p'- -, * < ' ■ , v'. V" v "V•■«'■;:'Tf') / ?. - sv^r.v^VV- Vv )fu, / 5•;...} }%. /"'/ ■■ -"v .1 a?>• V .v* ,• •' =: / ' ' ' ' ' v\ / ' No. VI. ETCH of the POLITICAL STATE of A AMERICA. NUMBER 111. AMONG the causes of a domeftie nature, to v/hich we can attribute our late unhappy situa tion may be placed thole ill-judged, impolitic com mercial connections, and speculations in this coun try consequent upon, the peace, and none perhaps _ may be esteemed more pernicious to us, than our large importations of britilh luxuries, while we were prohibited to pay for them in any staples of cur country ; and little else than specie, which we nioft wanted at home, was fullered to be taken in return : For though the exportation of our To bacco, in the firft initance, promifedagood freight, vet this, si oni a variety of causes, was soon found injurious, and in many instances, deffrudiive to those who were largely concerned in it—to which ihe difcoui agement, arifi.ig from the high duties impofedby the. Britilh goverment, and the exorbi tant coinmiffions charged by their merchants, may be ascribed as efficient causes—while the narrow channel, through which it could be introduced in to France, has never helii out a fufficient induce ment to the adventurer. Other evils which we have expei ienced may be said to have arofc from too licentious notions of liberty, which the early policy of the day might have given life to, as it would not have been prud; .it to inform the people they we; e contending only so a change of rulers— but ablolute freedom, without reltiaint, was held out as the palm of virfkory : Thus the publick at large were led to Confound the ideas of naturaj and political, or civil liberty—and by experience only,could be taught the efiential difference. The fame policy as above referred to, carried into the principles of taxation, may be viewed as another ground of our mist'ortunes, as government with holding for so long a time, in the early stage of the war, to raise any revenue by taxes, the communi ty were led to suppose all future impositions u the kind -4s not arising from neceflity, and to answer the exigencies of Government, but as the arbitrary mandates of their rulers, for their own power and aggrandizement—and even tliofe who knew it to be the price of our liberty, were alinoft induced to Telinquifh -m obje exirava .-ancics, ibllids, vi na _' i ants, oftheolueTt and mofl corrupt mo lClutS: Rome boafledher CINCINNATI. >,r.nd From W E D N E«S DAY, April 29, to S A T U R D A Y, America can boast her CINCINNATI, a society, chiefly corupofed of military patiiots, who may, with propiety,'be said to be Joliowers, tho' perhaps not all scrupulous imitators of their ILLUS'I RIO US PREDECESSOR. Agriculture, arts} manufactures, and industry, are promifuig prefaces of future greatness ; but if these are not attainable, w itliout a rigid' adl:e:«- ence to that fhnplicity of manners, which is said to have charadterifed those great and virtuous patri ots of Greece and who have been so often held up as our great exemplers, I fear we may never expeeffcto fee them flourifli in Ameiica. When the grteat and important question of na tional revenue is agitating m the grand councils of the nation, it will be found neceflary to recur to every probable source, and to contrive to give all poflible encouragement and etliciency to each ; tjiis will naturally lead to the confide! ation of the importance of a free, well regulated, and extenjivt commerce, which upon the most accurate and pi o found investigation, of its various productive in fluence, and eiletfis, will Jif. oer, what at this day, chiefly gives vigor, life, and energy'to the liuf bandman, mechanic, manufacturer, and laborec ; and from whence modern states principally derive the neceflary resources for the support of govern ment la the solemn, national deliberations, up on this deep, this wide, this inn reaf-arable fubjeJt, it will probably be found neceflary, with our po litical, to unite the belt commercial knowledge, and experience, that can be collected in America. 44 EH lavdatifTirr.us, qui per f? cun&a ridebit 4< fced la-dandus et Is, qui paitt re£la monenti." Tlieprcfent exhausted state of our public and pri vate finances, and the consequent want of mefins to supply the exigencies, and h-.pport the credit and dignity of government,are universally bruited, acknowledged, felt and deplored ; 'I lie general decay of trade may doubtleis be confldered one of the principal causes, as also of the ruinous migra tion ofour citizens from the sea ports into the re mote interior country, and even into the Britijh, and other foreign dominions. The French merchants have made several at tempts to carry on the \\ liaLc (ifliery from Dunkirk, and although the King cf ; France had furnifhed them with large funis of miney uponthe very ad vantageous terms of giving all the profits of, that trade, to the merchants, with the ufe'of the money without interest, and l'uftaining a'ltlie loss bf un fuccefsful voyages, yet tljeirfifhery never fucceed qj, until Americans, principally from the State of Maflachufetts, were induced by the very great tr.- couragement offered by the merchants in Dunkirk, and the want of employ at home, to enter into their service, lince which, the French government has prohibited the free importation of whale oil from foreign dominions. The English owe also their fticccfs in the whale fifhery chiefly to Ameri can".; for notwi:ftanding the iminenfe bounties p.ud by the Bri;i!h government for its encourage ment,they could never l'ucceed until they employ ed Americans, who are also very well paid and greatly encouraged in their service. The deflru live influence of a declining com merce adts like a gangrene, which unless timely checked will soon fyread over the whole body,and become incurable : Every lover of his country will therefore befolicitous to find out foinc speedy remedy for this alarming evil: There are no poffi bl; adequate fubjlittftes for th: loss of commerce : Our firft grand objecfttherefore is its rejlcrat.ort. Ipre fume notto dictate or direcit, it is a fubjecl that will require the deepest deliberations and re fearclics of the wisest and most experienced men in America fully to comprehend : It probably be longs to no one man exifting,to poflefs all the qua lifications requisite to trace the course of American commerce through ail her numerous, intricate and yet untroden paths ; and to point out those, and only those, that fliall lead the United States to fu ture glory and prosperity. lam sanguine in the belief of the poifibiiity, that; we may one day be come a great, commercial, and flourifliingnation , but ifin pursuit of the means, we lhould unfor tunately stumble again on unfunded paper money, or any fimilaf species offraud,we fliall aff'uredly give a fatal stab to our .national credit in its infancy, and blast the success of the best concerted plans : Palliatives at best at e poor pitiful expedients, and" never to be applied, but in the most desperate, or incurable causes. Paper money will invariably ope rate in the body politic, as fpiritous liquors on the human body, which often produce a momentary relief, or giddy joy, the ejfeßs of a delirium,-, but while they intoxicate the brain, and lull the sen ses, they prey upon the vitals, and ultimately def troy the conjlitution : " But while a nation can pre " fcrve its credit at home, and abroad, there are " no difficulties to be deemed infurmountaMe." " Loaded with an enormous deb*; beyond the pof- Übility of payment, and which would annihilate the credit of any other nation cn the globe, and burthen ed v. ith taxes which her commerce alone enables her to support ; C at Britain,' frcm her ui uform sacred regard to all her pecuniary "Dbli gations, and tiar.laCtions, foreign and domeltic ; and her coritant punduial discharge o.f tke inter est of all loans ; though juit emerged from along, expensive, unl'uceefsf ul war, now it and?, commer cially confuiered, the unrivalled miftveis of the world : Her revenues are immeuie ; her credit at home and abroad unbounded ; her funds the great reservoir of the treasures of the globe ; the bank, of England' full and runing over ; fhip> openly, or difguifedly.buKrcally ov :;edby Blitiii l.i'.jedti,, fwanning aad evidef.tly taking the lead in com merce of every other nation in all the parts of Eu ro/ , Aju:, Africa, end even in America ; openly monopolizing the trade in the few lea ports of Au flrian Flanders, secretly poiteffing a iarge in every lucrative branch of the French trade,p:vticu larly their African trade ; draining Partial and her Colonies in the east and weft ; leaving Spai.t but little to boast of all those precious Mexican and Peruvian liarVcfts drawn from the bowels, or the bosom of her prolific earth ; profiting greatly in her commercial intercourse with almost every o ther nation y and wifely jealous and tenacious cf the exclusive pofiefiion cf all the benefits arriling from the trade with her own colonies. r i lius, the little ijland of Britain, maintains the right and glory of being considered, and acknow ledged the great Emporia,,: of the won . . Yet such. is the prelent state of corruption, diflipation, ex travagance,and immense expence of that nation in every department, there are only wanted the united,well directed exertions of theAmericanStates; with indrftry, and their v onted activity and «» ■ teprize, soon to lop off many of the iiu.?l valuable b: anclies of their trade ; it is well known that " the difference of tliree or four per cent, will carry the trade of the world." Ei C. N E W-Y O R K. PROCEEDINGS of CONGRESS. In the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES of tf!e UNITED STATES. Tuesday, 28th Apxil, 1739. DEBATE vpon the IMPOST on MOLASSES continued. Mr. Madison, after an exordium, observed, Thi* duty, it is said, will operate against a beneficial branch of commerce, carried on with our allies ; but what was the state offaifts previous to tiie re volution ! This trade supported itl'clf, notwkh ftandingthe article ofmolafiis was then fubjeeu to a duty, and foreign rum was imported duty free : Now, there is a heavy duty 011 rum, and yet thi9 article, it is contended can not bear a rax—if the manufacture of rn.ll was in aflourifliing condition, when it had to combat a duty, and tjie influx cf foreign spirits, it appears absurd to fa "pole, that the proposed duty, will annihilate the tiade. There is a auty upon country rum, through the States, yet the trade is not deltroyed; and if this duty is afl'efl'ed on molafles,it is evident from tliefe fadts that the importation will not be diminished. It is considered by gent, " men as ane,ceflary article of life—if this is granted, it must alfobe allowed, that a great proportion is consumed through the States—and where mollifies is not used, it is more than balanced, by Sugar —as that pays a higher daty. It has been said, that this duty will be burthen fome, as it will oblige the merchants to encreafe their capitals—but this obje