Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-06-19 00:00:00, page 4

From ibis ground fee, what is put in hazard;
no: merely a monied profit, but cur bulwark of
d. fence, our dower in offence, the arts and indus
try of our nation. Instead of thousands and ten
'thoufands of families in comfort, a navigation ex
tensive and enlarging, the value and rents of land
yearly tiling, wealth abounding, and at hand for
further imprdvefnents, fee, or forelee, that this
third of our whole commerce, that lole basis of
our empire, and this third in itfelf the best, once
loft, carries with it a proportion of our national
"faculties, our treasure, dur public revenue, and
the value of land, succeeded tn its fall by a mul
tiplication of taxes to reinstate that revenue, .'an
encreafing burden on every decreasing efface, de-
Areafing by the reduced demand of its produce for
the Support of manufacture and manufa&urers,
and menaced with a heavier calamity Rill, ,he di
minution of our marine, of our seamen, of our
general population, by the emigrations of uleful
Subjects, Strengthening that very country you
with to humble, and weakening this in the'fight
of rival powers, who with to humble us.
Having been hitherto merely general, [ must
now descend to a detail, but of parts so large, that
each is separately big with Efficient evils to draw
the utmost Stretch of your attention. I begin with
those, which threaten the Weft-Indies.
To recapitulate the heads of that material evi
dence, delivered by Mr. Walker and Mr. Ellis,
would be tedious in me, unnecessary in itfelf.
Leaving it therefore to its own powerful impression,
I here add only a general mode of my own, that
of the inhabitants in those inlands above four hun
dred thousand are blacks; from whose labour the
immense riches there, so distinctly proved at your
bar, are derived with such immense advantage to
l^efe kingdoms. How far these multitudes, if
their intercourse with North-America is flopped,
may be expoled to famine, you have heard. One
half in Barbadoes and the Leeward Blands, fay
one hundred thousand negroes, in value at least
'four millions Sterling, possibly, it grieves me to
fay probably, may perish. The remainder must
divert to provisions the culture of the produce so
valuable to Great-Britein. The fame roust be
the practice in great part through Jamaica, and
the new fettled acquisitions. They may feel a
distress just fltort cf deftruFtion, but must divert
for fubfiflence so much labour, as in proportion
will shorten their rich product. In faCt, why
dhoald they raise the latter, if lumber Should be
wanting for its package to Great-Britain. How
vague, how uncertain, how nearly impracticable
would be a supply of these Decenaries through any
new channel, I need not repeat; but shall close
this head with another Short general Rate in con
firmation of Mr. Walker's most accurate detail.
The gross amount of imports at an annual medium
from these now unfortunate Islands exceeds four
millions: 190,000 calks of sugar and rum besides
many other articles, the bulky loading for such
a multitude of vessels, more than authorize my
afTertion. Of these annual four millions the Ex
chequer receives its portion, the navigator and
merchant theirs; the rest centers with the plan
ter; and how, distributed by him? In the purchase,
of 1 300 cool. in our exports direct, and the lar
gest part of 700,0001. more in circuition through
Africa for a constant supply of negroes. What is
left, considerable, as it may be among residents
Fere, is applied to home-consumption, not with
a sparing hand, and to investments, uphofdingthe
price of land, and the credit of public funds. At
the fame time they are furnishing 'Commodities to
11s of such necessary life, which else must be paid
for to foreigners, and with a fuperfluity for foreign
consumption likewise. 1 avoid comparison; but
judge from this state, how valuable a fubjed is
the planter. All these benefits, the healthy pro
geny of active trade, all, or part must Sleep, as in
a grave, during a total, dr partial Stagnation.
Upon the North-American imports Lfhall only
remark, that the most considerable part of their
bulky productions js bought by the foreigner, and
of the amount, consumed in G reat-Britain, the
Exchequer hatha capital Share. Nor will I take
North-America for a companion in my present
melancholy walk, because She may prove the only
gainer, and as a community become mere found
and healthy, while every other member of the
empire lies bleeding. But my heart bleeds, when
renewing my gloomy progress, I turn a view to
wards one kingdom, a great member, which may
unhappily be distinguished above all fufferers in the
present conjuncture; I mean the kingdom of Scot
land: and among my honourable hearers, they,
whose particular attention, I may now engage,
have no cause to doubt the Sincerity of my feel
ings. I have taken equal pains with the accounts
of exports from that kingdom, as from this. The
papers, I could colled, begin at Christmas, 1748,
and end at Christmas, 1772, with two years wan t
ing, a circumstance however, which will not in
the least impede me in illustrating the progress and
improvement of the North British trade. A firfl
period (hews an annual medium of about 500,000!.
In a second it rises to 860,0001. In a third to
1,150,000!. and in the last for 1770, 1771 and
1772 to 1,700,000!. of which about 400,000!. is
colony export, exclusive of Ireland, and the far
greater part of the tobacco provinces: where ma
ny of my most worthy friends have a property ly
ing much larger, than Ichufe to conjecture. To
this I add a known export of linen, exceeding
200,000!. Applied to England for American use,
The whole may be little Short of 700,000!. but
calli' g it 6, l aft, if Scotland can well endure a
stagnation of such a value for twelve months to
come. Vvhether I their export to Ireland, of ^ to
40 ,ocol. will be affe&ed, and how far emigrati
on of late so prevalent may be extended by the
pressure of a new calamity, I will not forbode.
Sir, I feel—Sir, those feelings forbid me to ex
patiate further—l chufe to drop the fubjeft. Ob-
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serving only, that the colony export Bom Scot
land is totheir whole much in the fame proporti
on with ours, I will now pals over to Ireland.
That kingdom takes from England and Scot
land little Short 0f2,400,0001. annually in goods.
How doth She pay for them ? A large part in linen
and yarn, the remainder-in caSh, acquiredby her
foreign traffic In the printed report to this Houle
from their linen committee it appears, that in
1771, the linen made; and brought to market for sale
in that kingdom for its own use and ours, amount
ed to 2,150,000 b and the yarn exported to about
200,0001-, This immense value, the employment
of such numbers, hath its foorce in North-Ame
rica. The flaxfeed from thence, not worth
40,000!. a trifle to that continent, forms the basis
'of Ireland, and reverts largely in manufacture
from her to the original feat of growth. In reply,
what is the cry bf my magnanimous countrymen
without doors? Dignity! Supremacy^ . The evil
hour is 'advancing, not yet come; no fobner come
than felt, it may produce a discovery too late
that high-founding words imply no food to the
hungry, no raiment to the naked , and that these
throughout our empire may amount to millions in
number—But new channels of fbpply Shall be
found; bur potency can furmonnt all difficulties.
It is full time to begin the essay in Ireland, left
during the experiment, emigration so constant
there Should'chmge to depopulation in the Pro
testant quarters.
I now return to England, not a member but
the head. Her sorrows I will leave to the con
templation of that superior class, which must be
the ultimateknd permanent Sufferer. The sage
Mr. Locke would tell the country gentleman, that
his visible property, must replace the loss of pub
lic revenue; that he mull provide for a nation of
hungry and naked, or fink into utter debility and
despondency:; when the fun rises no more on this
once flourishing island, butt to fee the desertion of
inhabitants, and a wretched remnant, wandering
unclad 2nd unfed in lamentation over a wilderness.
I have mentioned the revenue, and shall now
be very concise upon that head. Deducing boun
ties and drawbacks, the neat receipt at the Ex
chequer tfrom duties and excise on Weft-India
productions I venture 'to set at more than 700,000!.
and another receipt in the North-American branch
at just so much, as with the former may render a
total of one million. To that amount the public
revenue is immediately concerned. Consequential
loss, for instance in the great article of tea for want
of the usual supply of sugar, or in any other arti
cles, I do not dwell upon here, but leave to re
fleflion.•
Thus far, Sir, I hope, that I have proved what
was your situation, happy in receiving from your
colonies all the possible advantage attainable in the
nature of things. Could our forefathers, the au
thors of such a system, which exclusive of foreign
profit could bring the numerous fubjeCts of the
fame state in such dispersed habitations over the
earth, thousands and thousands of miles asunder,
to a concurrence in the extirpation of idleness, in
promoting the comfort, and calling forth the fa
culties of each other ; could those venerable foun
ders of a Structure so stupendously great arise,, and
feeing it brought to such perfection by time and ex
perience, yet find it within the la", ten years so
roughly handled in a conflict with finance; what
looks would they cast on their blinded posterity,
almost the whole British people, who on every dart
of pecuniary contribution from America have un
der three Administrations been open-mouthed, and
are Still for American taxation ? Let the three Ad
miniitrations have all the justification es defendit
numerus, junfleeque Itmbone phalanges. But I, an
unconnected man, firmly pronounce, that the con
fenting voice of all mankind cannot make two and
two more, cr let's, than four; that the Vox Popup
is not always the Vex Dei, and among us upon the
present fubjeCt resembles .he popular cry in old
Jerusalem of crucify, crucify.
Yet, Sir, I likewise Sincerely with, that the
gloomy aSpeCt, I have given to our future situation,
may be all nugatory, all miSreprefentation, unin
tended, but not therefore let's the result of error
and blindness. Hitberto 'I have looked on one fide
of the question only ; permit me now to contem
plate the other.
It is the general acceptation, that the associated
provinces will submit inconsequence of the measures
taken. The measures I a^ude to are public facts ;
and with some relief to my own dejection fr apply
them to introduce another faC tincontestable and
brilliant; whereon I gladly dwell for a while : it
is a Subject of praise, requiring but few words, be
cause it is true. I have named the Romans; we
have among us a feka body, whom I compare
with them, as their equals at any the most distin
guished epoch of their martial science and prowels.
1 will not hazard a panegyric. The grateful sensa
tions of all our memories retain the illustrious and
recent atchievements of the British military by land
and sea, with a warmth, which would render the
most elaborate encomium spiritless and cold. But
themselves, lettered gentlemen of England, and
veiled in biftory, will allow, that the peculiar supe
riority, derived from discipline, pofleffed by them
in its highest excellence, is but the effect of human
art; that there are left at large in human nature
certain Sparks, whole occasional concurrence pro
duces operations not to be circumscribed, or con
trouled by art or power, and hath caused Such won
derful vicissitudes, recorded in times pad, but, I
hope, will make no part of our future annals.' I
allude to that violent agitation of the foul, enthu
siasm. Such vicissitudes, not to be Shunned by art
or power, merit the molt attention, when molt is
set upon a cast.
Many without doors have treated the exigence of
this uncontroulable Spirit as imaginary. 1 did not
reason with those, who either feel no enthufiafin
fur any thing Serious-, or retain just so much, as
may be requisite in the eager pursuit of diversions,
pleasures or profit I would have accompanied
others in >re Speculative through their several gra
dations of hope, still disappointed, and still reviv
ing, but tor one observation, which I have gene
rally kept concealed, but will soon reveal to you.
But for this observation I might have concurred
with the public belief, that the capital of aprovince,
now declared in rebellion, would have Submitted
on the landing of a few regiments; this failing,
that other provinces from ancient jealousy and dif-'
gust would not have interfered, rather fought their
own advantage but of that town's giftiefs ; th^ fad
ing, that they never would have proceeded to the
length of constituting a certain inauspicious assem
bly among themselves; this failing, that the mem
bers of such assembly would have disagreed, and
not framed a single resolution. This last hope hav
ing poved abortive, a new one is popularly adopt
ed, that the firft intelligence of enforcing measures,
at least the bare commencement of their execution
will tame the most refractory Spirits/ I will here
State the grounds of this, and all the preceding
hopes; afterwards with your indulgence the ground
of my original and continued doubts.
Our trading nation naturally assumed, that the
present contention would be with traders in Ame
rica. The Stock of a trader, whether his own, or
in part, and often the greatest part a property of
others, confiding in him, is personal, lodged in a
magazine, and exposed in seasons of commotion
to instantaneous devastation. The circumstance of
such property, the considerations, suggested by com
mon prudence, by the sense of common jufiice to
those, who have given a generous credit, rarely
make room for that intrepidity, which meets force
with force. Hence I admit, that the mere traffick
ers would have submitted at firft, and will now,
whenever they date. The reason, why they have
not dared, is the foundation cf my doubts.
I am fyeaking to an enlightened aftembly, and
cbnverfant with their own annals. In those ages,
the reverse of commercial, when your ancestors
filled the ranks of men at arms, rind composed the
cavalry of England, of whom did the infantry con
sist ? A race unknown to other kingdoms, and in
the present opulence of traffic almost extin& in this,
the yeomenry of England'; an order of men, pof
fefling paternal inheritance, cultivated hinder their
own care, enough to preserve independence, and
cherifn the generous sentiments attendant on that
condition, without fuperfluity.for idleriefs, or effe
minate indulgence. Of Such doth North-America
confitt. Ihe race is revived there in greater num
bers, and in a greater proportion to the rest of the
inhabitants; and in such the power of that conti
nent resides. These keep the traffickers in awe.
these, many hundred thousands in multitude, with
erthuhafm in their hearts, with the petition, the
bill of rigs ts, and the a&s of Settlement, Silent and
obsolete in some places, but vociferous and frefli,
as newly born, among them ; these het with the
blood of their progenitors, the enthusiastic Scourges
at one period, and the revolution I expellers of ty
ranny at another; these, unpra&ifed in frivolous
dissipation, aid ruinous profusion, (landing armed on
the spot, delivered down from their fathers, a pro
perty not moveable, nor exposed to total deftrufli
on, therefore maintainable, and exciting all the
Spirit and vigour of defence; these under such cir
cumdances of number, animation and manners,
tneir lawyers and clergy blowing, the trumpet, are
we to encounter with a handful of men, fenr three
thousand miles over the ocean to seek such adversa
ries on their own paternal g ound.*—But these will
not fight, fays the general voice of Great-Britain.
Agreed. I desire to meet my antagonists in argu
ment upon no better ground.
1 hat exports to the associated provinces have
ceased for months is a faft. May not their non
importation agreement Singly be a weapon Suffici
ently effectual in their hands without Striking a
blow ? Why Strike without occasion ?
To overfet this Suggestion an affeftion is brought,
that necessity will break the combination. I take
this frefh ground to Shew, thirt neceflity in con
nmaion with enthusiasm may produce a directly
opposite effect. I throw but a transient glance on
the extraordinary Rock of goods, laid in by the
colonists last year, though said to be firfficient for
the consumption of two. The arguments I shall
use, carry their own evidence with them. Let the
population in the associated provinces be three
millions, 'as delivered into the Congress, or be re
duced to two and a half white and black. At a
moderate computation per head the quantity of
goods, including all uses besides apparel, is not
adequate to half their consumption, which I Rated
before to the amount of three millions Sterling,
without Separating some considerable articles for
the month. This annual supply they never did an
nually pay for, but always remained under a heavy
debt to the mother country, a capital advantage to
her, as Shall be explained in its place. How is the
other half of their consumption, unfupplied from
hence, provided witt?the several articles for eloath
ing -and other necessaries ? What is introduced
through illicit trade with the foreigner must be paid
for in readv money, and is chiefly for the rich and
the few. How is the multitude supplied, dispersed
over that vast continent, and at considerable dis
tances from the sea ? Sir, by tte fame means, and
necessarily so, as are pra£tiftd in most counties of
these kingdoms. There are two kinds of manu
facture ; one active and systematic, collected under
a fuperintendance, and brought to the markets of
sale. The other is sedentary and domestic, obfegre
but large, could the small and Scattered parcels be
gathered up for computation, as may be made of
the former from the records of public marts. The
latter lies among the wives and children of rural,
of rustic families ; is applied to dpmeftic use, and
rarely fees a market for sale. In the fame mode
the American yeomenry are furnished among them
selves. The domestic manufacture mull in course
le large for the use of such numbers; the active
for sale is far from maturity among t'Am; but
necessity, urged against them, may extend the arts
and materials, already indubitably pofleffed; and
enthusiasm may stamp on their honre-fyun all the
value, all the pride of ornament.
Sir, I forefee, these differences with America
will be compos'd, and how—There silence becomes
me belt—lt will be so late, that Great-Britain must
receive a wound, which no time can heal—A phi
losophical sense of dignity mult step in under the
Shape of consolation.
This reflection I with to obviate, and will state
a Strong question from the other fide. Admitting,
if I please, the practicability of the colonist (apply
ing his wants with his own homely manufacture,
improveable too by time and experience ; yet wi|
not an interruption to the vent of his own produce,
and to the profits of his trade, be a loss of Such
magnitude, as may quickly, and with an interme
diate Stagnation too Short for us funtibly to feel, re
duce his mind to a fhte of humiliation? The in
terruption, I allow, will be a loss to individuals,
* The following remark might have been trite to the
honourable bearer, but may not occur to every common
reader; that, if there are any feeds of talents and ge
nius in a country, they are drawn into action and vi
gour by public j erments and troubles : but might have
remained in times of tranqui ity Jor ever ujelejs and
unknown, perhaps at the plough, under «teJbed, or
among the lowest class of mechanics.
large to forhe, small so many, and operate in de
grees proportionate totnuations and tempers. Th.
trading class forefee it already, and aie humbled
enough to submit, if they could. Those, who keep
them in awe, the multitude of small, but indepen
dent piopii rtors of land, may feel their part of the
loss So light, a< not to relax the reftif spirit, which
they have manifested down to this day; and may
be Strengthened by a truth too o viong, that Ame
rica, as a public, must oe a gainer by such inter
ruption.
She always hath been, and is now largely in
debted to the British merchants ; a proof, that the
neat v lue of her annual produce, and remittances
through the circuitions of her trade hath ever been
Short of her purchases here. So far, as this differ
ence reaches, whether Small 01 large, so far, as flte
substitutes more of her own labour in the stead of
ours for her own wants; just so much will be on a
general balance a clear profit to her community,
while the intercourse with ours is (topped; and a
loss to Great-Britain irrecoverable so far, as during
the melancholy interval the arts of manufacture
may be better eftablilhed, and more extended in
that continent; but if extended beyond frugal uses,
the yeomenry there will Sink into futile and ener
vating enjoyments, the source of venality and dis
cord, and in their turn verify a celebrated axiom
in politics, that difeontent, murmurs, profufon.
and outward Shew are the sure Signs of a state in.
decay.
Sir, you have repeatedly heard before this day'
of the large debt from the colonists to our mer
chants; an uncontrovertible trutli to the perma
nent amolint of millions. Grieved, as humanity
ntuft be, at any occurrence, which puts such a
property, and so many meritorious fubje&s in peril,
dr even under a temporary anxiety ; yet such being
tlie course of that trade, the effect of a voluntary
conduct, public policy hath cause to rejoice, at the
fame time to acknowledge a high, though unsought
obligation to the merchant, who by this practice
holds in his lurid the principal bond of colony de
pendence, enforces the a& of navigation, and be
comes in the public behalf the true guardian of that
half divine law, the work of penetration and wis
dom equal ts the great men, who framed it. Illicit
traffic is common to all 'regions and governments,
nor to be avoided in any, but by a Rria care not to
lead into temptation. Upon the whole, no com
mercial regulation hatli been more accurately o'i—
ferved, than the a& of navigation, to which the
American Congress most intelligibly submits, and
which in their deprivation of capital privileges and
liberties, enjoyed by their fellow-fubjeds here,
comprehends their contribution for protection ; an
aft, which hath generally been well obeyed by
them, and the merchant at home hath made'it their
interest. A foreign correspondent might account
most justly for the neat proceeds o' tobacco, rice,
sugar, &c. but will not give credit for a Stiver more;
and for that reason doth not receive Such consign
ments even from the less scrupulous observers of
the law. The British merchant on a hundred pound,
neated from a consignment, readily Supplies the
American's wants for a hundred and twenty, thir
ty, how far is immaterial. This accommodation
he hath not, and through long habit doth not try
to have from any quarter out of Great-Britain, and
therefore chufes to Send his produce through her
channel; nor will a few exceptions invalidate the
argument: and till the awful volume of earthly
vicissitudes fliall disclose the fatal page, where that
Omnipotent Hand, which hath lifted up and cast
down the proudest dominion of old, may have writ
ten the designation of empire to the child ; till then
the merchant of Great- Britain will keep the child
in all possible dependance on the parent.
Sir, after all, though my fellow-fubje&s rife
more and more in the flattering confidence, that
the colonies will not adhere to their agreements, I
•do not commit rnyfeif in averting the contrary ; I
do not pronounce, that they will : I only suggest,
tuat they may; and on that (opposition have at
tempted to Shew, what England, Scotland and Ire
land stake on the contest; nothing less, than a
long-approved and fuccefsful system, embracing
every circumstance of national Stability, prosperity
and luftre. For what this is put in hazard, I hum
bly hope, is a question too serious for cafvjftry;
and, I humbly believe, Solely to be measured by
expediency and practicability under the direction
of that great council, which holds the guardianship
of three kingdoms, and their boundless dependen
cies. ,
Right, authority, Sovereignty, dignity, supre
macy are admitted to the utmost extent of their
ground. # Is there not another ground antecedent
and original, that from the nature of mankind,
there never was, nor is, and never will be a com
munity, who after the poffeffon of benefits, deli
vered down from father to son for more than a cen
tury, will be persuaded to relinquish such pofftflion
by any plea of law and right, urged with all the
eloquence of advocates ? A force superior to argu
ment is requisite, which brings the question back
to expediency and practicability.
Conceive not, Sir, that our very thoughts have
presumed to interfere with the counsels or deter
minations ofthe state; but as the present fubjeCh
of deliberation and measures is too pregnant with
events not to run far into the future, we submis
sively hope, that the fads, we have pioduced, and
the deductions from them, if not in the present
hour, may prove of some utility hereafter.
You in jour future deliberations will Separate
the frivolous from the important, the Specious and
the plausible from the found and the true. You,
Searching the depths of human nature, will not be
milled by trite and popular opinion; and, when
the force of fclf interest is alledged at this momen
tous crisis, you will discover, that interest is not
the predominant ruler of mankind—l repeat, that
interest is not the predominant ruler of mankind.
The few indeed are under that frigid influence ;
but the many are governed by paffiun, whose trail,
1 need not arrange. I'crSeverance in a&s of vis
lence front one quarter, and per Severance in ano
ther to fuffer, may be in both the result of pagion.
Passion can misinterpret words, give Solidity to
empty founds, and convert Shadow to Substance.
Palhon could give weight to the cry of the church,
when Sacheverell infatuated a ration, renown
ed above all others for Solid sense and depth of
thought.
To conclude: if, Sir, in any future operation
this honourable Houle may condescend to a mo
ment's itmemhrnnce of us, our appeai ance may
prove not altogether in vain. Although there is
Still much remaining to offer, permit us now to
withdraw, unreproved, we hope, by you ; but
Surely So by our own confciencious feelings in thus
attempting our difeharge of a auty to the public--
Over the ads already palled and palling j do Q O ,
breathe out a word —only a parting sigh,