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.