A KAUOSAL PAPt.H, maLISHM) WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FEN NO, No. 6q, HIGH-STREET, PHILADELPHIA [No. 107, of Vol. lII.] FROM THE AMERICAN MUSEUM. REFLECTIONS on.th; STATE oj the UNION " Si quid novifti re&ius iftis, " Candidus imperti ; si non h>s utere mecum." DISPASSIONATE enquiries concerning the public iuteretts, are attended with salutary efferts, in every time and in every nation. In a country like that, which we inhabit, such exa minations are unusually interesting, and may be rendered, it is believed, peculiarly beneficial. To create the disposition requisite to the pro per acceptation of filch disquisitions, it is necef- Jary to call to the public mind the variant cha racters of the several states when the/were pro vinces of a more extended empire—the causes ■which produced that difference of character— the means which were devised to increase and perpetuate that variation, and the ends to which those charatfteriftic differences were intended to be instrumental. Refletftions duly serious upon these circumstances will remind the people of the several states, that they are natural friends, whose amity and union have been too often view ed with jtaloufy by rival eyes. They will per ceive the wisdom and the high duty of cultivat ing a spirit of mutual allowance and conceflion ; anil a careful examination of their actual situa tion will convince them, that greater bleflings ■will result from a perfect underllanding, and se dulous cultivation of their intereftsat home,than from almolt any arrangements, which the con ceptions of foreign nations will probably lead them to propose. The consideration of our present situation and of some interesting circumstances which have grown out of it, is the object of this investigati on, in which the benefits to be derived from a liberal interconrfe with foreign nations will not be undervalued. As no apology is neceftary for such an endeavour, a miscellaneous enquiry into several matters, which are always deeply inter esting to nations, and into others which have re sulted from our public operations, will be prose cuted without further introduction. Concerning the experts oj th: United Stales It has been apprehended by persons ofobfer vation, at home, and the idea has prevailed in the councils of a foreign nation*, that the exports of the United States for ihe year preceding Oc tober, 1790, wete greater in value than could be' expected again, by reason of the prices for grain which were consequent on the scarcity in i ranee. The exports of the fubfequenr year will aid us in testing this opinion, which attracts the more attention, because it is sometimes suggested that agriculture and trade have been injured by the ineafui'es of the government in regard to the pub lic debt. The firft return of exports, on which this conjecture was founded, includes a term of thirteen months arid a half, and amounted to 20,415,966 dollars. From this aggregate value a ninth partis to be deducted, to equalize it with on«J year's exportation, which reduces the funi to 18,147,526 dollars. It is very well known, that the price 9 of our produce through the vear lately returned, and which ended with Septem ber, 1791, had fallen to their antecedent rates, and it will be perceived on a comparifoii, that our exports exceeded in their aggregate value tliofe ot the former year. The last return, ex clusively of two quarters of Charleston, was dollars 17.J71.JJ 1 Those two quarters, at the rate of the correfpondlng term in the preceding year, woald be about There remains not, therefore, the least cause to doubt, that our total exportatioiis wer4 eigh teen millions and a quarter, and confequciitly more than in the antecedent year. It is to be obfeVved, too, that the high prices which' were current through thetimeof thefirft retot'n,niuft liaie : prbduced an exportation of all the grain, that could be got to market, and none of the old crop could have been left as usual, to fell with the'neV. The obvious effect of this must have fceen an unusual diminution of the exports in the Lift yesir. The Valuation of the exports of these ftatts immediately before the revolution is not pretrftly ascertained : but {he whole exportati- * See the report °f a commntee of the lords of the British pri vycounci), Dublifhed in the Gazettes (of M<ir£b) it Chailefton South.Cirolir.n. ons from America, including the remaining co lonies, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and the Baha mas, were computed to have been in 1771, dol lars, 15,280,000. Jn these were comprised the Ihipmerus between thole islands and the main, and from province to province, as every veflel, which departed from one American port for a nother, was obliged to clear out her cargo, as if dellined for a foreign country. It will appear to be lafe to fubiract for the difference produced by thele two circumstances, one half of the for mer exports, when it is remembered that two- thirds of the quantity of tonnage is employed in the intercoufe between the various parts of the present union, which is engaged in that with foreign nations ; and that the British Newfound land fifnery alone, was estimated at more than 2,200,000 dollars in 177 J. The increase of the tonnage employed in the foreign trade affords a nother proof of the increafement of our exports. About 330,000 tons were laden in the present United States in the year 1770, part of which were deflined for ports now within the Union. About 600,000 tons have been loaded in each of the two lad years for foreign ports, though our exports being in a much greater degree manu factured, are now contained in a smaller compass : and boards, fcarttling, and staves, which are our moil bulky commodities, have not increased in half the ratio of the tonnage employed. An addition may be also made to the amount of the return for the increased supplies in provi sions, cordage, and other materials, for the use and outfit of foreign ships. Since the prices of fait provisions have been reduced below those of Ireland, and many articles applicable to ships' use, have been manufactured here, this item has become very cotifiderable ; and so far as the ai ti des are fold to foreigners, they are eflentially ex- 700,000 dollars 18,271,551 Saturday, May 5, 1792. ports Under this head, the increased number of ships fold to foreign nations, may be fairly mentioned, and although much has been said of the number formerly disposed of abroad, it is not doubted that a greater value was fold in that way in the time of the last return. OfthisfaA fame fur ther illustration will probably be given inthefe quel. It will be fufficient to observe here, that the whole quantity of tonnage built, and native vessels repaired the lafi year, exceed in value one million of dollars. The enlarged confum-ption made within our country by foreign perfuns of every description, who are certainly much more numerous than they formerly were, is as profitable to the country, as thefame value in exports would have been. This item will appear to be very conftderable, when the expenditures of foreign niiniflers, consuls', transient persons, fleets and seamen, are called to mind (TO BE ED.) PARIS, February 6. WHEN M. de la Jaille, the officer who went to Brefl:, about two months ago, to up on him the command of the ships de (lined to St. Domingo, was attacjked by the populace at Breflt, on fiifpicion of being an Ariftocrate, a National Guard stepped forward arid demanded the honor of being his executioner. By this artifice he got poffeflion of hisperfon, conducted him to prison, and saved his life. M. de la Jaille was accompanied by his deli verer to Paris, where they went together to the King's mass. Being rliere pointed out to their Majesties, the King said to them, lam sorry that I have not about me the medal -which 1 have caused to be Jlruck in memory of your gallant attton. ] Jhould have felt great pleasure in prefentitig it to you -with my own hand. The Queen added to the National Guard, lam happy to fee you ; you have prefcrved to the jlate a worthy citizen and a good officer. It gives us pleasure to express our gratitude. The following words were handed last week to the President of the National Aflerjiblv : — " Sit down'all the notes on the fame line, and you ■will have no miific ; place alt men upon the fame level, and you deflroy all social harmony. The billet was written by a beautiful Arillocriite. February 7. Letters from Germany have been received at Paris, which mention, that the Emperor haS of fered to the Prince de Condi the choice of either Fi'ibourg or Brifgaw for his refideuce, and that of his suite ; and has allured him, that he fnall not be malelled in either of rhofe towns. 425 [Whole No. 515.] In the department of Lot, the mod dreadful outrages arc daily committed jDuket'iiz James's, and other noblemen's castles, have been burnt to the ground ; the inifcieants f'pread havock and terror through the country ; they burnt all be fore them, threaten the peaceable, and stir up the peasants to infurreftinn. Fifty men of tlie National guard are to do du ty at the palace with the King's household. There was some noise yesterday at t heTnuilleries; the mob were not allowed to walk in the apart ments after prayers ; they ihouted their difcon- :ent Afiignats lots j6 per eenf. ! A louis-d'or is fold foV fourteen livres more than its former value. Madame the Duchess of Orleans inet with a pleating proof of the consideration 10 which her virtues have entitled her.—At the meeting of the Duke's creditors in the Hall of the Palais- Royal, it was debated what annuity Should be al lowed to the Duke. The sum was eagerly con tested, diminished, and diminished again ; the mod: trivial interests were dil'puied and refufed ; contingencies and fractions were the fubjeifl of quarrel and debate. But when the quettion was Hated to the creditors, What income lliould be allowed to the Duchess ? the cry was inftanc and unanimous, " Every thing She chooses ; we leave it entirely to her Highness ; let her name it, we will sign before hand." The architects emyloyed to arrange the saloon where the Aflembly holds its fittings in a more convenient manner, have reverfea it entirely. The Presidents armed chair and bureau are now placed where the tribunal was fituared before, the right hand is consequently become the left, and we behold the Abbe Kauchet, and the Briffotsand Ifnards, upon the bench which was filled by Maury, Cazales and Malouet. The wits make merry with the circumstance. They call the Aflembly the microcosme. Thus, fay they, in the great world, the King, who was at tho top, is puttied down to the bottom ; the Attor nies are become eflentially the Aristocratic Body; Curates are amazed to find themselves Bishops ; the soldier commands liis officer, and the ass rides his master. LONDON, February 14. M. Rochambeau, the fonof the Marlhal, lately pronounced, in the parifti of Maubeuge, an eulo gium on the valour and patriotifin of Bernard, a private in the third regiment of cavalry, who closed a long military career in the service of his country. An officer preaching a funeral fer inon on a common soldier could not fail to be peculiarly striking. Extrafl oj a letter from Paris, February 6. " The King looks very ill ; he is more than usually pensive, eats liitle, sleeps less, takes no exercise, andabftains from his wonted comforter, Burgundy. The Queen's en-bonpoint increases." February 23. A great perfonagc, with that justice and libe rality which have ever conllituted the force of his chamber, has, it is Paid, requested an ac count of his foil's debts to be laid before him, that he may pay them out of his privy purse ; it is (aid, that, in confideraiion of the decrease ot the value of money, it will be proposed to make an addition of io,oool. a year to the income ot the illustrious debtor.—This will inoft afl'uredly be just, »s well as generous. A great commercial house at Bordeaux, lias received a letter from a correspondent at Mad rid, dated January 26th, stating that the inha bitants of the capital of Spain are in a great fer ment, and the Court in the utmost condo nation. The occasion is dated to have been as follows : Th# Corregidor of Madrid had given leave to a Bookseller to print an edition of the French Couftitntinn, on condition of printing but a very small number of copies. Five or lix thousand were, however, printed, which were inltantlv purchased and carried off. N Count Florida Blanca, the Minister, gave or ders to seize the Printer, the Corregidor, the co pies, and the buyers of the work. This proceeding rouzed the indignant people ; and it is alio dated, that the Minilfer paid- very dear for his arbitraty rashness. The letter concludes thus, —"Things are going forward here, which 1 dure not trufl to paper A few'days ago died, at Filh-hill, in Cumber land, Mr. Frederick Harpe, at clie extraordinary great age of 120 years.
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