- -• *v.. - ">• WVrt i ' -•' • STATEMENT referred to in tiie second Letter of the " Friend to Laws and Freedom." i A IVIVIIX.U IV 111 I lit KtUilU XJkklkl u ■O*. The advantages of Peace preferred to tic United States in account i o loft arifin t > by the dejiruSion ot commerce now tllf- By t, tut lied *nd interrupted : n ]ri the article of Labour, which now finds honest tin- (8 ploymetit and support. This being the i'ource of all By t health, as Smith justly term* ir, " the inftrufflent of 4,55 commerce and measure cf value"—Say lo«-,coo men By t at £.50 Pennsylvania currency per annum, for two gt years ........ 130,000,000 By I 10 the difference in the value of rice, tobacco, wheat, &c. raised, estimated at one half tjhe prel'ent value bjj all exports, which for the fake of round numbers take at tan millions of dollars - - . 3,750,000 To the enrreafed valitt of ueceflaries they purChase, fu- • By ( gar, coffee, &e. - - " • 6,5£0, cc Q pr To the comfort anifatlsfaClion of enjoying it in peace, m fathers anjl brothers with their/apiilies and friends, for By < which each would give fometljing, average i,coe,Qpo th willing contributions, a ac/'each, is ' £.i,edoj3o9 cn To suppose so,cc» ufeWi men (bofjipg there is By' l is not so many m the United States) without By t proptrty, or industry to get any, and equally By 5 free families and friendlhip, who would an rather t.y the field of mars than the cornfield 50,000 By t Dedufl for them at fame rate - 950,000 By h To double the lecorid year, tho' all the company fuppof- tn; ed it would bear a much larger allowance, and that Bv p mod people would give three, some five, and many ten By n times as much the second year for " peace once more" 1,900,000 By r To trade "k commerce nearly annihilated for twoyears( 1) B,cce,ooo By I; To revenue diminished, to supply which refourec must By t l>e had to direct taxation, fay a land tax —for the firft an year ........ 900,000 lit The second year ...... 1,500,000 By ii To depreciation in the valiie of land throughout the Uni ted State*, Which'will then cease to be considered "the By afyltlm from European evils, 589,000,000 acres at 1 pe cent only per acre, and which it might not for ages, in perhaps, ever regain < li3*s»*jo th To cell and dot-fit of to fail firft and second rate men of Byd war, per treaty of alliance oftenfive and defenfive (1) <Joi manned and victualled for twelve months, of which Of * three ar£ soon after taken - - i«333>333 be' To maintaining and paying seamen, victualing, &c. 2d year. - - - - - 500,000 To cost of thirty frigates, sloops of war, critters, bOmbs and fire (hips per treaty (1) of which fix are soon taken 1,560,000 By b To maintaining, victualing and paymg second year 300,000 nat To expence of enlisting, cloathing and paying 40,000 -wh men (per treaty) twelve months, tf£-2? per man 10,000,000 ; nt ] To mjintAining aadjpjying the second year, and replac- ] ing the flam - - - - 8,000,000 p# To 15,000 ton of Slipping to Jranfport 20,000 men wherevfcr required by our aHie»(ptr tfeaty ) to be al- ' . ways ready, manned, victualled and equipepd, a 20/ per ton per month for two years,"is - - 360,000 To ships loft by capture and wreck of the foregoing, to he pa'd by the owners, suppose to per cent, on the va lue of £.is per ton firft year - - - 22,500 To second year (as wars always grow mjre unfortunate and expensive to all parties) encreaftd to - - 33i75'0 To pay and rations of militia - - - 500,000 To the lives of 30,000 citizens a each (3) 1.500,000 To maintaining with medical afliftance, the maimed, lame, hurt, lick and blind of the army and navy two years ...... 30,000 And for the reft of the lives of the survivors of them, unless you leave them to perish when the war ends 150,000 To a scanty provision for the widows and children of the brave, who may be Haiti - • - 50,000 To the waste and decay of farms, uteofils, rails, out houses, &.C. from Georgia to New Hampshire, adjust ed by the company on a calculation made by the mip, population, &c. firft year .... 100,000 The second year .... 50,000 To impeded population .... 1,100,000 To negroes who would run away (4) 30,000 a 200 dollars each - - - * 1,500,000 To depreciation (5) of all the remainder, in consequence of vagrant habits resulting from idleness, 674,280 -• slaves in the United States (per census) a £.3 each, the firft year .... 3»371.4«0 For the second year (6) as fettled by the company, «£.' 7 10/ - - » - - 11,799,900 ' To idle habits adopted generally throughout the country for want of employ, agreed to be reasonably esti mated at - - - - - !,000,000 To jail and work house expewcei to punish and reclaim them - - -" - - 10,000 To immmorality and general licentiousness of all classes and conditions of people, which it will require very many years to cure - - - - 5,500,000 To the broken peace of private families, irreparably injured thereby (7) fixed by the company, to clofethe debate, a 1 1,000,000 To loss -«>t education to the youth of both sexes, the talents of the men, for want of cultivation, forever loft to their country, and the heightened joys which improvement beflows on female society to reward them, 500,000 a £• 175 each (tj - - 87,500,000 £-25 7,486,133 (I ) Here a controv»rfy began between a young Weft-Indian (which I found him to be) and the new New-England accountant, the former in lifting that instead of this sum it should be " the balance of trade" only ; much ingenious reasoning was urged on both fides and different authorities refered to ; at length Smith's arguments were declared conclusive, " that as two countries may each benefit by the cash of their f pro duce, the whole decrtafe in the annual amount for which a valuable barter used to -be .re ceived by either, was in such cafe to be deemed an a&ual loss," and the sum of 8 millions was inserted accordingly. ( 2) Which all parties and countrymen agreed mufl be made preparatory to the United States engaging in war with any European power, and that without agreeing to furnifh such quotas no power would take part with her unless after making her conve nient, Pruflia-like perhaps to leave her in the larch. (3) A contest now arose about the value ; the I *Jew-England-man who set a high value on*th« service and labour of a free-man maintained that " in Massachusetts they would b« worth ,£IOO lawful at least," while the young Islander insisted " they should not be rated above The company wishing to fee the account made out inter posed and fixed it at £SO. as inserted* - (4) Here an altercation recommenced— the young Weft-Indian, though he said he valued a negro at £ 100 fter. objected to their being charged in the account at 200 dollars or about fter. obfcrving (un guardedly) that " they would fete all idle in cafe of war,, and therefore worth little or nothing," which his cool opponent took advantage of by adding to the number he supposed would therefore run away, which the company computed at 20,c00, and fix ed the price at 200 dollars each. (5) The Ealterh Accountant took anoth er advantage of his adversary's remark, and by consent of the company inserted this item a3 a result as probable as any conjec ture could well be. (6) The gintlemen mentioned who were ■ now chief disputants as well as clerks diff ered coniidernbly on this head, one wanting icco:tvt cvrrttif, -withtkt prolelle if Warfort - cari. Ck. By trade and commerce for one t,alt the mercantile Clip ping of Great Britain to be taken ky privateeers, £82,000 tons a 8 guineas per ton (9) - . £-5,73., "> By their cargoes out or lif.me, in ballalt or trot, averaged 4.J5i vcfftliof tyt tons each, « £-3,006 per ship 13,659,000 By two fliips of 74 guns each, one of Ci, and one of 50 guns taken, a £ .1,000 per ton, ii 162,000 > By five frigates ofdifferent rates taken 130,^00 £.15,784,000 ft. > Ss Pcnqfylviniacurrency, £-3»>973»3J3 By 60,000 men (enemies) to be killed, or destroyed in > prison (10) ftiips, hospitals, climates, &c. in the fame , manner is our own, at 1-2 value to there ,£.1,500,000 By expence of their armament naval pnd military fgr their support, by which their national .debt-wili-be en creafed - . . . - ijo.ooe.rfoo By their annual taxes encreafed { - • 2,000,000: By the price of proviflons ditto . ,1,500,000 By 500 bankruptcies in Great Britain, causing poverty and distress toas many innocent/amilies 500,000 By transports loft and paid for - - 100,000 1 By hospital expence* and provision for widows, orphans, maimed, lame anddifahled, Tick and hurt 500, oop Bv peace and quiet of families Jeftrcyed 2,850,000 By manufactures dimimfheit - 3,000,000 1 By revenue ditto * . . 2,500,000 1 By land and labor ditto - - . 1,000,000 By three Iflaods in the Weft Indies taken by the French, and from which we shall be excluded except in a very > limited degree at the peace - . 1,300,000 > By immorality and depravity, likely to continue as it is (") £> 116,750,000 By education, the want of it i'r the lower orders of the people favorable to monarchy and to that government in particular as it ft now conducted—This item should therefore appear on the other fide, gy damage done theenemy, but which is much more than (jjunter balanced by our own - £116,750,000 Of which this sum is not insured by the United States, b e ing added to her enemies »■ 105,000,000 £.11,750,000 By balance, or loss the United States would sustain as a nation by a War of only two years continuance, but -which might not be ended in leven, fxclufivr of the individual benefit to be derived as ab0ve£,32,973,333 224,512,800 Errors and Omissions excepted. Pari', December 6, 1796. A FRIEND TO LAWS k FREEDOM. ' ' ' kb-Sitf ".15... -. . . 1 . :* ! J •" -■ ■ . . • ' '•r ---• Kb' ."!?%>■ y . -i ;v: ; - : ' r • i r> t ; > < . '.. • ' ' " • \ * ; . .> V > 4' f * i, • V, ■ ' ) ' ■ - . - v r f. . •- - . \ iV. .. [■ #•' . - 1 ■ * ;v • ■ ii'. ~: <- - - ~"T r ; ■ . . . ' . - * ■j. • - • ■ / x '■ [ * £.257,485,133 I L *l. .1 . .1 .1 I.l'. 1 • ... to multiply it by 5 while the other thought double enough. The company considered it«sjuftly to be dreaded and compromised it bydividingthedifference, fixingitat 3* times as much for the second year, though gene rally they vfere of opinion that (laves would scarce be worth keeping if war was to break out and last two years. (7) Thi3 sum it was mutually agreed should be inserted, though the accountants as well as every person present declared they would " not for worlds"- their families should be the unfortunate fufferers, and if such should be the cafe, " if millions beyond ac count would wash the stain and sting of its remembrance away, they would chearfully pay the penalty." (8) Now commenced a debate equally interesting and inftru&iv«, which I wish it was in my power to do justice to. The fub jeft afforded a fine field, and every gentle man present delivered his sentiments upon it. The importance of education to the riling generation was universally confeffed to be beyond computation—abbve all value : Tts loss inevitable and beydnd the reach of compensation or equivalent, either to the in dividual or the nation. Its beneficial effe&s were confide Ted not less serviceable to the former than its tranfcendaiit influence on the latter. It was called " the sun-shine of so ciety," without which even the invaluable blefTings of heaven born freedom itfelf could not be rationally, fully or justly valued or enjoyed. It was termed " the light of the people," " the path to preferment," " the road to virtuous emulation," " the morn ing flar of human happiness." The cause which introduced it was forgotten in con templating the momeutou*~c»iifcqo«ne«? of its' operation extending even beyond this life! I regret being unable to retrace or relate the many well tenned comrotSts made up on this fufcjett, which I find more difilcuk as every thing >was spoken hi French. A pause taking place, tiie accountants wiflied to set down a sum, about which, the' thev fully agreed in principle, they could not coincide ss to particulars. The compa ny having spoken with great earnestness and very loud, at this moment, btoughp a boy into the room to enquire " what was the matter" ? Here it is fit to observe he was a remarkable fine boy, of that open com plexion of countenance which pleases every eye ; his was full of intelligent cxprefiion and ready comprehension—on being answer ed " the gentlemen are talkng about the ! education of Children," he aflced " whose children" ? and persisted to question till he was fully informed about the fubjed of con versation, Upon which pauiing for a few minutes, he advanced through the compa ny to the table, and looking the 'jentleman who held the pen, full in the face, with an emphasis and an eloquence of a surprising description, for it was the pure untaught perfusfive rhetoric of natures bounteous lib erality, he said with a ligh, " / have no money to pay a matter to teach me any thing, and my father is <witk the army, (here a tear just glistened in his eye, but did not fall, he seemed to forbid it) but when he comes home if he does not fend me to school I will not love him as I do now ; though I know he will—he writes to mndam L. and calls me his darling boy, (here he smiled) but how can he then buy what I ought to be learning no<w ? Here all eyes and ears were fixed towards him an old gentleman, a ci-devant noble, was going to catch him in his arms, but the boy evaded the attempt and as he ran out of the room finifhed his more than Ciceronian fpeeeh, faying (again he sighed while seeming to suppress it) " If I had a hundred louis d'ors I would give them every one to be kept constantly at school," adding with a fignificant nod, "though T would play at times." a diTpoution in eaily age, delights as it is and irrtereft«as it is real. The company uaanimoufly resolved to in sert this sum in the account, and the old gentleman observing " that a citizen who devoted himfelf to the service of his coun try in the day of danger and difficulty in the humble station and capacity of a soldier, Should have his chil educated by that country, promised to take care of this boy himfelf, while the company as if attouiflied by the tongue of an angel engaged their ex ertions to each other, in order to " eftat>li(h aad provide for the univerLl education of _» A children" ; this I had afterwards the plca fure to learn has been done—a system is di gesting and will fpecdily be adopted (I hope with more effeft than the present imperfeft plan) throughout the republic. (10) For the probability of this, the re turns of 1783 were examined; by which it appears the British Army alone in Ameri ca, had 43,633 men rank and file killed, exclusive' of officers ! (11) For thisitem, fee the King's speech to Parliament, sth December, 1782, re commending to tliem "to corrcft the pre vailing vices of the times. " See also New gate Calendar at the close of the war (before cited.), The reft of the account was dated by the old Pgentlemaa and agreed to by the company, btipg placed as you fee rr'w the outer column • on "the effe£l of ( increase of debts" and " the operation of circumstances lo influential on a people," several judicious 'observations were but it was not considered by any one of company as likely to produce a rcftitution or reparation of the damages ! on the con trary it was thought " so much diiirefs lieap'd upon the people would disable or at lead ill dispose them to submit to additional aad heavy taxes for the purpose of paying us," " that an appeal to arms has ever been looked upon as the fatisfa&ion demanded or taken for compensation of wrongs and no other redress after that is begun can ever be expe&ed j" that jujl compensation would then require the full payment of all expences incident to the war at •well of the sum which gavecaufe to it, amounting to more perhaps than all the specie in circulation throughout the world" ! ! ! in the nature of things im pofiible under any circumstances however fortunate or favorable to expeft " the very method of seeking redress being so expen sive as to cause an absolute prohibition to obtaining it." ! ! ! ' ( 1 ) The general particulars of the debit fide being ended, an elderly gentleman (whom I found had been an officer under thcroyal government, and -po/Teding a very considerable estate) took up' the pen and with a very fatisfied smile observed to the one who had juil laijd it down, " now fir, we (hall fee the other fide of this account which in importance I expeft will be tho't to over-balance the account you exhibit." In the firft place (looking round to the company as if he expedled an universal ac quiefence in his opinions) " it must be ob served that national honor (laying great stress on the words national honor and ex pressing them with the air of a soldier) re quires that injariiis unprovoked and such as have been done to the United States, (hould be resented with that prompt spirit and vi gor which the country has already (hewn it felf to pofTefs. Was this country (France) so insulted, there is not one of the Ancient Regime (I cannot render thisexpreffion in to our language, and preserve its force), but would willingly facrifice one half their pro perty, to obtain fatisfaftioD, as an individu al, sooner than fit tamely quiet underTuch unpardonable insults. I would rather fuffer every evil, even of an unfortunate war, the death of half my tenants, and the loss of half my rents " Here he was interrupted by a nother French gentleman abruptly observ ing that " his iocojne as well as that of the great class of independent and indullrious citizens of France, would not admit of such a facrifice ; those who have little more than life to give (though they justly prize and preserve their own honor) might not think proper to facrifice it to the opinion of others, that the national honor required that they Ihould?" The old officer kerned equal ly displeased at the interruption and the observation, but proceeded by remarking, " that merchants farmers and mechanics might be content under such circumstances, but to the ideas of a soldier it was diftrefT ing."—The company were, however, unan imous in declaring that "as no fpecific va lue could be set upon it in a national ac count, the item was inadmissible, whereupon he proceeded—" The records of the United States inform us how mujl mifchief (he coul4 do to the trade of Great Britain- Mr. Coxe (page 346) tells us that three counties (only) in the (late of Maflachufetts t®ok during the latt war 1108 vcffels and cargoes out of6ai9 fail, the entire mercan tile (hipping of that country J propose then to meet the gentleman in his political aecount current, by entering on the oppo- J site fide to that he has filled up, the value of said (hips and cargoes. Here he paused as if to confidcr on the sum or rate, but it was observed " that was in a war of ftven t years, the account was intended for an efti . mate of only two." The old gentleman resuming, observed in reply, " that the fa- perior ability of the United States at present / to what it was during the revolution, would admit a mode of calculation not likely to be > very far from the probable event ef such an occurence." Mi. Reeves (in his law of / (hipping, page 433) dates the whole mer cantile (hipping of Great Britain to be ' 1,365,000 tons which he estimates at 8 guineas per ton. this the old (JSicer observed he " had no doubt the United States would in two years take one half " which btiug aequiefced in by the company, was entered in the account accordingly, as well as the eftiinated value of their cargoes, and also o: the men of war and frigates, which from the confidence of ' fafcty will he observed " be certainly tak en, being opposed by men and (hips of • their own way of fighting."" (1 ) Smith vol. 2 d page 304. "jAhin-f ftrudicd and intelligent peop'e arc always 1 more decent and orderly than an ignorant and 1 ltupid one," tlley feel themfelveseach indi vidually more r L fpe6lable and more likely to ' obtain the refpetf of thsi'r lawful ftVperiors, | I and they are therefore more disposed-tores- / ptdi those superiors, they are more dilpofed , 1 to examine and more capable of feeing tlmj' j the interfiled (or dcfigm'ng) complaints of , (.lilion and feditiou, and tipun that / account,lefs likely to b" led wte ahy wan- , a- ton or unaeceffary oppofit; on to the [i- lures of government. » i a r'r ° fthewholeacc ° u "t'ook a place, by which it appeared to the comna "!r ", , nb , V ' d f ucce f'f"l war of two years e- individual citizen* might get about/, 2 000 :h 000 Pennsylvania, or 85 millions' of dollaw i- \aprizes, be acquired solely by 3, the ct. ies and trading towns, while the entiVe landed interest would fuffer doubly_; n t j, e h depreciated value of what was raised and the e- appreciated value of every necefTary import e- ed; and that the United States as a nation v- would unavoidably incur a debt of at lead re an equal sum (as the items will explain) which at 6 per cent, only (2 ) is 5,120,000 iy dollars per annum, to be borne by the whole le country forever after, besides all the ot»> " 5* inconveniences, lofles and distresses e n rated, amounting or equal to 225 n )f of pounds Pennsylvania, or 600,000, ' dollars more ! the whole weight of wh 'ij point of retarded property the country v a inevitably feel at compound intert a That the lodes by illegal captures 1- seizures alledged of American vefi fs and property (sometimes blended wi it that of the enemies of the captors il in five years, that is, since the corn er menctment of hoftijities in Europe, does not n amount to t h e whole ir of which it is now very probable will beTe o covered (jirft exceptions only excluded (3) e as consulting futurity, it is evident equally d the interest of Great-Britain France and 's Spain to render jullice and maintain a good b understanding with the United States, and s that under their present peaceful,flourilhing t and happy situation, the Union fliould re -- compence the fufferers rather than hazard r the forfeiture of so enviable a position. y The old officer and one Am«rican gen - tleman dwelt much on » what Great-Bri -0 tain intended to have done if not prevented by the balsam of Toulon et cetera ; upon the t distress a war with the United States would n bring upon England ; and what we could. do there : but fortunately placed at a great P distance from the scene where the balance of J power is so much the fubjeft of contcft and e with which -u>e have nothing to do and that they ought not to go to war for honor.'* t (4) Fifteen out of seventeen pcrfons pre t sent, " approved of the flatement, and the ex- J emplary ivifdom, piety-, firmnefs and patriot e ism uy which the proof of its contents are so fortunatelypoflponed. iS'i (2) Which it was agreed to rate it at, t tho fatistied it would colt the country a bove ten per cent. (3 ) See how admiralty cases are deter s in the superior courts of jaftice in Eu j rope. Poftlethwaite's Did. vol. 2d page 715, and sequel. (4) Poor soldier, " So Pat you got that \ broken head for honor and there you lay t bleeding in all your glory." FalftafF, " There lies honor" pointing to t the carcase. PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE * House of Representatives t f December 26. Mr. Evans presented two petitions f'gned by " a number of the citizens ofMontgomery Caur.. ; <y praying that a new eleSion diflria may by 1 formed and that the place of holding the eleSion p may be at Pottflown, which were read & re ferred to the Members from the County. ~ Mr. Evans presented a petition from a num ; of the inhabitants of Montgomery County, re. r faring to a firmer petition, and praying a sum t °f mo " e y ma y le granted the:nfur the creOien of a bridge over the Manatow ney creel, which \ was read, and referred to a Committee of roads and in land Navigation. I Mr - Vanhorne presented a petition from the Tr 'flees of the Academy at Newtow, inVucls County, praying a sum of money for the endow ment of the said Inflitution, which was read and referred to a Committee. Mr. Gurncj presented a petition from a num ber of the owners of land on the Wffahiclin road, praying a law may be pajed authorizing the Governor to incorporate a Company to ere a an artificial road which was read, and referred to the Committee on the petition from the German town. Mr. Worrell presented a petition from the Truflci s cf Lower Dublin Academy praying leave to raise afujficient sum by way of lottery to jimfh the buildings, which war read and re - jerred to a Committee. fir. Leib presented a petition from a number of the citizens of Philadelphia County; praying the Governor m y be authorized to incorporate a Company to erett an artificial road to the twelve mile flone on the Reading Road, f:mi lar to several already offeredwhich was re ferred to a Committee already appointed. The. House resolved it/elf into a Committee of the who e on a Bill to authorize Frederick Leather his heirs and assigns to maintain c. Dam across Bald Eagle creel in the County of Mifflin Di Leib in the chair. After form time fpmt the Committee rose and the Bill was recommitted. Mr. Herrbhill offered a refohi'.t*-n for the continuance of the ail for •ncreafing the fe laries of the Judges of the fuprtme Court, the P rejldent of the tirenit courU and the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The report of the Committee on a tetition from Mifflin Lour typrayngthe appointrnfht rf a Trujfee 'w.is read a fecund time and agreed to and a committee ryas appointed' to brin* in a Bill. The furlDer report of the committee en unfi'i ifhed bujinfs was ria.la JixntuL timev and the different Juijecis were.referred to committees. Several purls cfthe report on thegovenor's ad. Irefs which were poflponed, Tvere taken up and referred. Dr. Leib laid the following refolutioh on the telle, Resolved that a committee be appointed to ' bring in a Id! cuthorifmg the commi/Jioners of the county of Philadelphia to leep a record of the ; ro-ds within the said county. ' ! The resolution offered by Mr. Hemphill was cajled up for afeccnd reading ly Cf>e cut/order and after ccnfid.-riiHf dihllt ~vas ''fTporteil till fvi </.jv next. Adjourned.
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