ly exhilerating to our pride k afli
It argument the a.Terlion.
It goes beyond controversy ; it is a con-
v: which can be underltood by any
man who can read. There is no refilling
its force, when adduced to prove, that so
far is our commerce from being confined,
that the most dift.int ports and oceans in
RuiTii and China, and t ie Pacific, are its
o.ily boundaries. It completely il!u!tr?.tes
t ie practical as well as theoretical indepen
dnceof AfriSfican commerce ; for of the
whole amount of the tonnage employed
a'tiroid, but lixty-two }hou(and,fome odd
hundreds, go to Britain and its dependen
ces—-there jirs two hundred and uventy
r<(feri thousand tons of this-,total, employ
ed among other nations and Britain,
which formerly monopolized indeed our
confciwrcc, bun now a little trtore than one
fifth of the navigation of the United States
ii! her pons. It is true that 3-4 th» of
the imports are from thence and that our
export :c her is not equal to this import;
but that deficiency is paid circuitoufiy and
to advantage, by bills, for as the trade is
fr*e to leave her, as the merchants, actu
ated by interest, would buy as cheap as
p 'ii')!-, we are fairly to conclude, that
they fell fume of our raw materials and
produCts to more advantage in other ports
than h;rs,but yetpurchafe in her's cheap
er j so the commerce mnft be a beneficial
one, or they would naturally forfake it.
Tfut our exports are greater to Portugal,
Spain, and the United Provinces, than
our imports from thence, is a proof that
they give good prices for our products ;
but from want of adornments, or from
their manufactures not being as saleable
litre, or as cheap as those from Britain,
our merchants make upby bills from those
places on London, to supply the defici
ency of the export to that port. With
respect to predilection for Britain, intro
duced as a ground of consumption.he did
no: believe it exi(ted ; certain he was, he
i-'lt it not h; mL"!f. He could fee nothing
in the mere exercise of taste, in the con
f-.lnsptuiii of manufactures, or preference
of what was well man faCturid and cheap
that was connected with the theory of po
litical sentiment. In this country, no
such predilection for that nation exiited j
0:1 the contrary, he believed the most sub
- nit^'a! in t.'relii a£ commerce were now at
brssud, from the very prejudices which
were iifed by gentlemen fometiines to
prove the very reverse. As to the perfeCt
freedom or trade, and that unrverfal trea
ty, of which the gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. Giles) gave us a hint, but no outline,
the other clay, he qucftioned much if the
accidental variance among nations, on
whicu substantial differences had been
moulded by habits, rendered the thing
poflible, and were it poflible, whether all
yung countries that were not on even
terms of manufacture, and ready for a
competition of ingenuity, would not fiif
fer extremely by the institution ; he was
sure this would. The idea was a benevo
lent one, but it was not one that could
bear practice. On all questions ill which
great and complicated ioterefts were under
speculation, when habit, and modes of
life and taste, and an immemorial course
of things were to be considered, he al
ways wi.'ned to fee much rrfpeCt paid to
theyalt as well as the existing order of I
such tluVgn, as long as the result of the
whole feezed to be a great and certain
(hare of national prosperity. It was, Mr.
Murrey obfer-ved, a difficult and hazard
ous tiling to attempt to define with preci
sion the particular caufc of prosperity; it
led to political quackery. know how
ever with certainty,that never did a coun
try so rapidly move forward to perfection
as do the United States. That our na
vigation has encreafed since the adoption
of this government, iu proportion to o
tlirr branches of trade, and that our com
merce is both uftful and ornamental, and
tue inftrumcat of a revenue edential to
the payment of a debt that we must dif
cha rye. »
He said the complaint of gentlemen
who supported the resolutions that our ton
""Z* inatierjuate to our exports, was in
his mind an inconsiderate and fallacious
species of regret. It might be a desirable
thing were our tonnage equal to,our ex
ports, 1.-ut even this would be a good or
an evil, a« it might be connected or not
with objects over which we had no certain
control;!. He would remark, that such
a state of navigation at prcfent a (fumed
twj things as its balis—a great and mani
feft disproportion between all the branches
of industry dependant on fhip-huilding and
navigation, and the other trades ; and our
o.ds the
power of becoming carriers for other na
tions, which would not be the cafe if ma
ritime powers acted with their aecuftomcd
vigilance.—Unless the latt employment
were provided for by the regulations of
foreign powers in fav'or of our (hips, the
firft would be a terious evil. He thought
it a (ate propofuion to which nothing but
wild and crude speculation could be op-
P'-jied ; to fay—that, as long as our right
to be the curriers of other nations was not
submitted to ly them, the power to export all
the raw materials of this country and its
products would be an evil. This regret of
gentlemen he believed to be founded on a
companion of this branch of trade here
and in other maritime countries, as Hol
land, England, and some others. A lit
tle reflection would, he believed, afford
consolation by (hewing that their compari
tive superiority in the carrying business
resulted from a solid difference in thefitu
ation of these countries, and of the Unit
ed States;—nay, that this very superiori
ty is the result of neceflity more than
choice—a neceflity which the free and
happy citizens of this rich and abundant
country did not feel, and which they
would not feel for ages. The canying
trade of this country will never be equal to
its exports till the population of America
bears a nearer proportion to the lands and
the raw materials; till each branch of in
dustry is proportionably supplied with la
bor j or the foreign powers admit our car
rying trade to a fair competition with
their own. It is true that we abound in
articles of iminenfe importance to the Eu
ropean artist, but they are so extremely
bulky and heavy, that it is clear our ex
ports require more than double the quan
tity of tonnage that the imports demand.
The exports are tobacco, rice, grain, of all
forts, lumber, pot and pearl-a(h, and such
heavy and bulky products; whereas the
imports are manufactures, small in bulk,
high finiflied, light, portable and of great
value for the space and tonnage they re
quire in tranfportatiou, The proportion
between them both is of value, and not of
size. The firft and great tendency of all
things here is towards agriculture and the
rougher arts, as lumber getting, which
belongs to agriculture—the other arts aud
pursuits are but auxiliary to thislmainbody
of the national calling. This predispositi
on and tendency will be for ever keeping
up the ability to furnifh the raw and bulky
article of export, while it irrefiftably dis
furni(hes the (hip-yard and its dependant
arts, of that industry which would be ne
cessary to complete the power of affording
domestic tonnage equal to the export;
that is, we can afford more labor in the
procuring of the export, than we can spare
to the arts of (hip-building and navigation.
—these pursuits that belong to agriculture
and a fettled life, art more congenial with
our country, where freedom and plenty
invite to marriage, the rearing of families,
and the acquisition of lands. At present
he believed the fcamen engaged in the fo
reign American tannage, to fay nothing
of the coasting trade and fifheries, which
doubled the amount, were more than in
proportion to the citizens employed in the
mechanic and manufacture trade, making
the relative proportions between them ih
England the standard to judge by.
The tonnage rapidly increased every
year j and, ht took it for granted, would
observe a due proportion under its present
great encouragement, which amounted
just to an easy protection to stimulate in
dustry and secure cheap imports, without
giving a rash monopoly to that branch of
business—and here he would remark, that
under the existing legulation, the very
best consequence flowed in on the consu
mer. By the additional duty of ten per
cent, on goods imported in foreign bot
toms, and the addition of forty-four cents
per ton we secured the importation of fo
reign goods to American tonnage, and by
this means bought cheap ; and by leaving
your ports free to foreign vessels under an
easy tonnage duty, there is a competition
kept up in the domestic market for those
exports, for which the foreign tonnage
comes into your harbor. Thus already we
buy cheap and fell dear at home. The com
petition that arises in our markets, in con
sequence of foreign (hips becoming carri
ers of the surplus over that to which our
own tonnage is equal, certainly raised the
price of all things exportable; and a sud
den and violent check in this order of
things would vitally affect the agricultu
ral, the lumber, the tobacco and all the
more bulky objects of exportation.
It appeared then to him that the anti
cipation of cffeCts from the resolutions,
on the point of disproportion between our
exports and tonnage, was calculated on a
growth of navigation forced unnatural and
pernicious—a growth that would call off
from other employments the labor which
19 better bellowed as it now is, in iucrea
iing our ability to furnifh, by enlarging
the powers of agriculture.
A fuddeu alteration which would, for
a considerable time, check that competi
tion between the foreign carrier and our
own, for our produds, would surely do
mifchief; nor could he fee into what line
of employment, except the mere carrying
of our exports, would so immense an addi
tion to our navigation be led ; for unless
foreign powers permit its participation in
that branch of trade which from local con
iideration has eyer been deemed so precious
to them, the tonnage that conveys the ex
ports, over and above that quantity of it
neceflary to the imports, mult return in
ballast : That is,if ithe export requires fix
hundred thousand tons, and the imports
but three hundred thousand, there will be
the half of our tonnage employed abroad,
either in voyages that will but little bene
fit our country which wants internal labor
more than foreign enterprize, at least of
so useless a kind, or it will return in bal
lad.
But even admitting its policy he had
no evidence of the only thing, which,
combined with the idea of a nary, could
render the object attainable, he meant
the relaxation of the great naviga
tion fydems in Europe which secured to
their own (hips, advantages, in which par
ticipation was contemplated—ln the two
great scenes, France and Great Britain,
to which American habits and course of
business would mod probably lead, and
from whence the manufactures were to
be imported, the American carrier would
find himfelf after unlading his export un
der reftriftions which would force him
to feck distant and circuitous trading
voyages, or return home in ballad. In
both these countries, he would find his
enterprise checked by their respective
navigation acts:—For Monsieur Barrere
has reported a navigation aft—it has been
adopted by the convention—and as far as
it refpefts the carrying trade precludes us
except merely for our own pj-oduftions.
The artificial progrefsof things in France
in manufactures, her political rivalries,
and her colonial relations one would have
supposed would long since have pointed
out such an imitation of the Englilh
aft—The Englilh ast seemed dictated by
necessity arising from causes, which, feme
what resembling those of France find lit
tle analogy in the present circumstances of
this country.
When imitation is pointed out to us as
a piece of policy, it is a duty to »iew our
a (Sua! situation to discover similitude of
principle and causes ; and to estimate the
importance of differences between nation,
al qualities here and in countries of whose
practice and fyftemsan imitation is propos
ed. If the situations, times and causes
are similar, there will be plausible ground:
If other causes of national prosperity,
more eligible than those of other countries
present themselves to our view, we ought
to be cautious,certain and flow to decide.
Very remarkable differences are palpable
here from the circumstances that seemed
to him to have forced the carrying powers
of Europe to be such. It was important
to view them, for political contentment
would result from a comparison in which
we found our difference.
(Speech to be continued.)
Foreign Intelligence.
BRUSSELS, December 3.
The grand army, under Prince Co
bourg, has lately made a retrograde move
ment ; it ij in great part cantoned near
Mons, and the head quarteri are removed
from Bavay to that city. The right wing,
■which is continually harrafled by the
French, is covered by Conde, and ex
tends through Marchk nnt's, a s far as
Courtray. The center has an excellent
position before Mons, between Bavay,
Valenciennes and Quefnoy, and protetts
our 15,000 labourers, who are diligently
working to repair the fortifications of the
two lad towns. The left which extends
through Beaumont and Chimai, to Na
mur, where the corps under General Beau
lieu is polled, is Ms secure, and exposed
to the frequent Tallies which, for this week
past, have been made by the garrison of
Maubeuge. To prevent this in future,
Prince Cobourg has just feat a reinforce
ment of 4000 men, who after having
driven the French from the neighborhood
of Beaumont, have taken post round that
small town ; so that our grand army is
now secure againfl surprize, considering
that the frontiers from Furnes to Namur,
Huy and Liege, are fufficiently provided
with troops to repel any second tnvafion.
We are chiefly indebted for thele good
positions, which have entirely counteracted
the plans formed by the Committee of
War and General Jourdan, at Paris, to
the highly important information commu
nicated by the French Ajutant General
to the Army of the North to Prince Co
bourg. This General deserted on the 21ft
of last month, has been well received by
the Mmiftry, and had a long conference
with the Arch Duke Charles. After hav
ing betrayed all the plans of attack, he
yesterday departed for Mons.
" By accounts received this morning
f rom _ army of the Rhine, it appears
that in the different a&ions, from the 21 (I
to the 26th ult. the Auftrians have had
3.090 men killed and wounded, among
whom are many brave officers. Col. de
Priefs, Baron de Badder, Count de Clenau,
Banfy, Tianconet, and Engelfheim, all
offi cer« commandant, besides 16 of inferior
rank are killed. Among the wounded are
Colonels Scharda, Kruzi, Ktianz, Lee,
Mafur, and others. The loss of the Prus
sians is more considerable, amounting to
6000 men, killed and wounded. Among
the wounded are Prince Loin's of Prufiia,
who received a musket snot in his arm.
" The loss of the French is doubtiefa
much greater. It is computed at 10,000
killed and wounded; but they were almost
every where viaorioiis ; for they attacked
all the Auftnan and Prufiian posts at once,
with 48,000 men, of whom General
Wurmfer alonehad to fight against 25,000.
" The coßfequence is, that Wurmfer
has been compelled to retreat and take
poll behind Haguenau, here he can hard
ly maintain himfelf for eight days. The
Duke of Brunfwick was less fortunate.
He was pursued as far as Nieufladt, in the
Palatinate, within three leagues of Lan
dau, where he arrived with his troops in
the moll deplorable condition, and almolt
entirely defeated. The Prussian General
Kalkreiith, who fufftred less, is potted
with the troops under his command, at
Keyferj Lautern, to oppose some cheek
to the rapid advance of the French column
from Deux Ponts.
" The ravages committed by the French,
an all the country evacuated by the Pruf
liani, more efpccially in the Dutchy of
Deux Pouts, are dreadful. Whatever they
could not carry off they committed to the
■flames. All the fine houses of the capita!
are burnt.
" Surprising or ridiculous as it may
seem, the official details published here th.'s
day by authority of government speak on
ly of fuccefles, victories, and the total de
feat of the French army. But it is only
neceflary to compare fadts with confequn
ces, to fee that the above accounts which
come from persons of undoubted veraeity,
and means of knowledge, are but two well
founded.
" A part of the Emperor's horses and
ba g!? a g e arrived yesterday from Vienna ;
but if the French should penetrate farther
into Treves, where they are now in force,
his majesty's journey may be retarded."
December 6.-
Dampierre late Adjutant General to
General Jourdan, is returned from Morn,
accompanied by another French General
officer. What is fuprifmg it, that these
two officers appear every where, even at
the theatre, in the Republican uTriform.
Dampierre is very well received, particu
larly by the minister Count Metternich.
He is very affable, prepoffefling, and, as is
(aid, a very able officer. It is generally be
lieved that the failure of the French plan
of attack, is solely owing to the accuracy
with which he communicated it to the
Prmce of Saxe Cobourg, two days before
it was intended to be made.
The number of Tick and wounded in the
five military Hospitals of this city, on the
30th of November, -was 11,400. From
the 15th to the 30th, the deaths were
1 759> including the French, who are min
gled with the Auftrfans in the Hospitals.
The grand Maifon de Force at Vilvoorde,
will soon be readyjto receive 4000 of these
miserable wretches, one third of whom
are now lying on Uraw in the corridors of
the Hospitals.
HAGENAU, (in Alsace) Nov. 10.
Extrtft of a private letter. " When
the Combined army, marched through our