Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-06-19 00:00:00, page 1

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O R,
GENERAL
MONDA Y,
Th SUBSTANCE of the EVIDENCE an
the P ETITION presented by the Weft-India<
Planters and Merchants to, the Hon.•
House ^Common's, as it eras introduced at
the Bar, and famin'dup bv Mr. Glover, on
Tburfdaj the 16th of March, 1775.
ON the second day of February, 1775,'
the following PETITION was
piefented to the House of Commons:
To the Honourable the Commons of GREAI- :
BRITAIN in Parliament assembled.
The Humble Petition of the planters of his
Majesty's Sugar Colonies reading in Great-
Britain, and of the merchants of London
trading to the said Colonies,
SHEWETH,.
THAT your petitioners are exceedingly
alarmed at 'an agreement and association, entered
into by the Congress, held at the city of Philadel
phia in North-America, on the sth day of Sep
tember, '1774, whereby the members thereof
agreed and associated, for themselves and the in
'habitants of the several provinces, (lying between
Nova Scotia and Georgia,) that from and after
the firft day of December 1774, they would not
import into British America any molaiTes, syrups,
paneles, coffee or pimento from the British planta
tions ; and that, after the loth day of Septem
ber, 1775, if the ats and the parts of ads of
the British Parliament, therein mentioned, are
not repealed, they would not directly or indirectly
export any merchandize or commodity u hatfoever
to the Weft-Indies.
And year petitioners molt humbly represent,
that the British property or stock vested ip the
Weft-Ihdia islands amounts to upwards of thirty
millions sterling : That a further property of ma
ny millions is employed in the commerce created
by the said islands ; a commerce comprehending
Africa, the EaftTndies and Europe: That the
whole profits and produce of these capitals ulti
mately center io Great-Britain, and add to the
national wealth, while the navigation heceflary
to all its branches establishes a ftrengch, which
wealth can neither purchase nor balance.
That the sugar plantation's in the Weft-Indies
are fubjett to a greater variety of contingencies,
than many other species of property, from th ir
neceflary dependance on external support; and
that therefore should any interruption happen in
the general system of their commerce, the great
rational stock, thus veiled and employed, mull
became unprofitable and precarious.
That the profits arising Train the present state
of the said inlands, and that aft likely to arise from
their future improvement, in a great measure de
pend on a free and reciprocal iotercourfe between
tween them and the several provinces of North-
America, from whence they are fufeiflied with
provisions and other supplies, absolutely necessa
ry for their support and the maintenance of their
plantations: That the scarcity and high price in
Great-Britain,and other parts of Europe, ofthofe
articles of indispensable necessity, which they now
derive from the middle Colonies of America, and
the inadequate population in some parts of that
continent, with the diftar.ee, danger, and uncer
tainty of the navigation from others, forbid your
petitioners to hope for a supply in any degree pro
portionate to their wants.
That if the firft part of the said agreement and
association for anon-importation hath taken place,
and (hall be continued, the fame will be highly de
trimental to the Sugar Colonies ; and that if the
second part of the said agreement and association
for a nonexportation shall be carried into execu
tion, which yoUrpetitioners do firmly believe will
happen, unless the harmony that subsisted a few
years since between this kingdom and the provin
ces of America, to the infinite advantage of both,
be restored ; the islands which are supplied with
nioft of their subsistence from thence will be re
duced to the utmost distress, and the trade between
all rhe islands and this kingdom will of course be
.obtruded, to the diminution of the public revenue,
to the ruin of most of the planters, and to the
great prejudice of the merchants: Not only by
the said obftrudion, but also by the delay of pay
ment of the principle and interest of an immense
debt, due from the former to the latter.
Your petitioners do therefore mofthumbly pray,
that this Honour #>le House will be pleaftd to take
into their most serious confederation that great
political system of the Colonies, heretofore so ve
fy beneficial to the mother country and her de
pendencies, and adopt Inch measures as to them
in their great wisdom shall seem meet, to prevent
the evils with which your petitioners are threat
ened, and to preserve the intercourse between the
Weft-India islands and the northern Colonies to
the gerieral harmony and lasting benefit of the
whole British empire; and that they may be heard
by themselves, their agents, or Council, in sup
port of their petition.
And your petitioners, &c.
The petitioners weie referred to a Committee
ofthe whole House, and on the j6th day of
V 0 L. IV.
The SUBSTH^E of the EVIDENCE, &.
SI R,
lAPPE AR io the behalf, and by theappoint
ment of the plantersand merchants coocu. led
in the Weft-Indies, who have presented to this
Honourable House an humble petition, setting
firth the great danger to themselves, to the na
vigation, revenue and commerce of these king
doms, in consequence of an agreement and affi
liation entered into by a meeting, held at Phila
delphia, on the filth day of September, 1774.
I bend under the weight of a fubjedfo aw'nl;,
a weight encreafed by my own thoughts anticipat
ing calamities, in which every inhabitant through
out this extensive empire, more or less, may have
a share : At the fame time, confeious as I am,
th^t a nation is behind me generally unfavoura
ble to my undertaking. Butabove all, lam fear
ful of a wide difference in sentiments between this
great auditory, and the inconsiderable individual
at their bar. , , ,
I rest, however, upon one consolation, that
whatever may be the Rate of your minds and of all
befidesin every state, whether of dejection or ele
vation: in every conjuncture, whether adverse or
prosperous; let me fay, in all time of our tribu
lation, in all time of our wealth, information hath
its use, knowledge is salutary; and when pre
sented in their genuine Simplicity, untainted by
prejudice, pafficn, or party; not looking towards
anyone quarter in preference to another; with-.
out courting any; meaning to offend none; but'
soliciting the attention of all; information and
knowledge in such a shape, cannot be unacceptable
to any assembly, and I am confident will be ac
ceptable here. , ,
To throw lights into the Committee is the sole
object of your petitioners, limiting themselves to
the line of fads, which from their peculiar situ
ation none can fully explain, but such as them- ±
selves. I shall afl< no opinion from witnesses, und
if afted from any other quarter, the answer will
be that to establish fads is their part, to judge And
decide is yours: Opinion therefore might be con
ftrudive presumption in them, like an interfe
rence with the counsels and measures of the state ;
whereas they entertain but one expectation, that
the information, delivered this day, if not in the
present juncture, may be found of some utility at
some future period during a portentous series of
events, whose final iffiie is known only to him,
who alone knows all things.
I proceed, Sir, upon another consolation, in
thinking myfelf secure of one merit with the Com
mittee; that upon the present fubjed the variety
of matter, already lying before you, might, by a
variety and multitude of witnesses be prolonged,
perhaps, for twenty days; and that I can pledge
myfelf so far, as rests upon me, to dispatch the
whole in less than half that number of hours. I
shall call but two witnesses, from whose evidence
and from a very few papers reflecting the Colo
nies out of the large quantity, transmitted by of
fice to the House, it shall be endeavoured to give
you a clear insight iotd the two capital branches
of colony-trade, the Weft-lndian, the North-
American, and the immediate dependent upon
both, the African, with the relations and propor
tions of each towards the other, and towards the
several great interests, the manufacture, com
merce, navigation, revenue and land of Great-
Britain.
After the examination of M r. Walker and Mr.
Ellis, tire whole was summed up, as follows:
S I R,
HAVING closed the examination ofwitneffes,
T must recur to my introductory proportion; that
from the evidence at your bar, and the official
papers upon your table, it fhall.be endeavoured to
give the Committee a clear insight into the two
capital branches of Colony-trade, the Wert-Indi
an, the North-American, and the immediate de
pendent upon both, the African; with the rela
tions and proportions of each towaids the other,
and towards the several great interests, the manu
facture, commerce, navigation, revenue and land
of Great-Britain.
"Finding my auditory so much diminished in
number, I muff supply the void by imagination,
presenting to my view the genius of the place, the
majestic genius of parliament, holding a balance
to weigh the future fortunes ofkingdoms, with an
impartial hand ready to rece ve the weights pecu
liar to each scale; and confeious,that the welfare,
perhaps the being of a whole empire depend on
the turn.
I begin with investigating the general system of
that empire, not only in description, but illustra
tion by comparison.
Antient nations were pofTeffed of the widest
dominion, not with commercial helps'. To be
brief, I shall confine the enquiry to one, to the
Romans in their ages of purity. Cultivation of
March ensuing were admitted to a heating ; which
was opened in the following manner by th%r
Agent, Mr. Glover, Merchant of the city of Lon
don.
D UNLA P's
their foil, rude manufa&ure, just adequate to
their necessities, severity of manners, fupericrity
in martial discipline, enthusiasm for the very name
of Rome, and the dulce &, decorum pro patria mo
ri made them masters of the world. War was
conducted with little expence, and the weightiest
arms in the most Wilful hands prevailed. Com
merce flourished among others, whose affluence
submitted to the steel of Rbme.
What is the system now? All over Europe the
fame weapons, the fame discipline, the fame mili
tary arts are in practice; war is attended with a
profufion of expense; and the deepest purse is the
best assurance of success. Hence the encourage
ment of manufacture and trade is the putfuit of
every nation in this quarter of the globe, except
two; who derive the treasure, which Europe
wants, from distant mines with a facility, enervat
ing the^r own industry, while the rest are exert
ing theirs, each for a fhafe in that wealth, which
the other two introduce, and can only be obtain
ed through the cemmercia l channel. By this Hol
land with a territory insufficient to nourish her
inhabitants, hath in her day flood forth a bulwark
against tyranny and superstition.. An artificial
strength, created by commerce, enabled her to
make head with numerous fleets and armies against
powers immensely her Superiors in natural force.'
Above all in commercial arts and advantage is
Great-Britain. Her purfe,kept full by her cre
dit, the resource of a trading nation, an annual
expenditure atlengthof sixteen to eighteen milli
ons recently supported so long, so extensive, @nd
so vigorous a war. . Had her purse been scanty,
she never would have seen a navy, which bore lit
tle short of ninety thousand men, could never'
have engaged a potent ally, nor furnifhed such
troops, as acted so efficiently, and at the fame time
in such different parts of the globe. Hence it is
evident, her system is commercial; her strength
and resources are wholly derived from trade. I
allow, the firft interest in rank among us is the
landed, but interwoven altogether with trade.—-
Pay no regard to a dodrine from me, but pay
all to the fupreroe authority of the clearest lumina
ry, this country ever produced, the great Mr.
Locke, his words are these, “ The decays, that
come upon, and bring to ruin any country, do
copftantly firft fall upon the land; and though the
country gentleman is not very forward to think
so, yet this nevertheless is an undoubted truth;
that h| is more concerned in trade, and ought to
take a greater care, that it be well managed and
preserved, than even the merchant himfelf."
On the firm ground of such authority let en
quiry be made, whether we fliould riot remain con
tent with the lot assigned us, which hath railed us
so high among the modern nations, where ail are
in rivalry for manufacture and trade; whether we
ffiould degrade our refinements by a parallel with
an unpolished and rugged, race of old, and conta
minate the delicacy of modern sensations with those
primitive and stern principles, which imposed such
a yoke on mankind as the majeflas populi Romani:
or whether, confining our peculations to the pla
cid sphere of enjoyments with more quiet, and
less hazard, than the restless pursuits of their am
bition, we should not have in contemplation upon
all extraordinary convulsions, how far the means
of those enjoyments may be affeded, that influx
of wealth, the creature of commerce, which sole
ly constitutes our envied power and rarl< in the
present world.
To elucidate by fads a system so essential to our
being, your petitioners have appeared at this tre
mendous crisis; when Great-Britain and America,
the patent and the child with equal irritation are
menacing at least, what barely in Words, what
barely in thought is horror—To unfheath the
sword of parricide, and fever the dearest ties of
consanguinity, of mutual aids> and general pros
perity.
Your Petitioners preferred but one (application
to the All-merciful Being; their own reason sug
gested no other than to be heard by you. He hath
inclined you to hear, truth enables us to speak.
Truth in its nature is healing, and productive of
reflexion: Reflection leads to composure of mind,
and strengthens in outbreaftsa hope, that an hour
may come, when this humble application may not
be found altogether ineffectual: If too for that
auspicious purpose it may prove my good fortune
so to collect, and combine the various evidence
from your bar, and from the copied records of
office upon your tahle, as to establish a system of
the whole, and found that whole upon truth ;
whose efficacy upon the mind I have described
before, and with some fervour of hope anticipate
now.
Here, Sir, I entreat your acceptance of a clew
through the feeding labyrinth of accounts. The
ways indeed are all unadorned, but the least per
plexed of any to a little attention; and to make
them fhoit fliall be mine.
You have before you official accounts of the
exports from England to trie Weft-Indies from
Christmas, 1739, to Christmas,- 1773. Of these
thirty-four years the firft feventqcn, ending at
BOIFWW
THE
Advertiser.
JUNE 19th, 17/fr
Christmas, 1756; form a period, which closes in
the firft year of the last war. The whole value
exceeds twelve millions, and gives an annual
medium of more than 700,0.00!. The last period
.of seventeen years ends at Christmas, 1773, and
renders a total of more than nineteen millions,
and more than 1,100,000 k at the annual medium.
I only observe in this place, that the increase of
the latter upon the former is in the proportion of
eleven to seven ; and of the value in both two
thirds are British goods, and one third only fo
reign.
A second let of accounts contain the exports to
North-America. The firft seventeen years yield
more than seventeen millions in the whole, and
than one million at the annual medium. The last
period renders more than forty millions in the
whole, and largely more than 2,300,000!. at the
annual medium'; an increase upon the former in a.
proportion of twenty-three to ten, with a value io
both of three fourths British goods to one fourth
foreign.
The third account relates to Africa, whose
commerce to England owes its existence to her
Colonies. The firft seventeen years reach nearly
to three ihillion^, and to an annual medium some
thing short of ißo,oool. th® last seventeen years
nearly to eight millions, and aw annual medium
of 470,000 k an increase upon the firft in a pro
portion of forty seven to eighteen, with a value
in each of two thirds British goods to one third
foreign.
On this Augmentation of exports to your Colo
nies, irrefragable proof is founded, that through
whatever channels riches have flowed among them,
that influx hath made a passage from them to the .
Mother Country, arid in the most wholesome mode;
not like the dash of an oriental torrent, but in sa
lubrious, various, placid, and copious streams,
refrefhing and augmenting sober industry by addi
tional employment to thousands and ten thousands
of families, and lightening the burden upon rents
by reducing the contribution of parishes to poverty
unemployed.
But this requires a farther explanation. The
date of the thft period is the commencement of the
last War. The expenditure of public money was
one source of wealth to the Weft Indies. That
temporary acquisition being soon exhausted by its
return to England, fufficient funis were procured
upon credit after the peace to cultivate new land,
and improve the old, still further enlarging the
consumption of our commodities there and in Af
rica, that from the year of the peace to Christmas,
1773, the import of sugar only to England, who
without her Weft-Indies must purchase that im
mense article from foreigners, hath risen from
1 30,000 to 170,000 hogsheads, an augmentation
in value of 800,000!.
. The public expenditure, being much larger in
North-America, produced a proportionate effect
oh the consumption of our manufactures through
that Continent. This money returned from its
peregrination to the Mother Country by 1764, or
1765, at the furtheft. But, as the Wert-Indies
had a fuccedaneum, so had North-America through
anew opening of trade, which converted the mlf
fortune of England intq a blessing. Though lam
convinced, that the fame number of hands at least
is devoted to agriculture here, and that the earth
at a medium of years hath yielded the fame in
crease; as we have been disposed to consume it
all among ourselves, or as out presumption may
impute the scarcity to Providence, restraining the
fertility of our fell for ten years past, in either
case we could not spare, as heretofore, our grain
to the foreigner; a reduction in our exports one
year with another of more than 600,000 k The
American fubjeft took place of the British in mar
kets we could no longer supply, extended their
vent from season to season, and from port to port,
and by a circuition of frelh money, thus acquired
by themselves, added frelh numbers to your ma
nufadureSj the rents of land encreafing at the
fame time; till the amount of exports to North-
America for the last three years, ending at Christ.
Has, 1773, stand upon your paper at ten millions
and a half, or three millions and a half at the an
nual medium; add 1,300,000). the medium of
the fame three years for the Welt-Indies, and
700,000 k for Africa, and the total value of ex
ports to the Colonies, nearly in a proportion of
three fourths British to one fourth foreign roods,
is five millions and a half at the medium of these
three years, ending at Christmas, 1773. A flight
matter this to the great question before you, fays
the general voice without doors, and readily ad
mitted without the ceremony of proof. This I
mention by way of preparation to introduce the
most material account of all ; which will demon,
ftrate, that the magnitude of five millions and a
half, exported in the Colony Branches, the Weft-
Indian, North-American and African, is not to
be qonfidered as an object so striking in itfelf, as
in comparison with the whole export of England
to all countries whatsoever, The annual medium
for twelve years back Hands on these papers at
less than fifteen millions; but as I have limited
nVHb.