The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1784-11-22 00:00:00, page 1

NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
To the Honourable the LEGISLATIVE-COUNCIL
and GENERAL ASSEMBLY of New-Jersey.
The Petition of the deputies of the county of Mor
ris, the towns of Elizabeth, Woodbridge, Perth-
Amboy, Pifcataway, New-Brunswick, Trenton,
and Lamberton, convened at New-Brunswick the
9th day of August, 1784, by appoiritment, for the
purpose of contidering measures to be submitted to
the Legislature on the fubjed of commerce,
Humbly Shemeth,
THAT your Petitioners, prompted by the fame
spirit which animates your Honourable Bo
dy, and every native and virtuous citizen of
New-Jersey, and anxious for the promotion
of commerce in this state, beg leave to lay before you
the result of their deliberations, and their united and
ardent withes upon this head.
Situated, as we are, between two powerful and
commercial neighbours, to support whose interest and
grandeur we are, on each fide, exhausted; we are
persuaded, that the only method by which we can al
lure our just proportion of commerce out of the easy
and habitual channels in which it has long flowed to
them, will be to hold out to merchants such privi
leges and advantages as will be an adequate induce
ment to them to establish settlements in this state, and
to encounter the rifles and difficulties of a new litua
tion. To attain this objeft, the peculiar position of
New-Jersey seems to require, that one free port be
established in some convenient place adjacent to the
sea in the eastern division, and one on the river Dela
ware in the western division of this state. We pre
sume we need not suggest to the wisdom of your Ho
nourable Body the necessity of endowing these places
with the most ample immunities and privileges that
may be ufeful for their own internal order and regu
lation, and for removing every possible obftruftion to
the most free and copious influx of trade thro' those
channels: Saving the rights of Congress, and such
duties as may be constitutionally imposed for the be
nefit of the confederacy, we pray that an exemption
in the fu^eft manner may be given them from all state
imposts and taxes. We do not ask that their houses
and lands should be exempted from taxation in com
mon with other property of the fame kind in the state,
but that merchants, and all others, even subordinately
employed in trade, should not be liable to be taxed on
account of their occupations ; and that the exemption
should be extended to all their vessels and stock in
trade. If they be liable to be taxed for their occu
pation, not only will it be a difeouragement to com
merce, while we are endeavouring to establish new
ports under so many disadvantages; but, under this
pretence, they might be fubjeded to a great part of the
burdens from which you will with to relieve them by
the freedom of their ports. The exemption of their
stock in trade cannot be attended with any injury to
the finances of the state ; because, as trade is not yet
established, and not likely to flourifh in any consider
able degree without extraordinary encouragements, she
will lose nothing by this privilege of what she already
possesses ; but if, on the other hand, you shall be able
by these privileges and exemptions to allure into your
harbours an extensive commerce, the state will be an
immediate gainer by the wealtli of the people, and by
the ease with which all orders of citizens will be able
to discharge their publick dues ; and ultimately, when
your free ports shall have acquired a permanent esta
blishment, the profits of their customs must increase
in proportion to the extent and population to which
they shall have risen under your tender and indulgent
care.
Permit us further to represent, as our opinion and
our prayer, that these free ports be incorporated with
such privileges and powers as may be necessary to esta
blish in them a well regulated police, and such other
regulations as the encouragement and convenience of
commerce may require. There are innumerable ob
jeds Which contribute to these ends, which the ordi
nary laws, and the ordinary magistrates, cannot ac
complis ; or which they reach too tardily for the be
nefit of trade. Large cities are known to require
[Vol. Vil.]
TRENTON: Printed by ISAAC COLLIN S, Printer to the State.
MONDAY, NovEMBER 22, 1784.
more regulations than small towns, and commercial
cities still more than others. The tranfa&ions of com
merce are the affairs of every day; and tranfadions
of a similar nature every day succeed those of the for
mer ; they cannot wait on the tedious forms of jus
tice that are so fafe and ufeful in the ordinary execu
tion of the laws. And, aS the variety and punctuality
of their business requires a speedy tribunal, and can
not wait the flow operatiori of usual forms, so the au
thenticity of their contracts renders those forms unne
cessary. The proof is obvious in written documents
that carry their justice on their face.
In order to give the speediest growth to these cities
in property, in arts, and population, we hope that the
terms of citizenship will be made as easy as possible,
and that the privileges of the corporation will be
extended to persons of all descriptions, and to the na
tives of all nations, excepting those only who, during
the late war, have been guilty of licentious cruelties
in plundering and murder, contrary to the usages of
civilized nations. If, by the liberality of these terms,
a few men who have formerly entertained inimical
wishes and intentions towards us should gain admis
sion, we doubt not your honour and spirit will re
member, that conquerors only can forgive; and your
wisdom will derive an accession to the publick wealth
from the wealth and industry of individuals ; allured
that, as much as severe and odious diferiminations ex
asperate and prolong the rancour of opposition, so
much will a liberal oblivion of past injuries tend to
conciliate the minds of men, and make them lose the
enemy in the cares and interests of the citizen.
We pray, in the next place, that these privilges may
be secured for such a duration as will be a fufficient
allurement to foreign merchants to establish themselves
in the state, and give time to commerce to accumulate
and flow with a Itrong and permanent tide into your
harbours. If the privileges are granted only for a
short period, a few adventurers may be tempted to
abuse your ports to run their merchandize into the
neighbouring states free from the legal imposts ; but no
merchant of property and character will be induced to
fettle. The beginnings of commerce are small, and
its firft progress is flow: Several years must elapse
before the conveniencies and advantages of a new situ
ation can be generally perceived—several years will
be required to give it that extent and improvement
that will always make it a sure market both for do
meftick and foreign produce. These will be ih a great
measure years of expence, where a city is to be built,
and all the conveniencies of commerce to be erefted.
The merchant, therefore, we conceive, ought to be
unembarrassed by other demands that he may be the
better able to prosecute his schemes of improvement :
And he ought to have a security for many future years
of free trade to encourage him to encounter the rifles
of a new place, almost within the view of powerful
rivals, and to indemnify him for his necessary labour
and expences. Permit us to recommend twenty-five
years as the shortest term for which yonr charters of
freedom can be granted with a reasonable profped of
success.
We hope none will object, that this long duration
will defraud the state of a revenue that it might enjoy
at a much earlier period. Such an objection can be
founded only on the supposition, that the encourage
ments which you may hold out will be attended with
undoubted success, and a success equal to the most
sanguine wishes. But we are persuaded you will think
New-Jersey happy, if, with all the ericouragements
which you have it in your power to bestow, she can,
in the ipace of twenty-five years, possess in her own
ports a trade equal to her neceflities. When once she
shall have attained that point, the stability which com
merce will have acquired from your wife laws, and
the spirit with which it will be pursued by a frugal
and industrious people, will probably extend it far and
wide, and pour into your treasuries an artiple compen
sation for your prudent delay. But if success should
fail to crown your measures, it is too plain, that im
posts which could be collected at an earlier period,
at two or three inconsiderable ports, would be little
or no addition to the publick treasure. Perhaps our
situation is such as would juftify some bold and daring
stroke of policy, tho' it should be attended with coni
THE
derable rifles and considerable expences ; but the mea^
sure which we propose involves neither rift nor ex
pence to the publick ; and the possible gains which
might accrue to the state from shortening the duration
of the charters, we doubt not will be esteemed a small
facrifice in the attempt to emancipate ourselves from
our present humiliating and dependent condition.
We further pray, that on all foreign produce and
manufactures, not imported immediately into this state
thro' your free ports, a fpecifick duty be laid on some
enumerated articles that are most subservient to luxu
ry, or that would interfere with manufactures already
established among us; and on all others a certain per
centage be laid on the value, except that, in conside
ration of the present unprovided condition of New-
Jersey, in point of dipping and magazines for ship
building, and in consideration of orders already given
by the merchants of this state, any merchandize may
be permitted to be imported into any port in this states
duty free, by or for any citizen thereof, thro' any of
the United states, for the space of one year next suc
ceeding, it being made to appear that such merchan
dize Was actually fllipped on the proper account of, or
consigned to merchants, citizens of New-Jersey. The
establishments of those imposts we doubt not will ap
pear to you to be one of the most necessary and indis
pensable parts of the law. For if a duty be not laid
on all merchandize not immediately imported into this
state, our neighbours will take the advantage of this
negled, and become our carriers. We cannot doubt
that their Legislatures will have the prudence to al
low a drawback on all exports to us for a certain pe
riod : They will then trade on equal conditions with
our own citizens, and being so greatly superior in
their capital docks, they will inevitably become the
principals, and our cities will be no more than facto
ries, and our merchants favors, for those of the ad
jacent states. There are two principles that may be
esteemed maxims in trade, which have induced us to
pray that higher and fpecifick duties may be laid on
certain articles, imported from other states, that are
most subservient to luxury, or that would interfere
with manufactures already established among us ; the
firlt is, that the commerce of citizens tends to create
and exterid the manufactures of, at lead, the native
produce of the country, rind thus increases population
by finding employment for more hands, and increafe^
wealth in proportion to the additional labour bestowed
in working up the raw materials. A commerce in the
fame articles, conduced solely, or chiefly by foreign
ers, tends to impede the progress of manufactories^
and even to destroy their exigence. None but mer
chants, Natives or denizens of the state, can find their
interest in promoting the industry and improvement
of her citizens. But if others are fuffered, on an
equal footing, to interfere with our own manufac
tures, it will not only prove an effectual difeourace
ment to them in their infant state, but will proponi
onably affeC tthe growth of our commerce, which will
become daily more and more connected with them.
The second principle is, that the spirit of commerce
is a spirit of frugality. That spirit, therefore, will
correct the use of luxuries imported by our own mer
chants, because we can never possess merchants with
out industry, nor industry without frugality:—But
when the fame articles are imported to us by other
states, it indicates the want of a commercial spirit in
our own citizens; there is nothing then to retrain
their abuse. The purchase of them will not be dic
tated by the spirit of trade that is ufeful, but purely
by the spirit of luxury, which is deftru&ive to the
Commonwealth. But what we. confider as of equal
importance, and what will probably meet with greater
opposition from the partial interest of our own citi
zens, is, that after the period of one year, the du
ties above suggested should be imposed on all foreign
and other merchandize, introduced immediately into
any port in this state, except those you may make free
by charters. The nature of the thing and the ex
perience of ages concur to prove, that in order to ren
der trade great and lucrative, it is necessary, as much
as possible, to concentre its powers and operations in
one point, and to fubjed it to one geneidl influence.
We beg leave to represent, that no political wisdom
can ever make it flourifh while it is difyerfed into 4
[Numb. 341.]