MARCH, 1812.

On motion, by Mr. LLOYD, the motion was further amended, so as to read as follows:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before this House a statement, so far as the same may be practicable, exhibiting the number of ships and vessels, and the amount of tonnage, and the several kinds and amount of merchandise, being of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States, or territories thereof, and of colonial produce, exported from thence to any port or place in France, subsequent to the period at which the repeal of the Berlin and Milan decrees was to have taken place; stating distinctly the duties payable in the ports of France on each article, before and since that period.

On the question to agree to the motion, as amended, it was determined in the affirmativeyeas 17, nays 12, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bayard, Bradley, Brent, Campbell of Ohio, Crawford, Cutts, German, Giles, Goodrich, Gregg, Hunter, Lambert, Leib, Lloyd, Pope, Reed, and

Mr. POPE, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of the officers and soldiers who served in the late campaign on the Wabash," reported it amended. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill, entitled "An act for the benefit of Christopher Miller;" and the words nine hun-Smith of Maryland. dred and sixty having been struck out of the bill, the President reported it to the House accordingly. On the question, Shall this bill be read a third time? it was determined in the negative.

NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Campbell of Tennessee, Condit, Franklin, Gaillard, Howell, Robinson, Smith of New York, Tait, Turner, Varnum, and Worthington.

Mr. GILES, from the committee to whom was Mr. LLOYD. from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Larkin Smith, collector referred the petition of Mary Nicholson, reported of the district of Norfolk and Portsmouth, in Vir-" that, in their opinion, it is inexpedient to make ginia, reported a bill for the relief of the collectors provision for individual cases of the description of the ports of Baltimore and of Norfolk and Ports- of that of the petitioner ;" and the report was mouth; and the bill was read, and passed to the agreed to. second reading.

Mr. LLOYD, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act authorizing a loan for a sum not exceeding eleven millions of dollars," reported it amended.

Mr. WORTHINGTON, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act giving further time for registering claims to land in the western district of the Territory of Orleans," reported it without amendment.

On motion, by Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, the further consideration of the bill, entitled An act concerning the Naval Establishment," was postponed to, and made the order of the day for, Monday next.

MONDAY, March 2.

The bill for the relief of the collectors of the ports of Baltimore and of Norfolk and Portsmouth, was read the second time.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion made by Mr. REED, on the 21st January, as amended.

On motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, that it be referred to a select committee, further to consider and report thereon, it was determined in the negative -yeas 12, nays 14, as follows:

On motion, by Mr. TAIT, the further consideration of the bill was postponed to, and made the order of the day for, to-morrow.

Mr. BRENT presented the petition of Robert Young and others, inhabitants of the town of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, praying a charter for a bank, under the title of the "Mechanics' Bank of Alexandria," for reasons therein stated; and the petition was read, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon by bill or otherwise; and Messrs. BRENT, CAMPBELL, of Tennessee, and TAYLOR, were appointed the committee.

Mr. LLOYD presented the memorial of John Parker, of Boston. merchant, in behalf of himself and the owners of the brigantine called the Catharine, and her cargo; stating that the said brigantine, whilst proceeding on her lawful voyage to St. Petersburg, was, on the 3d of May, 1811, captured by a French privateer, and carried into Dantzic and condemned, and praying indemnification, for reasons stated at large in the memorial; which was read, and ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate.

INCREASE OF THE NAVY.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act concerning the Naval Es

YEAS-Messrs. Anderson, Bradley, Campbell, of tablishment."

MARCH, 1812.

Increase of the Navy.

SENATE.

Mr. CRAWFORD regretted that his ill health and members of Congress during the Winter of 1809, want of strength would not permit him thoroughly which in his opinion influenced the conduct of to investigate all of the important subjects which that body upon several important questions. Mr. have been incidentally introduced in the course C. said he had not attended any of those meetof this discussion. The proposition to buildings, and had never felt himself under any oblitwenty frigates has no intimate connexion with gation to conform to their determination. It was several of those subjects, which might with great impossible for him to discover any assignable repropriety have been kept entirely out of view; lation between the history of those inofficial but, as they have been introduced, he would not meetings, and the proposition to build twenty decline their discussion. Such had been the state frigates. Nor had he been able to discover, that of his health, from the time that this proposition the history of the embargo, and the agency of parhad been submitted to the consideration of the ticular individuals in procuring its repeal, had Senate, that he had not until this morning deter- any tendency to elucidate that proposition. Upon mined to participate in the discussion. The ob- this subject he would only say, that the gentleman servation of the honorable gentleman from Ken- must be mistaken, in the inference which he had tucky had made it unnecessary to reply to many drawn, from the vote of the House of Represenof the statements and remarks of the honorable tatives on the 5th day of January, 1809, by which gentlemen from Massachusetts and Virginia (Mr. Mr. CHITTENDEN's resolution for repealing the LLOYD and Mr. GILES.) The latter gentleman embargo was ordered to lie on the table. This complains of a change which he says has taken vote is offered by that gentleman as unquestionplace, in the character of the discussions of this able evidence, that a majority of that body had, House, which is highly detrimental to the freedom as early as that day, determined to repeal the of debate. He complains that the motives instead embargo. If the honorable gentleman from Virof the arguments of the speaker have become the ginia will take the trouble of examining the whole subject of investigation. If this complaint is of the Journal of the House of Representatives of founded in fact, it is greatly to be lamented; but that day, a part of which it appears he has examit may be proper to inquire whether it is not the ined, he will find that the inference which he necessary result of another change in the char has drawn from that vote is contradicted by a acter of our discussions introduced by those who solemn decision of that House. In page two hunmake the complaint. If, instead of presenting for dred and twenty-seven he will find an amendment. the consideration of the Senate a train of reason-offered to the act for enforcing the embargo, in ing calculated to elucidate the proposition under the words following: consideration, the speaker should substitute the history of his political life, opinions, and motives, he ought not to complain, if his proffered substitute should be accepted and discussed by his opponents.

The same gentleman has taken a review of past measures, which are very remotely, if in any degree, connected with the proposition before the Senate. Such a review as will enable us to avoid the errors into which we may have fallen, from precipitancy or from the want of sufficient information of the subjects upon which we have been compelled to legislate, may be highly useful. But if this review should be conducted simply with the design of proving that the reviewer has always been right, and those opposed to him always wrong, it is impossible to discover any benefit which can result from it. It may indeed be highly gratifying to the speaker, but it cannot excite any pleasurable sensation in the bosoms of those who are charged with being uniformly wrong. A procedure of this kind is calculated to irritate and to produce the effect of which that honorable gentleman has so seriously complained. It is natural for every man to believe that his opinions are right, and that those who differ with him are wrong. The difference between the gentleman from Virginia and other men consists not in thought but in words. Every man believes that he is right, but every man does not upon all occasions undertake to prove that he has always been right.

The same gentleman has given us the history of proceedings at several inofficial meetings of the

"SEC. 14. And be it further enacted, That this act, and the act entitled an act, laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, and all laws supplementary thereto, be, and they are hereby repealed, from and after the fourth day of March next."

The question was decided by yeas and naysyeas 35, nays 81. The House of Representatives, instead of furnishing evidence of their determination to repeal the embargo as early as the fifth day of January as the gentleman has supposed, gave the most unequivocal evidence of their determination neither to repeal it then, or two months afterwards. Mr. C. said he was neither qualified or disposed to decide between the gentleman from Virginia and the gentleman from Tennessee, touching the agency of the former in producing the repeal of the embargo. That gentleman had ascribed its repeal to the late President of the United States-because he had declined taking into the public service fifteen hundred seamen. By the estimate for the present year it appears that six thousand nine hundred and sixty-two seamen will man the whole of our public vessels, including twenty-two gunboats. The seafaring men in the United States may be estimated from sixty to one hundred thousand, and yet by employing fifteen hundred, which, together with those then in service, might amount to five thousand, the gentleman from Virginia would have insured the execution of the embargo, by creating a scarcity of sailors to navigate the vessels destined for its violation.

But the public vessels called into service by the

SENATE.

Increase of the Navy.

MARCH, 1812.

employment of these fifteen hundred seamen ings and local interests should have been so would have executed the embargo! An embargo is a municipal regulation and can only be executed efficiently upon land. The great mass of violations was committed by vessels which cleared out for ports in the United States, but which sailed to foreign ports. In sailing from port to port it is impossible to sail in a direct line, and it would have been equally impossible to have framed instructions which would have enabled your naval officers to have executed the embargo, if they had had the physical power. But a part of the public vessels were in service, and were employed in the execution of that measure, and yet the gentleman from Virginia has not been able to show that any essential service has been rendered by them. Upon this view of the subject Mr. C. said he had voted against the employment of an additional number of seamen in 1809, and believing that the proposition now advocated by that gentleman was calculated to diminish and not to increase the means of annoying Great Britain on the ocean he should vote against it. In the year 1809, as well as upon the present question, he certainly believed he was right, and he had no doubt that the gentleman from Virginia then thought, and now thinks, that he is right.

strongly excited in the discussion of this question. The gentleman from New York (Mr. GERMAN) has asserted that the people of the Southern and Western States are decidedly hostile to commerce, and that their opposition to the proposition to build an additional number of frigates is the result of that hostility. It is highly important to investigate the truth of this assertion. Its refutation, if untrue, is imperiously demanded. That every well informed community understands its immediate interest, and is disposed to foster those measures which are calculated to promote that interest, are propositions which cannot be denied. The greatest amount of domestic articles exported from the United States in one year has been about $49,000,000. The single article of cotton has constituted about $14,000,000 of that amount, and that article is cultivated only in the three Southern States, the State of Tennessee, and the two Southern Territories. A considerable portion of North Carolina and Ténnessee does not cultivate cotton for exportation, but those States export a considerable amount of other articles, the precise amount of which cannot be ascertained, but there can be no danger of contradiction in hazarding the assertion that the same number of people in any other part of the Union do not furnish the same amount of domestic articles for exportation. Without commerce, the annual sum of $14,000,000 in the article of cotton alone, estimated at a fair price, would be lost to that part of the inhabitants of the Southern States which is employed in the cultivation of cotton.

*

The honorable gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. LLOYD) thinks that nothing has been done by the Government for commerce, whilst commerce has done everything for the nation; that commerce has paid into the public Treasury $200,000,000. If it is contended that this sum has been paid exclusively by commerce, nothing can be more incorrect. The money collected from imposts and duties is paid by the consumer Who are the most interested in commerce, the of merchandise upon which the duties are im- growers of the articles, the 'exchange and transposed. It is collected immediately from the mer-portation of which constitutes commerce, or the chant, and ultimately from the nation. The only money paid into the Treasury which can justly be placed to the exclusive credit of commerce, is the sum retained by the Government upon debentures, which is only 7-10ths of one per cent. upon goods paying a duty of twenty per cent. ad valorem, and has never amounted to $400,000 in any one year. The export of foreign productions from the United States in the year 1807, exceeded $59,000,000, and the sum paid into the Treasury that year on account of drawbacks was about $390,000, which is the greatest amount received from that source of revenue since the organization of the Government.

The duty upon tonnage, like the duty imposed on merchandise, is paid by the consumer or grower of the cargoes transported by the ship-holders, of whom this duty is immediately collected. The ultimate payment of this duty by the grower or consumer will depend upon the relative demand for, and supply of the articles in the market to which they are exported. If the demand for the article is greater than the quantity in the market, it is paid by the consumer; if the supply exceeds the demand, it is paid by the grower, in the form of a reduction of the price of the article equal to the duty imposed.

factors and freighters employed in the exchange and transportation of those articles? Can any man doubt for one moment that the growers, the rightful owners of the articles to be exchanged, are more deeply interested in commerce than the merchant and ship-holder, who only make a profit from the sale and transportation of the articles exchanged? If the profit they derive from commerce should be so enormous as to exceed the original value of those articles in the hands of the growers, still, it can be demonstrated that the interest of the latter is more vitally affected by a prosperous or adverse state of commerce, than that of the merchant or ship-holder. The merchant will be regulated in the price which he gives to the grower by the state of the market and the price of transportation to the market. Let the price be what it may in foreign markets, the merchant is regulated by it, and can only be affected by sudden changes in those markets which may be prejudicial or advantageous to him. It is a matter of small moment to him

There can be no doubt that the surplus productions of those States amount to one-third of the domestic exports of the United States, and their representation is less than one-fifth of that of the United

It is a subject of lasting regret that local feel-States.

MARCH, 1812.

Increase of the Navy.

SENATE.

whether the articles in which he deals bring a ple, the great mass of agriculturists in the United high or low price in the market to which they States, never had, and never can have any direct are sent, if that price is not variable, because he interest it. The farmer of the Eastern and Midwill regulate the price he gives for them by the dle States, and the planter of the Southern and price which he can obtain. But the price which Western States, stand in the same relation to this those articles will bring in the market to which commerce. Whether it be prosperous or adverse, they are sent, is all important to the grower, be- is a matter of small concern to them, and nothcause it will regulate the price which he is to re-ing but an effort of pure, disinterested patriotism ceive for them beyond the power of his control. could induce them to jeopardize the peace and Every circumstance which tends to destroy com- happiness of the nation, and stake the prosperity petition and reduce the number of markets to of the direct commerce of the country, for the which our produce is sent, vitally affects the protection of this mushroom commerce. This interest of the grower. The planter, the farmer, trade, which was carried on chiefly in the prois, therefore, more deeply interested in the pros- ductions of the French and Spanish colonies, perity of that commerce which finds a market was almost eradicated in 1805 by the decisions of for the annual surplus productions of his indus- the British Court of Admiralty, which establishtry, than the merchant or ship-holder. This directed the principle that neutrals should prosecute no commerce is indispensable to the internal growth trade in time of war which they did not enjoy and improvement of the country, and to the com- in peace. This decision did not affect the direct fort and happiness of the people, and, more so to commerce of the nation. That commerce in the people of the Southern and Western States which the agriculturist, the farmer, and the plantthan any other part of the United States. Sir, er, has so deep an interest, was prosecuted as sucwe are not so grossly ignorant as to mistake our cessfully as though this decision had never been interest in this matter. We know that, without made. But an acquiescence in this principle of commerce, without a market for the surplus pro- the British Government, asserted and promulgaductions of our labor, we should be deprived of ted through its Courts of Admiralty, would have many of those articles which long habit has made been an abandonment of the colonial carrying necessary to our ease and comfort. If, then, we trade, which had been so extensively prosecuted are not grossly ignorant of our true interest, by our commercial cities during the present Eunothing can be more unfounded than the accusa- ropean war. As a neutral nation, we had a right tion of the gentleman from New York (Mr. GER- to prosecute this trade, however deeply it might MAN.) The charge must be the result of igno- affect the interest of either of the belligerent narance or prejudice. Mr. C. said he would not tions. That the extensive prosecution of this follow the example of that gentleman by saying, trade deeply affected the interest of Great Britain "perhaps this prejudice might be an honest pre- cannot be denied. It impoverished her West Injudice." No, he would not insult the feelings of dia planters, and cherished and promoted the prosthat gentleman; he would not question his vera-perity of those of France and Spain, with whom city or integrity by stating hypothetically," that perhaps his opinions were honest." Whilst he repelled this unfounded charge in the manner which its nature imperiously demanded, he had no hesitation in admitting that the opinions of that gentlemen, whether the result of prejudice or of ignorance, were strictly honest. Mr. C. said there was no man in the nation more friendly to that commerce which he had described than he was, and that no part of the nation cherished it with more ardor than that which he in part had the honor to represent on this floor. But, sir, there is a commerce which has been prosecuted to a very great extent by the commercial capitalists of the United States, for the prosperity of which the agricultural part of the nation do not feel the same solicitude.

she was at war. The merchants of the United States, under our system of drawbacks, were enabled to undersell the British merchants in foreign markets. The productions of the French and Spanish West Indies, through our agency, found a profitable market, to the almost total exclusion of those of Great Britain. It appears by a report made to the British House of Commons several years ago, that the best managed estate in Jamaica did not yield more than seven per cent., and that the average produce of estates in that island did not exceed three-and-a-half per cent. The committee which made this report to the House of Commons, ascribe the unproductiveness of the West India estates to the commerce which the American merchants carried on in the productions of their enemies' colonies, to the total In the year 1807, the United States exported exclusion of the productions of the British West upwards of $59,000,000 of foreign productions. India islands from the markets of the continent of This commerce has no connexion with or de- Europe. Among the remedies proposed for that pendence upon the annual surplus productions, of evil by the committee is, the exclusion of the the country, which is the only commerce that es- American merchants, not simply from this comsentially promotes domestic industry and multi-merce, but from all commerce with their enemies' plies the domestic comforts of the great mass of colonies, even for home consumption. Against the people. This commerce, which is the legiti-the decision made by their Courts of Admiralty in mate offspring of war, and expires with the first 1805, which was intended to give the British merdawning of peace, is prosecuted principally by chants the exclusive right of vending West India our commercial cities to the east and north of productions in the Continental markets, the Ame the Potomac. The landholders, the country peo-rican merchants in the principal commercial cit

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Increase of the Navy.

MARCH, 1812.

ies most solemnly protested, and presented me- ing trade, with the whole world, except to Great morials to Congress, in which they represented Britain and the few ports then open to her vessels. the direful effects it was calculated to produce. These orders were the result of the pressure made They stated that their warehouses were full of upon her Councils by the merchants trading to West India productions, which must perish on the West Indies, and the inhabitants of those their hands unless the British Government could islands; or they were the result of a mean and be induced to abandon this principle: they pro- sordid jealousy of the commercial prosperity of posed a special mission, and pledged themselves the United States. If they were the result of to support any measure the Government should the first cause assigned, the contest now about to adopt for vindication of this right, so essential to be waged will be undertaken wholly on account their interest. A special mission was sent. of the commercial part of the nation; because Shortly after this event the Berlin decree was the agriculturist, in whatever part of the United promulgated, and the British Ministry seized States he may reside, whether in the Eastern upon it as a pretext, not simply to enforce the and Middle or Southern and Western States, has no principle established in their Courts of Admi-interest in the colonial carrying trade. If the secralty, that neutrals should prosecute no trade in ond cause assigned should be the true one, we have war which they did not enjoy in peace; but that only to ascertain which of the States are princineutrals should not trade with any port or place pally agricultural, and which are principally from which their vessels were excluded, unless commercial, to determine upon whose account" they should first enter a British port and pay tri- the intended war is to be prosecuted. The conbute, under the denomination of transit duties. test then which we are about to commence, as Thus, by contending for the right of trade in the already stated, is the result of the colonial carryproductions of the belligerent colonies; by insisting trade, or it is the result of the commercial ing to be the carriers of France and Spain and jealousy of Great Britain; it is, therefore, a contheir colonies, when they were unable to carry test rendered necessary by the injustice of Great for themselves, we have jeopardized the general Britain, to which injustice she has been excited commerce of the nation-we have sacrificed that by the pursuits and interests of the commercial commerce which is essential to the internal cities in the Middle and Eastern States, and not growth and improvement of the country, and to by those of the Southern and Western States. the comfort and happiness of the people. And yet, If this contest is now given up-dishonorably sir, we are told that we have done nothing for abandoned-the disgrace of that abandonment, commerce; that we have ruined commerce; nay, and the total exclusion from the colonial carry sir, we are upbraided by the gentleman from New ing trade consequent thereon, must rest upon the York, (Mr. GERMAN,) with having intended to Eastern gentlemen, Let them consider of it; let ruin it, and that the people of the Southern and them abandon it at their peril. Once abandoned Western States are radically hostile to the pros- by those exclusively interested in it, we shall perity of commerce. If, sir, we would take the not again be lightly induced to jeopardize the trouble of examining this subject rationally, the direct commerce of the nation, by engaging in a charge of hostility to commerce would never be contest where we have everything to lose, and reiterated against the Southern and Western nothing to gain-a contest to which, under such States. There is no possible point of collision circumstances, we shall be impelled neither by between those States and Great Britain. What interest or honor, and in the prosecution of which is the summit of our wishes in relation to com- we shall have just reason to apprehend the demerce? A good market for the surplus produc- fection of those for whose benefit it would be tions of our labor. What nation furnishes us undertaken. with the most extentive and suitable market for The honorable gentleman from Massachusetts this surplus? Great Britain. From whom do (Mr. LLOYD) has presented for the consideration we receive the supply of articles which habit has of the Senate, a comparative statement of the made necessary to our comfort? From Great land and naval force necessary for the prosecuBritain. The benefits resulting from the inter-tion of a war with Great Britain. The statecourse between the United States, and especially the Southern and Western States, and that nation, when conducted upon just and liberal principles, are strictly reciprocal.

ments and arguments of that gentleman are entitled to great weight, but there is just reason to doubt the correctness of his calculations in the present case. He has supposed that the regular Where is the point of collision between the force and volunteers, making together eighty-five Southern and Western States and Great Britain? thousand, will cost the nation annually $45,000,None. That point is to be found alone in the 000. It is believed that this estimate must be Eastern and Middle States. The principle that incorrect, because the estimate for ten thousand neutrals should enjoy no trade in war not per- men for the present year is less than $3,000,000. mitted in peace, did not affect the Southern and Admitting, then, that eighty-five thousand men Western States; it almost exclusively affected will be kept in service the whole year, the exthe commercial cities to the north and east of pense, according to this estimate, will not exceed the Potomac. The principle gave way to, or $26,000,000; and there is strong reason to conrather was merged in the Orders in Council of fide in their accuracy, because it is believed the November, 1807, which alike destroyed the direct estimates of this department have never been commerce of the country, and the colonial carry-deficient. But it is not expected, or believed,