THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. Series 9482