nding Us the last Dispatches of the Committee. Two Copies of the Contract with Mr. Francy, and the Invoices, came by the same Vessel, Capt. Niles. And tho’ one of your Letters mentions sending inclosed a Resolution of Congress relative to two Articles of the Treaty, that Resolution is not come to hand. There are Circumstances in the Affair of those Articles, that make them in my Opinion of no Consequence if they Stand, while the proposing to abrogate them, has an unpleasing Appearance, as it looks like a Desire of having it in our Power to make that Commercial kind of War, which no honest State can begin, which no good Friend or Neighbour ever did or will begin, which has always been consider’d as an Act of hostility that provoked as well as justify’d Reprisals, and has generally produced such as have render’d the first Project as unprofitable as it was unjust. Commerce among Nations as well as between Private Persons should be fair and equitable, by Equivalent Exchanges, and mutual Supplies. The taking unfair Advantage of a Neighbour’s Necessities, tho’ attended with a temporary Success, always breeds ill Blood. To lay Duties on a Commodity exported which our Friends want, is a Knavish Attempt to get something for Nothing. The Statesman who first invented it, had the Genius of a Pickpocket; and would have been a Pickpocket if Fortune had suitably plac’d him. The Nations who have practis’d it have suffer’d for it fourfold, as Pickpockets ought to suffer. Savoy by a Duty on exported Wines lost the Supplying of Switzerland, which thenceforth raised its own Wine; and (to wave other Instances) Britain by her Duty on exported Tea, has lost the Trade of her Colonies. But as we produce no Commodity that is peculiar to our Country, and which may not be obtained elsewhere, the Discouraging the Consumption of ours by Duties on Exportation, and thereby encouraging a Rivalship from other Nations in the Ports we trade to, is absolute Folly, which is indeed mixed more or less with all Knavery. For my own Part if my Protest were of any Consequence, I should Protest against our ever doing it even by way of Reprisal. It is a Meanness with which I would not dirty the Conscience or Character of My Country. The Objections stated against the last of the two Articles had all been made and consider’d here; and were sent I imagine from hence by one who is offended that they were not thought of weight sufficient to stop the signing of the Treaty, ’till the King should in another Council reconsider those Articles, and after agre |
eing to omit them order new Copies to be drawn, tho’ all was then ready engross’d on Parchment as before settled. I did not think the Articles of much Consequence; but I thought it of Consequence that no Delay should be given to the signing of the Treaty after it was ready. But if I had known that those Objections would have been sent to the Committee I should have sent the Answers they received, which had been Satisfactory to all the Commissioners when the Treaty was settled and untill the Mind of one of them was alter’d by the Opinion of two other Persons. ’Tis now too late to send those Answers. But I wish for the future if such a Case should again happen, that Congress would acquaint their Commissioners with such partial Objections, and hear their Reasons, before they determine that they have done wrong. In the mean time this is only to you in private: It will be of no use to communicate it, as the Resolution of Congress will probably be received and executed before this Letter comes to hand. |
e only given to excuse the Delay. |
1830-04-01 · Boston
1830-04-01 · Boston
From The Banner of the Constitution. Devoted to General Politics, Political Economy, State Papers, Foreign and Domestic News, &c. (1829-1832)
1831-09-07 · Philadelphia
From The Banner of the Constitution. Devoted to General Politics, Political Economy, State Papers, Foreign and Domestic News, &c. (1829-1832)
1831-09-07 · Philadelphia
From The Banner of the Constitution. Devoted to General Politics, Political Economy, State Papers, Foreign and Domestic News, &c. (1829-1832)
1831-09-07 · Philadelphia
From The Banner of the Constitution. Devoted to General Politics, Political Economy, State Papers, Foreign and Domestic News, &c. (1829-1832)
1831-09-07 · Philadelphia
1831-12-01 · Philadelphia
1831-12-01 · Philadelphia
1877-07-01 · Boston
1887-11-26 · Maitland, New South Wales
22,1/8.-To lay duties on a commodity ex |