CONGRESS. :
>
Homfi ttf R
rfrefentativci.
January 16.
In committa »f tb- latnle, <m the report of
tin Secretary »f Suit.-, relatiiv to tht com
mercial intcrcourje of this c.unity, <uinh so-
re>£* nations.
Mr. Nicholas spoke as follows :
Mr. Chaikman,
I feel a great embarrassment in speak
ing on this iubjea, from a distrust of my
ability to treat properly its acknowledged
importance, and from the apparent expec
tation of the iiudience. 1 feci too, as the
member from Maryland who {'poke yei
terday did., from the imputation of mo
tives, well knowing that the Representa
tives of inv country, are indiiftrioufly re
potted to be enemies of the government,
and promoters of anarchy, and that the
preient meafuie is imputctt to these prin
ciples.—lt is fomtwhat remarkable, that
farther north, we are charged with felftfh
nefs, & want of attachment to the general
Welfare, for a luppofed opposition to mea
sures of the import of the present I
mention this contradictory inference, to
{hew that the lhameful deligns charged
upon us, are riot proved by the fa£t, and
to place the guilt where it only exists, in
the malignity of the accuser.
It is a commonly received opinion, that
trade should be intruded to the direction
of those immediately interefled in it, and
that the actual course of it, is the best
which it could take this principle is bv
no means a fafe one, and as applied to the
trade of America, is fallacious.
It can never be just, where the beginning
and growth of commerce have not been
free from all poflible conilraint, as to its
uireCtionj as that can never be called a bu
fi.iefs of ae&ion, which has been created
under foreign influence.—The manner in
which America was firft peopled, and the
nurture {he received from Great-Britain,
•fford the molt ftrtking contrail to the
requilite before-mentioned. The firft in
habitants of America, were educated in
Great-Britain, and brought with them,
all tlie wants of their own country, to be
gratified chiefly by the productions of
that ccuntiy. Aided by Britilh capital, ip
th ■ k-ttl.-ment of the wuderntfs, and de
pending on the fame means for the con
veyance of its produce, to a place of con.,
fumptioii. it Pas inevitable, that the do
mana for Britilh commodities, fijonld keep
P"ce with the improvement of tile coun
try.—ln the commencement of American
population and its early stages, there does
not appear to have, been a chance of cotn
pan'ng the advantages of commercial con
necti-in, with different Countries, and it
will be found that in its progress, it was
It'll more retrained. In the Iyears of
til" dependence of America on Great-Bri
tsin, the principal part of America, was
occupied by large trading companies,
composed of people in Great-Britain and
conducted by factors, who funk large funis
hands of the fanners, to attach
them to their respeCtive stores, bv which
mtans, competition was precluded, and a
depcndance on the supplies of those stores
completely eftabliflied. Since the revolu
ticn, the business has been conducted by
pcrfons :n the habit of depcndance on
Great-Britain, and who had no other ca
pital, than the manufactures of that coun
try, furnifhed on credit. The business it
still almoil wholly conducted by the fame
means. In no liage of its growth then,
does there appear to have been a power in
the consumer to have compared the pro
ductions of Great-Britain, with thole of
any other country, as to their quality of
price, and therefore there is no propriety
in calling the course of trade, the course
of ?ts choice.
Tile fuhject before fce committee, na
turally divides itfelf into navigation and
manufactures, in fpetiking of \vhich, I (hall
offer some other considerations, to {hew
that the fame cfleets are by no. means to
be expected, from the greatelt commerci
al wisdom in individuals, which are in the
power of the general concert of the com
munity ; the one having in view, profit on
each feperate transaCtion, the other pro
moting an advantageous result to the
while commerce of the country.
> ii considering the importance of navi
gation to all countries, but cfpecially to
luch ns have To cxtciilifc a production of
bulky articles, as America, I think I shall
lhcw that the tail observation, is accurate
ly r *£ht, ahd that the interest of the whole
community. not t'noie only who are the
carriers, but those also who funufh the ob
ject of carriage, pofitivclv demands a do
mestic marine, equal to its whole business;
and that, even if it is to exist under rates
higher than those of foreign navigation, it
is to be preferred. In circumstances of
tolerable equality, that can never however
entirely be the cafe, for in the carriage of
the pioJuce of one country, by the flip
ping of another, to any other place jhan
the Country to winch the Shipping be
longs, there is considerably more labour
employed, than would have been by do
mcltic fliipping, as the return to their own
country, is to be included. On this ground,
it may be confidently aflerted, that where
the materials of navigation, are equally at
tainable, they will always be more advau
tageouflv employed, by the country for
whole life they are intended, and that if
undei such circumstances, another country
is employed as the carrier, it mult be un
der the influence of fomc other cause, than
interest, as it refpefts that particular busi
ness. A dependence on the (hipping of
another country, tends to establish a plact;
of depdut in that country, of those exports
which are for the life of others, if it is at
a convenient diltance from them. The fu
perintendance of property, makes short
voyages desirable for the owner, and the
connection that soon takes place, between
the money capital of a country and its fliip
ping interests, greatly strengthens the vor
tex. The attainment of wealth beyond
the demands of navigation, leads to an in
terest in the cargo itfelf, and then the
agency in felling to the consumer, becomes
important, It is apparent, that as the
final sale depends on the wants of the
purcbafer, all intermediate expences of
care and agency, mult be taken from the
price to which the maker would be enti
tled. Our own commerce has involved
this loss, in a remarkable degree, and it
has gone to an enormous extent, from a
necessity of fubmittmg to the perfidy of
agents, anting from a dcpendance eita
blkhed bv-means of the so much boasted
'credit
, fhat there is -this tendency in the em
ployment of foreign fliipping, is not onlv
proved by the commercial importance of
Holland, which became thus from her iaa
val resources the store-house of Eutope,
without furnifliing any thing from iier
own productions, hut also from the varied
experience of America. Before the: re
volution, every thing for European con
ftimption was carried to Great Britain,
but imce America has possessed flnppin"
of her own, and in the northern slates,
there has been an acceflion of capital, the
export to England is reduced one half.
It is true indeed, that there is (till nearly
jjitc half of what she receives, that is re
exported, but it will be found that she still
retains a proportioned share of those in
fluences, which formerly carried the
whole. Great-Britain, un-der till the dis
couragements of our laws, which we are
told by the mercautile members of the
committee', amount to a prohibition where
they have any rivals, did, until the Euro
pean war, possess one-third of the foreign
tonnage employed in America This ifas
been supported by the dependence into
which the southern states were placed by
credit, and here as 1 in every other step of
the conne£tiofi,this engine extorts advanta
ges from us, beyond the compensation
which is always secured in the firft ad
vance. If there wanted other proof of
the British interest in the American navi
gation, being supported in dire<St opposi
tion to our interests, it may be found in
the comparative state of the tonnage em
ployed, where it appears that, after the
protecting duties once had their effe£t,
the additional tonnage to a considerable
amount, has been entirely American, and
that the British tonnage has remained
very nearly stationary.and in proportion to
their undue influence.
In time of war, in addition to the in
conveniences before stated, which are in
hanced by throwing the trade from its ac
customed channel there are great and im
portant losses brought on a country by
this kind of dependance. If your car
riers are parties to the war you are fub
jefted to the war freight and war insu
rance on your cargo, and you are cut off
from all the markets to which they are
hollile; and indeed from our experience in
the present war, I may fay you are cut off
fiom the market of your carriers them
selves, as it would have been impossible for
Britifli veflels to have escaped in our seas
lait summer. To what extent this loss
goes may be seen from a calculation in
the Secretary of State's report on the filh
eries, making the proportion of war to
that of peace in the 100 years as 42 to
100; and on that calculation there can be
r.o hesitation in determining that the in
terest of the farmers requires that this
foreign dependence (hould end here.
But the European war, by making a
temporary exclusion of British {hipping
lias already brought on us the greatelt
mifchief of such a regulation; and by the
encouragement it has afforded to our (hip
ping, almost compleated the remedy ; so
that we have reason to consider this as a
fortunate period. But it is not merely
the advancement of our marine that is
contemplated by the present resolutions,
the security of that which we have is also
dependant on them. The danger from the
Algevines has been eflimatedin this house
at j per cent on the vefTel and cargo, but
the whole encouragement to our own (hip
ping; in our exifling laws consists in the
one tenth additional duty on goods im
ported in foreign vefTels. Whenever there
(hail be an European peace, which cannot
be far distant, the whole difference between
the two sums will be a direct encourage
ment on British (hips and will probably
be equal to two freights. Do gentlemen
rely on the precarious profpeft of build
ing frigates, and the more precarious ser
vice to be rendered by them when built,
fa much as to neglect any other regula
tions for the fafety of our (hipping when
tl ley are so much in their power 2
(To be Continued.)
Foreign Intelligence.
On Tuesday lafl the Sloop Hiram, Captain
Harris, arrived at New-Tork from
London, astir 52 days pafjage, By this
•vefe!, Londoti papers to the 17th of No
•vernier arc receivtd, from which thi fol
lowing are extraMs :
MANHEIM, Oft. 21
I The Republicans are now bulled en
trenching themfclves about Savernc, a de
file not easily to be penetrated. Landau
has been summoned ; but the comman
dant aqfwered, that he would hare the
whole town burnt and pillaged rather than
surrender, as he would at any rate, lose
-his head were he to give up that Fortress.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 7.
The grand army, under the Prince of
Cohourg has moved forward. The head
quarters have been transferred from Ber
merain to Engel-la-fontaine.
TOURNAY, Nov. 12.
Large detachments of troops have ar
rived here for the winter. Since the ac
tion at Lannoy nothing has occurred
Mod of the wounded officers who were
here are recovered.
The few last day 9 of our ftav in the
bleak plains of CHiring, we experienced
the greatest inconvenience ; the disposition
the enemy betrayed to terminate the cam
pilign.juflified our retreat to winter-quar
ters, a circumstance as unexpe&ed, as it
is gratifying; at Menin, Courtray, Ypree,
&c. the army is cantoned for the present:
Ghent and Bruges are the principal posts.
The guards go to BrufTels.
NAMUR, Nov. 2,
By report of the peasants, it seems
that there has been a very warm action be
tween Gen. Beaulieu and the French the
day before yesterday, in the neighbour
hood of Phillipfville. The loss of the
Auftnans alone is estimated at between 2
and 3000 men. Waggons are gone from
thence to bring in the wounded, for whom
it will be difficult to find place, as the hos
pitals are already full ; three large con
vents have also been converted into hos
pitals.
BRUMDT, (in Alsace) Oft. 2,
The career of our fucct-fs ia checked.
We have been most uaexpc&ly ftopt by an
army of jo,ooo French, who have advan
tageously polled themfelvi.-s near Stras
bourg, and entrenched townrds the fide of
the Saverne. Gen. Wurmfer, fees him
felf reduced to the necessity of a&ing on
the defenfive, as well as the Pruflians on
this fide of Saverne, who have been ob-
liged to fall back, and to support themselves
by the right wing of the Auflrian army.
We imagine that a general action is now
indifpenfablt, as 'we cannot remain eight
days in our present pafition without the
most imminent hazard, and we have no
longer any tiling to hope from the favora
ble dispositions of the people of Stra/bourg.
Our negotiations were discovered; and
the Commiifioners from the Convention
have so effe&ually intimidated all thofc
who were inclined to open the gates to. us—
so many of them have indeed been seized,
and so many more denounced—that we
dread the fate of our incursion. This
aftonifbing army of Republicans has been
formed in three days, and it swells like a
torrent. They are half armed, and want
every thing but an cnthuliafm for liberty,
which perhaps is better than our discipline.
Qur hope is, that the Swifj Cantons will
at length give up their system of neutra
lity, and declare against these Anarchifti.
PARIS, November 7.
Execution of Philip Egalitc. ,
This celebrated personage yesterday un
derwent an interrogatory before the ReJ
, volutionan- Tribunal. AH that is hither
to known of what parted there is that be
ing questioned refpefting his intimacy with
Sillery, the deputy lately executed, he
answered, "I was attached to Sillery un
til the moment that I refufed any longer
to fee him."—' You have neverthdefs
(fays the Piefident) committed the care
of your children to his.wife who is now
with them abroad."—" Yes (anfwired
Egalite) but that was at a time when I
had no cause to fufpeft Sillcry."
This moll villainous, most cowardly,and
mofl infamous of wretches, was condemn
ed to death at the feme fitting at which
he was tried ; and yesterday evening, at
half past five o'clock, he was executed on
the Place de la Revolution, three hours
after judgment was pronounced ugainft
him.
On the fame day that Egalite fuffered,
and on the fame fcaffold, Was like wife exe- ,
cuted, Coqftard, another Deputy of the-
Convention.
Bailly, the..late Mayor, willfoon fuffer
a similar fate ; he has been trantferred to
the Coneiergerie, and so has General
Carles.
General Houchard and Brunet; and
M. Barthelemy, the author of the Voy
ages of Anacharfis, have been also trans
ferred from the Abbaye to the Concier-
gene.
The total number of perfcns confined
in the several prisons, was yesterday 3255.
The wife of Roland Is ihortly to ap
pear before the revolutionary tribunal, to
give information refpefting the retreat of
her husband, or to undergo the punish
ment which wa» reserved for that Ex-
Minister.
Madame Kolli, wife of the Ex-Farmer
General of that name, had obtained a
suspension of her feutence, by declaring
herfelf with child. The time for that
proof being elapsed, (he was yesterday de
livered over to the guillotine. Lemayne,
Wamfer, Lacombe, and Purguette, mem
beri of the Popular Commiflion at Bour
deaux, have' (hared the fame fate.
Execution ef Ekissot and Twenty other
Deputies.
On the 21 ft O&ober, BrifTot and twen
ty other Deputies, fuffered the axe of the
guillotine. The following is the official
report published hy order of the revolu
tionary Tribunal on this head :
The Tribunal, an the declaration of the
jury, dating, that BrifTot, Vergniaud,
Genfonne, Duprat, Valaze, Lehardi, Du
cos, Boyer, Fonfrede, Boileau, Gardien,
Duchaftel, SiHery, Fauchet, Duperrtt,
La Source, Carra, Reuvan, Mainville,
Antiboul, Vigee, and Lacaze, are the au
thors or accomplices in a conspiracy which
has exiited again ft the unity and indivisi
bility of the Republic : againlt the liber
ty and fafety of the French people.
" Condemns the above-mentioned per
sons to death ; declareß their effects con
fifcated for the use of the Republic, and
orders that the sentence be executed in
the place de la Revolution and that it be
printed and distributed throughout the
Republic."
VaJaze, one of the condemned, stabbed
himfelf after he had heard his sentence.—
The Tribunal has ordered, that the car
cafc of the suicide be brought to the
place de la Revolution, that it may be bu
ried with the other condemned Deputies
in the fame place.
On the day after their condemnation,
the}' were- conveyed together, to the bloo
dy fcaffold ; on their journey thither, fays
one of the French papers they entered