CONGRESS
House of ReprefentatiViS.
Januirv 14.
In committee of the holt, on the report of
the Secretary of Stcte, mlariiie to the com
mercial intercourfc of tb'u country, 'with so-
reign mitiotu.
Sketch of Mr. Madison's observations in
reply to Mr. Smith,
Mr. Madilon said, he had hoped that
the gentleman up yellerday, would to-day
linve favored tlie commiltee with those ar
guments which the late hour yellerday,
preventedhimfrom bringing forward; how
ever, as this did not appear his intention,
he rose to make some remarks on the very
important fubjeft, now before the Legilla
ture.
The fubjeft before the committee, be
acknowledged, is of a commercial nature;
however, it will not be poliiblc, he con
ceived, to do jullice to it and to the in
tercfts of the United States without mak
ing some allusions to politics. The ques
tion as it at tirft presents itfelf is of a ge
neral nature ; the committer arc lb deter
mine how far if i«the»ntereft -of this coun
try, by commercial regulations, to vary
the Hate of commerce now cxiiting. He
declared himfelf a friend to free trade, and
give it as his Opinion, that it would be of
general advantage if, all commerce was
lice ; but to this rule there are, he con
ceived, exceptions. He inttanced the na
vigation ast of Great Britain as a proof of
the efTift of one exception on tbeprofpe
rity of national commerce. This ast, be
fore the present revolution of France, when
it produced its full efTeft, and because it
was not counter-balanced by a-y similar
acts on the part of rival nations, gave to
Great Britain eleven twelftlra of the (hip
ping employed in her tiade. The rapidity
with which it produced its effects was not
lei's remarkable, lie said, than the extent
of those effects.
The a<£t passed in 1660 ; the foreign
tonnage then employed in the British trade
v. .-.s to the British tonnage as one to four,
in 1719 it was reduced to as one to nine ;
in 1750 it was as one to twelve, and in
1774, it was reduced to less than as one
to twelve. There is another exception to
the advantages of a free trade, w here the
fraction of the country is such with ref
peft to another, that by duties on the
commodities of that other it (hall, not on
ly invigorate its own means of rivalfhip,
hat draw from that country the hands em
ployed in the production of those commo
dities. When an effect like this can be
produced it is so much clear gain, and is
confident with the general theory of nati
onal rights. What has been and ever will
be the effect of leaving our commerce alto
gether to regulate itfelf? It is to submit
it to be regulated by other nations. Sup
pofc, that this country had a commercial
intercourse with one nation only, and that
we should admit of a free trade, and that
nation procecdedon a monopolizing system,
would not that nation enjoy all the carrying
trade, and with it the maritime strength
it confers be heaped upon a rival! Then
just in the fame proportion to the freedom
we grant to the veflels of other nations
with us, and to the burdens other nations
iinpofe on ours, with them will be the
transfer of those maritime refourccs.
It had been remarked that this fubjeft
is not novel. It is as old as our nation, it
1 as been difcufied from our political birth,
and it lia« exercised the thoughts and at
tention of reflecting persons ever fmce. In
1784 the States, at the recommendation
of Congress, granted for a limited time
certain powers to Coiiorefs, for the regu
lation of our common commercial intereils;
but thii was found ineffectual. The States
then, endeavored to attain this dcfireable
objift by concurrent regulations, which
originated with Mafachufetts, but inef
fectually also Out of this experience rose
the nicafurej that terminated in the exit
ing eliablifhment, with a riew to some per
manent regulations and the vindication of
our commercial rights. This was no more
an object of the eliablifhment of the pre
sent government by the people than it was
their film belief that some regulations on
this head would be one of the firft fruits
of its operations. An attempt was one
of the firft fruits of those operations in the
Hoi.fe, but this firft experiment expired
in tie Senate, and there it fell, not from
a dillike to the principle, but because a
better • mode, it was thought, could be
devised than that proposed.
It vat alio urged, when the qucflion
wasfirft agitated, at New-York, that such
regulations then would not be well timed,
considering that the execution of the trea
ty with Great Britain was yet depending,
and that uegociations for a treaty of com
mei ce might soon be expected to be open
ed. It was thought by some, wife to wait
the event of thole ncgociations, that then
the Legillaturc might proceed on surer
ground, and ast more unanimously. We
have waited; the treaty is not executed,
and we may infer from the communications
of the executive that there is no negocia
tions depending that (houlil stop us. We
have tried to bring about such a negocia
tion, and we have failed ; we have gained
nothing from those nations with whom we
have no treaty, and if we have been favored
by one with whom we have a treaty, it is
no doubt upon the idea that the policy we
at present pursue is but of a temporary
nature. Having seen the end of what was
then pending, we are surely now free to
take such measures as a regard to our in
terest may dictate, and if we find that the
state of our commerce does, not comport
with that interest we are free, and bound
to vary it so as to make it contribute to
our welfare.
The propositions before the committee
fliould be examined as they concern our
navigation, our and the just
principles of discrimination that ought to
prevail in our policy to nations having trea
ties and not having treaties with us.
With refpeft to navigation it was con
ceded even by tile gentleman up yesterday
that our navigation is not upon the fame
footing by the regulations of the two na
tions with whom we have the greatest com
mercial intercourse. With refpeft to G.
Britain, while they carry their own, or
any other produce to any of our ports and
take our own produftious and that only to
part of her dominions ; in her Weft In
dies our velTcls are entirely excluded. The
gentleman from South Carolina, viewed
this part of the fubjeCl in a different point
of light than it struck him, he said. He
(Mr. Smith) considered it as a favour that
our produce (hould be admitted in the
British i (lands, when the fame articles of
the produce of other countries is positive
ly excluded. This exclusion, he answer
ed is merely a matter of form, it is of no
consequence as this is the only country
that can supply those articles; it is a pro
hibition that exists only upon paper but is
never called into exercise.
To exhibit at a glance the effect of the
Britiih navigation ast on our navigation
it is fufficient to compare the quantity of'
American and Britiih tonnage employed
in our intercourse with Great Britain ;
the former, in 1790, amounted to 43,000
tons while the latter was 211,000 tons. —
A change owing to a particular change of
circumstances hastaken place since that pe
riod in favor of the American ; but the
proportion in that year, as lei's influenced
by accident, may with more propriety be
taken for data. Further to shew the ef
fect of Britiih policy he compared the
proportions of the domestic tonnage em
ployed in our intercourse with other Eu
ropean nations, at that period. With
Spain the American was to the Spaniih
as sto I ; with Portugal 6, I ; Nether
lands ij, I ; Denmark 12, I ; France
5, 1 ; Great Britain I, 5. One obser
vation may be deduced from this view of
the fubjeft, that if if was the interest of
this country to extend its navigation as
far as it may be extended, by a transfer of
commercial advantages from Great Britain .
to France, it might be encreafed tenfold.
Gentlemen might wish to know the
proportion which American tonnage bears
to that of foreign nations founded on the
document of the late state of things intro
duced into the house yeilerday j he had
made a calculation on this basis and found
that, with Spain our tonnage is to the
Spanirti ns 16, I ; Portugal 17, i ; Ne
therlands 26, 1 ; Denmark 15, I ; Rus
sia 14, 1 ; France between 4 and J, 1 ;
and Great Britain 1, 3.
This exilting foliation of our commerce
is the more mortifying, when the nature;
and amount of our exports are considered.
Our exports are not only necessaries of life
or necessaries for mannfa&ures, and there
fore of life to the manufacturer, and thence
ought to command a good market where
received at all, but the bulkinefs of them
gives an advantage over the exports of e
very other country. If we chose to adopt
the principle of excluding other nations
from our foreign trade,in order to encreafe
our maritime ttrength, the nation might
secure the carriage of the whole of its ex
ports leaving to other nations the carriage
of theirs. Such a regulation would, to
be sure, be fubjeA to a very considerable
inconvenience, that of returning empty
from the markets to which we exported
our commodities, and therefore would o
perate as a considerable tax upon the in
tcrcourfe, but the leafoning does not lose
weight on this account, and if such a re
gulation was confined to Great Britain
this would be the effect, that Great Bri
tain,inftcad of employing in her commerce
with the United States 222,000 tons and
13320 seamen, oould employ only 66,000
tons and 3960 seamen, and we in our trade
with her, by the fame means, would raise
our number of tons to ij6,qoo and of
seamen to 9360,
He did nut suggest that it ever would
x neceflaryto carry matters to this length
but it was well to fliew how far we have
the right and power to extend our naviga
tion and maritime strength, which view of
tlie matter is a fufficient guarantee against
any inimical viewt which may be formed
to our disadvantage.
[Speech to be coatinued.]
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
FRANCE.
NATIONAL CONVENTION,
October 6.
Letter from Lucombe Saint Michel, Re
presentative to the People in Corsica,
to the President of the Convention.
Calvi, O(Sober 1.
" Citizen President, my letter of the
16th of September, informed you of the
answer which I gave to an English flag of
truce, which I refufed to receive. After
having cut off my communication by sea
with St. Florent and Baftia some English
vefTels gave the fame fummon3 to these two
cities. I know not what was the answer
of the officers who commanded there but I
flatter myfelf that it was Republican. The
English, after having examined Calvi and
St. Florent, being of opinion that the lat
ter place was more accefiible than the
former, was resolved to attack it. The
attack was concerted with Paoli, who had
come down from Corte to Murato, where,
as usual, he prudently kept at a diflance
from the fire. For two days, two vefTels
cannonaded the battery of Fornelli, in the
gulph of St. Florent; Leoneri, Ex-Le
gislator, commanded the land forces, and
had along with him four field pieces, which
the English had given him. The fire was
brisk : we have not, as far as lam inform
ed, loft one Frenchman ; the English ac
knowledged that they loft 17 men, and
had several wounded, among whom is a
Captain of a ship, and Mafferia, a friend
of Paoli, and of rank among the English.
A great storm having arisen during the
engagement, the English re-embarked j
they left the four field pieces Jb the Cor
ficans.—During the night, the French
made a sortie from Bornelli; they attack
ed and pursued the Corficana, and took
from them four pieces of cannon. On
the fame day the Corficans attacked St.
Florent, Patrimonio, Barbagio, and Fu
riani; they were every where repulsed
with loss.
" I received the details by way of the
interior and from confidential persons,
whom I had sent into Nebio. Stfch, Ci
tizen President, are the men who sent to
the bar of the Convention a Ferrandi, a
Conftantini, to declaim against me and my
colleagues ; and to protelt, that the rebel
lious Administration and Paoli wished to
be Frenchmen. I fend to the Committee
of Public Safety a very curious publica
tion. I expect, with impatience, the ap
proach of the English, and of the faithful
fubje&s of Pitfcal, the firft to Calvi. The
enemy know, without doubt, that the ar
tillery of the place is out of order [ but I
am there, and I am every day exercising
21 o cannoneers, who will do them more
mifchief than they are aware of. (Ap
plauded. )
(Signed) " lacombe saint-michel."
The committee of public fafety present
ed a plan for lodging the young men in
requisition at Paris. Ofle|in informed the
Convention, that he had discovered in a
concealed place, twelve hundred mattraf
fes, twelve hundred coverlets and camp
equipage for almost eight thousand men.
These articles belonged to the ci-devant
Count d'Artois. Oflelin demanded that
they (hould be appropriated to the use of
the young men. [Applauded and decreed.]
October 17.
Bunard de Jointer wrote from Mombe
liard, the loth of October as follows :
" I make use of a bit of paper found in
the castle of the Duke of Wurtemberg, to
tell you, that his principality belongs now
to France. After having been informed
that the little Duke had furnifhed hit con
tingent to the allied armies, aud that his
children were in the' Emperor's it-nice, I
have this morning entered Mombeliard
with a battalion of Dole, Jo cavalry and
Tome small artillery. We took the city
without diSculty, nor was there a gun
fired.
" I have laid hold of all the ca(h. Hi
therto I have only found 18,000 livtcs,
7,000 sterling, in specie, there remains
furniture in the castle to the amount of
I J,OOO livres, (6oco sterling) which I
(hall fell. I fliall make haste to get the
corn threflied, and fend it to the army of
the Rhine.
" I (hall form a diftrift, a municipality,
and a club in this town, and sequester all
the domains of the Prince.
" Feudal signs (hall be replaced by the
Cap of Liberty, and 1 (hall try to revive
the confidence of our alfignats, which are
very much dil'credited in this country.
October 18.
Thuriot proposed to sequestrate the ef
fects of all the foreigners put in a state of
arreft.—Referred to the Committee of
Public Safety.
Letter from the Minister of War to the
President of the Convention, dated Pa
ris, October 17, 1793.
" Citizen President, our brave Repub
licans have fought with the (laves of the
despots. The General in Chief is going
to commence new operations."
Letter from Jourdan, General in Chief of
the Army of the North, dated Head
Quarters, Avejeus, October 10. \
" Citizen Miniller, the Republicans
yesterday attacked the Have's. The right
division, commanded by General Duquef
noy, has done wonders. The left division
did not anfwerwhat was expected from it.
The battle lasted from ten in the morning
till the close of night. Our republicans
cofidufted themfelvcs, and fought with a
courage worthy of free men.—The battle
will re-commence to-morrow. I am going
to set out. I hope to fend you good news
to-morrow (Appteufes:)
UNITED STATES.
GEORGE-TOWN, Jan. 9.
Slate of the Hotel Lottery this day.
Gain of the Wheel, 73,095 Dollars.
Tickets in the Wheel, 24,100.
Tickets are therefore worth 1 o Dollars
3 Cents.
Capital Prizes now in the Wheel:—
The Hotel; I of 25,000 Dollars ; los
20,000; 1 of 15,000, and 2 of 5,000.
WINCHESTER, Jan. 6.
From the Knoxville Gazette of Dec. I.
Two Cherokee Indians, a fellow and a
fquavr, taken on the Tenneflee, by Capt.
Harrifon,in a late scout, have been brought
to this place ; they inform, that the town
on the south fide of Hightower River,
where a part of General Sevier's army had
the late combat, is the principal place of
rendezvous for the Creeks and Cherokees
to affcmbk, previous to their coming in
upon the frontiers; this town is princi
pally inhabited by Creeks, and is governed
by a Creek chief, called the Buffaloe-
Horn. Since Gencral'Sevier'sexpedition,
the Indians have done but very little mif
chief on the frontiers of this diftrift ; they
have stolen a number of horses and cattle
from the out settlements, and some small
trails have been seen in different places.
On Monday lalt Nicholas Ball (palling
from Golliber's creek to Wells's station, in
Knox county) was fired on by five Indians,
and received three bullets through his
clothes. In the action which Captain
Evans had at Hightower, Mr. Ball had
two bullets (hot through his hat.
Copy of a letter from Col. James > Win
chester, to Brigadier General James
Robertfon,dated Sumnereounty,Croft's
Mill, Ncv. 9, 1793.
SIR,
" Some horse's having been stolen, and
Indians seen in this neighborhood, I or
dered our Lieut. Snoddy, with thirty men,
to scout the woods about the Caney Folk,
and, if poftible, discover their main en
campment.
" On the 4th inft. be met two, who
fled, and he pursued to a large camp near
the Rock Ifiand Ford of the Caney Fork
where he took 28 good Spanish blankets,
two matchcoats, eight new brass kettle'
one fire-lock, three new swords, Spanilh